Juan Olivares, a young olive oil producer from Castilla La Mancha, Spain, is talking a somewhat fowl approach to maintaining his families olive groves.
Juan´s family has been producing olives for at least five generations and the delicate Arbequina he produces won a Gold Award at this year’s New York International Olive Oil Competition.
While Juan is passionate about producing top quality olive oil he claims his geese are his babies.
You may be wondering what geese and olive oil production have to do with each other?
From ancient Egypt until the 1950s geese were used in agricultural practice. The Romans, the Chinese, even Charlemagne encouraged the use of fowl for weeding. Before the introduction of herbicides in the 1970´s there were geese.
While many farmers use sheep and horses to keep weeds from taking over their groves, Juan is taking an alternative method, making use of geese to keep undergrowth down between olive trees.
Many groves use sheep and horses to, but after reading some studies that were being done in the U.S. on the use of geese in agriculture, Juan decided that it was worth a try.
Their light feathered bodies and webbed feet do not compact the soil like other livestock and they do not munch on lower tree branches or cause tree damage. Geese are also relatively easy to maintain and can offer other economical gains such as feathers, meat and eggs.– Rubén Serrallé, Olive Oil Times
Juan explained how he chose his geese wisely. It took him time to investigate and find the breed he wanted to use. In the end he opted for an endangered Spanish goose, Oca Empordanesa, whose use in agriculture he thought could also promote the biodiversity of a native species.
They have just now become full-grown and Juan is hoping to be able to see some results in his test plots soon. Only time will tell if this young farmer is on to a new trend in olive oil farming.
The geese are not always at work weeding. They also have a lovely pond where they splash about and spend their free time. – Juan Olivares
Juan’s farm is not the only one making use of ducks as agricultural helpers. Vergenoed Wine Estate, situated in Stellenbosch, Cape Town, has a large flock of Indian Runner Ducks that help keep their farm free from pests and snails and help keep the use of chemicals in the vines to a minimum.
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