We are very proud of our 100% pure Tuscan olive oil.

When we arrived in 2001 the existing trees were the remnants of an ancient grove largely destroyed in 1985 by an ice storm and following big chill.

By that stage Finerri had largely been abandoned and the dead trees were bulldozed and burnt. About 50 trees remained, some with their original trunks, others sprouting after having been coppiced. In 2001 we spent the spring pruning and recovering the old trees and the summer preparing the ground for 350 new trees, planted in March of 2002. In 2015 we extended the grove by another 400 trees which should start to come into production sometime after 2020.There is a mix of varieties, all of which are heritage Italian strains such as Leccino and Corregiolo.

Being grown in clay rather than their preferred  stony soil lends a depth and strength to the oil noted both when eaten fresh and when used in cooking particularly in Italian tomato sauces. This does however mean that the trees grow very slowly, giving credence to the Greek saying that one doesn't plant an olive tree for oneself but for one's grandchildren.

No chemical sprays or artificial fertilizers are used in producing The Lazy Olive's oil. We are committed to using only organically certified compost and fertiliser and try and encourage the local wildlife to treat Finerri as an island paradise. Porcupines, badgers and wild boar help with the cultivation under the trees and the considerable population of roe deer help with the pruning. We share our harvest with starlings, wood pigeons, sparrows, woodpeckers and jays. There is usually enough to go around.

We only produce cold pressed organic extra virgin olive oil.

We have an organic vegetable garden and you are very welcome to pick whatever you want as long as the resident badger hasn't finished it all off in his nightly visits.

ADOPT A TUSCAN OLIVE TREE By adopting one of the olive trees at The Lazy Olive organic grove, you will sponsor the conservation of the Tuscan landscape for 1 year, have a plaque on "your" tree with your name (or the name of a person you offer the tree to), receive a delivery of 2 half litres tins of our first pressed extra virgin olive oil in November and will be welcome to come and join us to the harvest if you like (in case please let us know in advance). Please contact us for more info.

CARBON FOOTPRINT

We also try to reduce our CO2 emissions as much as possible. To do this in 2007 we bought a 10 acre block of regenerating temperate rain forest on Great Barrier Island in New Zealand which we will plant with more trees to increase its rate of carbon absorption and plan to buy more land to do the same in the future. Online carbon footprint calculators suggest that as a family and a business we are close to being carbon neutral. The forest is protected and cannot be developed so it will continue its work for us and for future generations.

PLASTIC

We try to avoid the use of plastic, none of our furniture is in plastic. Plus we have filtred cold sparkly/natural water on tap for free for our guests who can refill as much as they like the glass bottles we provide.