Orchard Chronicles

Macala Orchards Olive Varieties of Special Note in 2020.

Olives of Carolea cultivar, a typical variety cultivated in Calabria since BC and also in the area of Enna, Sicily (very close to the birthplaces of my grandparents Nonno Macaluso and Nonna Manzone).  Often called “Carolea in purezza”.  Carolea is a very ancient cultivar whose name in the old Greek means “as big as a nut”.   Genine has roots in Calabria and I have roots in Sicily, so we are excited to make Extra Virgin Carolea Olive Oil both as a single varietal Carolea Oil and to include Carolea in our Award Winning Sicilian Blend.

Farga Olive originated from Valencia in Spain and usually cultivated in Castellon, Tarragona, Valencia, Teruel and Liedida, Counties.  Farga Olive is probably the oldest of those cultivated in the world.   Especially in the Territorio del Senia, at the joining of the Aragon, Catalonia and Valencia Regions.  Verbal history in the area has the Farga olive coming to Spain with the Carthaginians and a Phoenician man names Ayin.  The variety of olive tree has a history and distinction of very long life.   Near the small town of Ulldecona is a 1700 year old Farga Olive Tree known as the Farga de l’Arion, which might be the oldest, scientifically dated olive tree in the worldThis is the first year that we have harvested and milled the Farga Olives both as a single varietal oil and in our Nonna’s Blend and Fratello’s Blend.

Itrana olive is a rustic cultivar grown extensively in the Lazio Region in Gaeta, Sonnino and Sezze.   Sezze is the ancestral home of my brothers of the Marconi family.   Joseph Marconi and I visited Sezze in May of 2019.  This makes Itrana a very special oil for Macala Orchards.

2019 EVOO - Carolea - 250ml.jpg
2019 EVOO - Farga - 250ml.jpg
2019 EVOO - Itrana Blend - 250ml.jpg