Boutique olive grove reaps rewards despite challenging seasons

However, despite these headwinds, the olive grove has secured numerous awards for its high-quality produce.

"Typically, our olive trees fruit bi-annually," operations manager Kate Fagan said.

"2021 was a really good year with great yields, 2022 was lean due to our pruning regime, and 2023 started well.

"However, we had a cool finish to the season, which stopped the fruit ripening."

Mrs Fagan and her team run the 54-hectare operation at Lovedale in the Hunter Valley, growing 2000 olive trees.

Adina produced 57 tonnes of oil fruit for growers plus 2.6 tonnes for their own use in 2023.

Table olives are usually picked by hand, while oil olives are machine-harvested, and the average harvest time is around Easter.

Mrs Fagan said the most important ingredient for high-quality olives was grove health.

"Olive trees, like all fruit trees, are susceptible to disease, so they must be managed," she said.

"They require regular pruning to allow airflow through the tree and around the fruit.

"Nutrients and water are both vital for flower production and yield."

Adina has a cellar door where they sell their estate-grown wines and olive products.

"We are known as 'boutique', which means we are a smaller producer and pride ourselves on quality products," Mrs Fagan said.

"We also supply some of the major restaurants in the area."

Adina began when Peter O'Meara purchased the property in the early 2000s.

Operations commenced in 2003 and offered wine, olive products, accommodation and, a little later, an on-site cafe.

Mr O'Meara took a very active interest in working with his winemaker to develop quality wines and alternative varieties for that time - Pinot Grigio, Sangiovese, Tempranillo and Cabernet Franc, among others.

He was also active in the olive industry as president of the Hunter Olive Association and in a short-term role as the Australian Olive Association president.

Mr O'Meara had a small olive mill and set up the Hunter Olive Boutique Growers, which provided local growers with a facility to process olive oil and table fruit.

In 2014, he built a new facility that housed a larger Pieralisi olive mill he imported from Italy to cater for the increase in olive production in the Hunter and surrounds before selling the property in 2017.

"The current owners are a Sydney-based family company who are extremely proud of what Adina has to offer," Mrs Fagan said.

"They support the continuation of operations and have plans for further improvements looking into the future."

Mrs Fagan became the bookkeeper at Adina in 2011 and has worked there ever since.

In 2022, she was asked to take on the role of operations manager.

"I am passionate about food and wine and enjoy sharing the fabulous products Adina has to offer with our customers," she said.

"I also take the time to explain what effects the various seasonal conditions have on the production of both the olive products and the wine.

"I was born in Manilla, where my family ran a commercial Poll Hereford stud, so I have been involved in the agricultural industry in one form or another for most of my life."

Adina was extremely successful at the 2023 Australian International Olive Awards, which backed up a huge award haul in 2022.

Canberra hosted the awards in October, which Mrs Fagan and her husband attended.

Adina earned gold medals for their Ligurian style olives, scoring 86/100, orange and thyme olives (91/100), and wild olives (90/100); silver medals for their lime and coriander olives (85/100); and a bronze medal for their 2023 unfiltered extra virgin olive oil (68/100).

Orange and thyme olives took out champion specialty olive, with the Ligurian style taking the reserve champion in the same class.

Orange and thyme went on to win Best Table Olive of Show for a boutique volume.

The wild olives also won the champion of their class.

The judges commented: "Orange and thyme is a very attractive coloured olive with a wonderful clean, fragrant nose. An excellent blend of citrus herb and olive, creating a beautiful balance of flavours".

"Full credit to our olive production manager, Dirk Ashburner, for his innovation and attention to detail," Mrs Fagan said.

Mrs Fagan said their main focus was on maintaining their high standards of operation, using tried and tested methods.

"The annual routine we have established is successful," she said.

"This, of course, is adapted to the seasonal requirements and climate.

"The health of our olive grove is routinely monitored, and schedules are updated to ensure the continuation of what has become a very important part of Adina, being the olive, olive products and olive oil component of the business."