Totarabank has a grove of 50 Leccino and Frontoia olive trees.
The Leccino olive is one of the primary olive cultivars used in the production of Italian olive oil. While it is unclear when the cultivar first appeared, written references can be found near the end of the Middle Ages, and the Leccino is generally one of the older cultivars from Italy.
Frantoio olive trees have been grown in Italy for centuries - in Tuscany, Italy, an olive oil processing factory is also called a 'Frantoio'. The variety is self pollinating with high, constant productivity. Frantoio (Paragon) produces a heavy crop ready for oil harvesting in the mid-to-late season. The fruit ripens gradually which allows a longer harvest window than faster-ripening varieties. Frantoio olives are small to medium size (2 to 3g) and oval in shape. The olives have a pleasant nutty flavour when pickled. When mature, the fruit are coloured purple-black, but at the preferred harvest time for oil production are green and purple-green. The highly noted oil is of fruity character, highly aromatic and of leading quality.
Typically the olives are harvested in June each year. There is enough for a few bottles per household, and there are plans to plant further olive trees.
The Leccino olive is one of the primary olive cultivars used in the production of Italian olive oil. While it is unclear when the cultivar first appeared, written references can be found near the end of the Middle Ages, and the Leccino is generally one of the older cultivars from Italy.
Frantoio olive trees have been grown in Italy for centuries - in Tuscany, Italy, an olive oil processing factory is also called a 'Frantoio'. The variety is self pollinating with high, constant productivity. Frantoio (Paragon) produces a heavy crop ready for oil harvesting in the mid-to-late season. The fruit ripens gradually which allows a longer harvest window than faster-ripening varieties. Frantoio olives are small to medium size (2 to 3g) and oval in shape. The olives have a pleasant nutty flavour when pickled. When mature, the fruit are coloured purple-black, but at the preferred harvest time for oil production are green and purple-green. The highly noted oil is of fruity character, highly aromatic and of leading quality.
Typically the olives are harvested in June each year. There is enough for a few bottles per household, and there are plans to plant further olive trees.