We are creating this blog to share our daily work, sights, and life here at the Bel Lavoro orchards. We purchased this property — sight unseen — so that we could spend time closer to our family. We were so focused on the house and moving in that we didn’t even notice that we were surrounded by olive trees climbing up the hills of the property. We didn’t set out to be farmers, but it has turned out to be one of the best surprises we could imagine.

We have spent the last 10 years planting and pruning trees, nurturing the soil and plants, and building structures and irrigation. We have read and researched, attended the Olive Institute at UC Davis, met amazing and knowledgeable people, and worked long days. We believe that our best days our spent in the gardens, the orchards and the mill. We believe in the old ways — certified organic and harvested by hand. The simple methods create a product with both depth and luxury. We feel blessed.

We hope that you will enjoy the daily snippets of reality from our orchard. We will share updates, recipes, challenges and success. We would love to hear from you on this journey. We call our orchard Bel Lavoro which translates to “the beautiful work.” Welcome.

Kimberly and Brandon

Welcome to Bel Lavoro