TOM and Judy Hartmann, Glen Olives, Glen Innes established their olive grove 22 years ago.
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It has ridden the vagaries of a changing climate - drought, flood and all in between - during its establishment, all the while winning numerous awards for its oils, including a gold medal at this year's Royal Agricultural Society's (RAS) Sydney Royal Taste of Excellence.
The extra feather in their cap is that their Frantoio oil was judged the champion single varietal extra virgin olive oil (commercial volume) for 2023.
The championship was announced at a special RAS Fine Foods awards ceremony in Sydney.
The championship oil scored 92.33 out of 100 points to secure the gold medal and the championship sash. It was one of the highest scores in almost a decade.
Glen Olives is a small, family-owned and operated olive grove and, according to the Hartmanns, has been a labour of love and dedication for over two decades, producing exceptional extra virgin olive oil and table olives reflecting the distinctive character of a cold-climate region on the Northern Tablelands.
Mr Hartmann said two key varieties of olive were planted: Frantoio and Leccino, two Italian varieties that are frost tolerant and have high and medium oil percentages, respectively.
The property is about 35 hectares small and has about 700 trees of the two main varieties planted. It belonged to Mr Hartmann's father but became a retreat while the couple worked in Brisbane and then a place to retire to when the day came.
Planted from tube stock, the trees took about four years to produce a small crop and, after seven years, a commercial yield.
Average annual rainfall of around 900mm is helpful for the growth of the olives, but supplementary irrigation from a dam on the property through micro-sprays is important.
The application of fertiliser, Nitrophoska blue, gives the trees a hit of 12 per cent Nitrogen, 5.2pc phosphorus and 14pc potassium and is applied usually in October, giveing the trees the necessary boost to maintain production.
The Hartmans say their journey began in October 2001, and it was to fulfil a vision to create olive products that would stand out in terms of quality and uniqueness.
They said with the support of family and friends, they embarked on the task of establishing the olive grove.
Over the course of two years, they planted 700 olive trees dedicated to oil production and an additional 80 trees destined for table olives.
"It was a humble beginning, and our first small crop was harvested in 2004," Mr Hartmann said.
He said what sets Glen Olives apart is a commitment to sustainability and hands-on farming practices.
Despite the workload, he believes in the value of manual harvesting and pruning, a labour-intensive process that ensures the utmost care is taken in the cultivation of the olive trees.
This dedication has borne fruit, as evidenced by the numerous accolades received over the years, he said.
"Our extra virgin olive oil, in particular, has garnered acclaim at prestigious events such as the Sydney Royal Fine Foods Show," he said.
"We are proud recipients of gold, silver and bronze medals, a testament to the exceptional quality and flavour profile of our olive oil.
"This recognition has been instrumental in establishing Glen Olives as a trusted name in the industry."
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Simon Chamberlain
I have comprehensive experience in rural and regional journalism, as well as more than six years as a media officer for several politicians and worked in local government. I rejoined The Land in May 2022 and have loved being back in harness, reporting on a massive range of topics.
I have comprehensive experience in rural and regional journalism, as well as more than six years as a media officer for several politicians and worked in local government. I rejoined The Land in May 2022 and have loved being back in harness, reporting on a massive range of topics.
