Can't Afford a Tuscan Estate? Adopt an Olive Tree Instead

 Nearly 25 years ago — when becoming a food writer was still a dream — my extrovert sister dragged me to a book party for Patricia Wells, the famed Paris-based food journalist. I nervously approached her to sign my copy of The Paris Cookbook, and then blurted out: But how did you do this? How do you live in France and have a vineyard? I will never forget her answer. She took my hand and said: “Jane, I’m just a girl from Wisconsin. Someday you’ll have a vineyard too.” She wrote the same thing in my book. It made my heart soar.

I still do not have a vineyard. But after reporting a story for The New York Times published last week, I’m thinking a few olive trees might be in my future. The story, They’re Rescuing Olive Trees for More than the Oil, highlights the crisis of abandoned groves in olive-growing regions, from Italy to California. In Italy alone, an estimated 440 million trees are abandoned. Across the Mediterranean, some 5 billion trees are at risk.

The movement to revitalize abandoned groves took off around 2010, and it picked up during the pandemic when many people sought out more meaningful work (and the opportunity to do it outside). For some, bringing olive groves back to life was a way to rebuild rural communities. For some, it was an opportunity to protect cultural and culinary heritage. Others wanted to stem the environmental consequences of losing the trees, which sequester carbon and help to maintain biodiversity.

For the story, I spoke to producers in California, Spain, and Italy. Each of them deserved an article of their own. Take Fil Bucchino, founder of Abandoned Grove, which has put more than 5,000 trees back into production within the city limits of Florence. Born in Italy, he spent most of his life in Canada. His first career was as bass player in a punk rock band, Flashlight Brown. But on a trip back to Italy in the early aughts, he tasted a freshly pressed oil that changed his life. Soon, he was taking olive-oil tasting courses, then he learned to mill. He now serves as a professional taster and judge in Italy and produced a great, short documentary, “Obsessed with Olive Oil.”

Obsessed with Olive Oil - Full Documentary

The transition from music to olive oil isn’t as much of a shift as you might think, Bucchino told me. “Punk rock was about people, attitude, community, integrity, positivity, and taking a stand for or against something. Real extra virgin olive oil is the same. It’s not a commodity; it’s fueled by passion first, like any art form. These kinds of oils deserve their own genre.”

Like many of the other revitalization projects, Abandoned Grove has a broad mission: to protect biodiversity (Tuscany alone has 80 varieties of olives; Italy more than 700) and to employ socially disadvantaged workers. But, for Bucchino, taste is most important: “I don’t believe I can get people to give a crap about olive trees being abandoned if the oil isn’t incredible,” he said.

To fund their work, Abandoned Grove and other similar projects invite consumers to adopt or sponsor an olive tree (or two or 10.) Many programs let you choose a specific tree, and even name it. For every tree you sponsor, you receive a liter of olive oil — the average amount of oil a tree produces.

It’s not quite the same as having your own olive grove — or vineyard, for that matter. I still yearn for one! But it’s a heck of a lot easier, and cheaper, and it supports important work. Olive oil from this year’s harvest has already been pressed and will likely ship soon, which makes this a great time to sign yourself up or give a tree as a fun holiday gift.