Located about 20 miles south of San Antonio, this is one of the first commercial olive orchards in Texas. The orchard is best known for their olive trees, olive oil and their line of fine quality, natural olive based skin care products.
The orchards sells approximately 38 varieties of olive trees that were from Spain, Italy, Tunisia, Crete and US. With extensive experimentation, they have determined which are suitable for planting in Texas. Because the soil is so sandy in this part of Texas, extensive fertilization and irrigation are required. Each tree (depending on variety) produces about 40 pounds of olives (planted 5 feet apart in rows with the rows about 12 feet apart) annually. Some varieties produce only every other year. It takes 4-5 years for a tree to become productive.
The olive tree nursery is open Tuesday - Saturday, 9 am - 4 pm.
Can you see the olives on this Arbequina olive tree?
John, contemplating the universe, in the olive tree nursery.
The orchard is beyond the field of yellow wildflowers. Olive trees surround the large oak tree on the right.
The restaurant, Sandy Oaks Kitchen, serves lunch (inside or on patio) Wednesday - Saturday, 11 am - 3 pm.
Gift shop where Sandy Oaks olive oil, olives, skin care products, and various other olive-themed items are sold.
Scruffy, the dog.
Free tours are given every Saturday at 11 am by the owner, Saundra Winokur, who knows everything about Sandy Oaks from establishing the orchard to the hand-picking of the harvest to the press process to create the olive oil. Can't wait to try some of the olives and olive oil we purchased.
No comments:
Post a Comment