Our olive groves are situated 80km from Marrakech (Morocco, at the foot of the Atlas Mountains.
This site was chosen 15 years ago, for geographical reasons: there are no neighbouring groves to upset the organic equilibrum of our olive trees.
Water, for irrigation, is taken from an 80 metre deep private well.
It is brought by trenches to the roots of the olive trees.
A system of organic cover cropping (between the olive trees), barley and alfalfa, allows the soil to maintain a natural equilibrum in organic matter and nitrogen.
All the olive trees are pruned regularly by hand; no motorized vehicles are used at all. The olives are picked by hand, and transported by donkey drawn carts.
Once the olives have been harvested, they are sent to be sorted, washed, and seeked in vats (to remove the bitterness) for 8 to 12 months.
One of the Mr Ghafri's (our producer's) children.
The children all go to school, and are not made to work on the trees. However, their father is training them progressively in organic olive growing techniques, so that these traditional methods will be familiar to them.
From left to right:
A/ M. Jamill, an agricultural economist specializing in organic farming. He has managed our production for the last 15 years.
B/ M. Delmas, director of Bellenature. He was, with his father, responsible for thz introduction of the organic farming (vegetables, fruits, olives) into Morocco, in 1985.
C/ M. Ghafri, olive grower. His farm is situated in the heart of the groves, and produces up to 300 tons of table olives.
bellenature • 2, bd Alphonse Daudet 84130 Le Pontet • France • Fax +33 (0)4 90 32 25 62
