How Organic is your oil?

Our trees and fruit are not sprayed with any chemicals. They are irrigated with water from the Granite Belt subterranean aquifer and, of course, natural rainwater, depending on the weather! After harvesting, fresh rainwater is used to wash the olives before they are crushed on site and the oil bottled. We have not undergone any organic certification, as the process is lengthy and expensive.

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Do you have a cellar door?

Currently we do not have a cellar door and can only process orders placed online.

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Do you shake the trees when harvesting?

No, we handpick our olives by gently combing the branches with plastic rakes over a tarp to catch the olives, or simply pick them by hand into a bucket. Larger, more commercial farms may use specialised machinery to shake the trees and make the process quicker, but we do not.

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How often do you harvest?

Olive trees begin to flower as early as October, depending on the species, and we generally harvest from April through May. Our small farm has several species, some are better suited for pickling and eating, whereas others are best used in oil production.

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How much oil is produced per tree?

On average, a yield of 9-11% oil from the total weight of olives picked is normal on our farm. Each tree on our farm is producing roughly 20 kilograms of olives, which converts to about  2Litres of oil when bottling only the first cold press,  highest of quality, extra virgin olive oil.

 

Is Olive oil good for you, even though it is high in fat and high in calories?

For a long time, medical doctors have observed the benefit of a Mediterranean diet, of which a key component is Olive Oil. Olive oil is especially high in monounsaturated fat, a healthy fat which is good for your heart. It carries a wide range of vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including: Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Potassium, Calcium, Iron and phytosterols. Spruked to improve cardiovascular health, immune and brain function, it is also known to help with clear skin and even weight management.

 

Is it ok to cook with olive oil?

There was some recent concern over heating vegetable oils, like olive oil, because of the risk in damaging the oil’s molecular structure and therefore diminishing it’s heath benefits. In light of recent research, this has been disproven. High quality, low acidity, EVOO has a smoke point of  207 C, and so, unless heated beyond this temperature, the health benefits remain.  Personally, we love the flavour in everything- poured over salad, over scrambled eggs, with fresh sourdough, or even used for shallow frying rissoles. A classic in our household is sliced potatoes arranged on a baking tray, doused with a healthy drizzle of olive oil, freshly ground Himalayan rock salt and rosemary springs. The olive oil brings about a fantastic flavour and crunch to the potatoes.

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Why is the oil cloudy?

Because our oil is unfiltered, which is also why the flavour is so wonderful! As the oil ages, occasionally sediment will settle at the bottom of the bottle and the oil will slowly become clearer.

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How do I store my oil?

Oil is best stored in a dark-coloured glass bottle, out of direct sunlight and not exposed to air too often (ie- keep the lid screwed on when not using it).

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Does Olive Oil go off?

Unlike a good wine, a good olive oil is better consumed fresh. Sadly, the reality for a some store-bought olive oils, is that they are probably close to being rancid before you even open the bottle. We only sell our most recent year’s harvest and recommend consuming the oil within 12months of opening.

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If you have any other questions, please drop us a line on info@kotetsi.com.au

 

Nick and Eveleen