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<pre>Greetings (for the first time).

Due to a number of circumstances, we have lost over 60% of the
Nevadillo Blanco trees which we planted in October 1999. Of the over
500 planted, only 12 are what we would consider to be strong and
healthy trees. We have decided that rather than replace dead trees
and persevere with weaker trees, we will replace them all. However
which cultivar do we replace them with?

Based on cvs already planted we have three choices;
1. Nevadillo Blanco - we already have 400 of these, planted in
January 1998 and which have done very well with <1% loss. That was
the reason for choosing the second planting of this variety. Given
different circumstances, will they grow well?
2. Correggiola - we have 400 of these, planted in June 1998. These
were slow to start with but now appear to be growing well.
3. Frantoio - we have 350 of these, 230 planted in March 1998 and 120
in October 1999. These have all grown very well. I have heard that
this cv is not as easy to harvest as some of the others.

Other cvs also planted are Manzanillo (82) and Mission (143). We
have been told that these are the same cv but they do not look the
same in their growing habits.

Our choice for replacement tends towards Frantoio. With results of
the recent harvest in terms of ease of harvesting, times of
harvesting and oil percentages, we would appreciate comments on these
three cvs.

Thank you

Liane Heinke
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<pre>> Greetings (for the first time).
>
> Due to a number of circumstances, we have lost over 60% of the
> Nevadillo Blanco trees which we planted in October 1999. Of the over
> 500 planted, only 12 are what we would consider to be strong and
> healthy trees. We have decided that rather than replace dead trees
> and persevere with weaker trees, we will replace them all. However
> which cultivar do we replace them with?
>

Liane,

I've managed to lose your phone number again, but if you want to come and
have a look at my Corrigiola (3 yrs old and very healthy) you are very
welcome.

I also have the dreaded Manzanillo, Sevillano, Hardy's Mammoth, Azapa and
some Kalamata that ended up as Paragon when the rootstock took over from the
grafted scion.

Gary & Narelle Heaney are just over the road from me and have a lot of NBs
and Frantoio too.

Regards,

Mike Wilson
Twin Trees Cottages
02 4998 7311
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<pre>In the discussion focusing on which cultivar to plant most have been
concerned about the cultivar's survival rate [ Liane Heinke's posting] or
the quantity of oil a particular cultivar is likely to produce [the Frasers
and other Manzanilla growers].
Peter Caird's recent comments about the Barnea cultivar and the reaction to
it takes us into a different realm of qualitative judgements rather than
simply quantitative comments - and a very good development, I believe.
As a grower of olive trees for oil production I want to know far more than
simply how much I will get from my grove. Knowing something of the taste
characteristics of a particular cultivar is important information when
attempting to direct oil production to a particular market.
Certainly these will be subjective assessments but aren't all organoleptic
tests?
Maybe certain commercial interests will find personal judgements unpalatable
but to shy away from making such qualitative comments about a particular
cultivar is certain to lead the olive oil industry [especially in
Australia ] down the [as Caird puts it] " Chateau cardboard" path.
What little 'reliable' knowledge I have gleaned on the qualitative aspects
of certain cultivars has not come from the marketeers of tree stock but from
writers who appear to have no particular axes to grind eg. Brian
Chatterton's anecdotal story about the Italian's reaction to Barnea in
'Discovering Oil' or Michael Burr's memorable comment on Picual oil in the
first edition of his publication.
I welcome comments from all quarters be they from real experts, theoretical
experts or simply novices with a considered opinion.

Alan Watt

Tanja Olives





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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<pre>Dear Alan

I would say that I fall into the "novice with a considered opinion"
category. I happen to agree with you that qualitative judgements are very
important when determining what varieties to plant as are quantitative ones.

In our situation as fulltime farmers, we had to make a decision to either
grow olives, or do something different. To tool yourself up for growing
olives requires a great capital outlay, so the business has to be
profitable. This is the only enterprise we are doing, we don't have other
jobs that bring in income, so for us the commercial side of olive growing
has to stack up. One of the first things we did, is source a buyer for the
oil, which is an Italian Company and Peerless Holdings in Australia. The
varieties we planted were to their requirements. I don't believe we
should shy away from qualitative comments, but we should ensure that these
comments are an accurate assumption of the oil produced here in Oz before
being too critical. I respect that the Italians (Brian Chatteron's book)
consider the oil to be "bland", and to compare it to the peppery flavours of
Tuscan varieties I'd agree.

To only plant varieties that are considered "palatable" to the overseas
markets is dicey, what if the "tastes" change in the future and what was
once a great variety is now not so great. What about the Asians and what
"tastes" they like? This argument is very broad and full of what ifs. Why
not set our own Australian tastes? What flavour do the mums and dads buying
oil from the supermarket like? - who knows. I would appreciate your
thoughts on this.

As a grower with a "commercial interest" negative comments regarding the
flavour of any of the cultivars we have planted is naturally concerning, as
it would be to anyone who has outlaid significant amounts of money, but I
know of just as many people who like the oil as I know who don't. If it
wasn't for the fact that we have a market for the oil I would be very
concerned, which is why I believe that until the trees planted in Oz start
fruiting and fresh oil can be tasted, that in fairness we should be a little
cautious when commenting on these new varieties, or even supply a little
more information eg. chemical analysis, age of oil etc.

I am happy to offer to this forum what I know about the tree and its oil as
I am a grower of this variety and can offer first hand information. I don't
offer much advice on tree cultivation through this forum as the rest of the
frequent members have got it covered. I must stress that I am not a seller
of the tree and I also have no axe to grind, simply a grower who for the
most part seems to be too opinionated.

Kind regards

Lisa

-----Original Message-----
From: Alan Watt <wattmeyer@one.net.au>
To: OliveOil@egroups <OliveOil@egroups>; OliveOil@onelist. com
<OliveOil@egroups.com>
Date: Tuesday, 13 June 2000 11:21 am
Subject: [OliveOil] Which cultivar?


>In the discussion focusing on which cultivar to plant most have been
>concerned about the cultivar's survival rate [ Liane Heinke's posting] or
>the quantity of oil a particular cultivar is likely to produce [the Frasers
>and other Manzanilla growers].
>Peter Caird's recent comments about the Barnea cultivar and the reaction to
>it takes us into a different realm of qualitative judgements rather than
>simply quantitative comments - and a very good development, I believe.
>As a grower of olive trees for oil production I want to know far more than
>simply how much I will get from my grove. Knowing something of the taste
>characteristics of a particular cultivar is important information when
>attempting to direct oil production to a particular market.
>Certainly these will be subjective assessments but aren't all organoleptic
>tests?
>Maybe certain commercial interests will find personal judgements
unpalatable
>but to shy away from making such qualitative comments about a particular
>cultivar is certain to lead the olive oil industry [especially in
>Australia ] down the [as Caird puts it] " Chateau cardboard" path.
>What little 'reliable' knowledge I have gleaned on the qualitative aspects
>of certain cultivars has not come from the marketeers of tree stock but
from
>writers who appear to have no particular axes to grind eg. Brian
>Chatterton's anecdotal story about the Italian's reaction to Barnea in
>'Discovering Oil' or Michael Burr's memorable comment on Picual oil in the
>first edition of his publication.
>I welcome comments from all quarters be they from real experts, theoretical
>experts or simply novices with a considered opinion.
>
>Alan Watt
>
>Tanja Olives
>
>
>
>
>
>[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
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</pre>
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