The origin of the Seggiano Olivastra
"...E' bella la storia dell'olivastra."+ This is the story of the agriculture of my Tuscany, my father's work and that of my grandfather. The Seggiano Olivastra is the keeper of our traditions. Each of us in the Seggiano area has games, reference points and memories linked to the Olivastra tree.
+ One reads and narrates that the first olive trees were brought here by the Benedictine monks back in 1300. Great and able masters of agriculture, they noticed that a certain kind of olive tree withstood the frost and that its olives produced a "living" oil.
They observed this olive tree and with the passing of time the first olive groves were created on Monte Amiata. It is said that the care and selection of the first of Seggiano Olivastra trees can dated back to that time.
+ It's an ancient and rare tree, a unique botanic jewel. Its fruits are small, rounded like berries and juicy, full of oil. The Olivastra withstands frost so it thrives at high altitudes. What's more, it resists parasites so it's naturally organic. It's a wild tree and it doesn't need nor respond well to medication.
+ The Seggiano Olivastra is reproduced by grafting. It is self-sterile and doesn't reproduce from seed. Only a few types of olives can fertilise it, the so-called "male" trees such as the "Frantoio", the "Moraiolo" and the "Correggiolo". Even then only 65% to 90% of its fruits develop successfully into trees
