hot off the press

Olive-growing giant headed for Victoria

Jim Henry, a pioneer in the Texas olive industry, believes the midcoast area around Victoria could be the best place in Texas to grow olives and is planning a $5 million orchard there to prove it.

Henry currently produces extra virgin olive oil from the fruit of about 40,000 olive trees he's been raising at his Texas Olive Ranch in the Carrizo Springs area for eight years. But with a group of investors, he's about to close on 383 acres northeast of Victoria where he plans to plant 300,000 olive trees. That will boost his company's productive capabilities and, he says, Texas' reputation as an olive-growing center.Read more

Texas Olive Ranch Open to Visitors For Harvest Sept 14-16

Texas Olive Ranch will be open to visitors during the harvest and pressing of our 2012 crop from 10am - 2pm Friday Sept 14 - Sunday Sept 16. Guests will be able to view harvesting of the 40,000 tree olive orchard using the mechanical harvester, and can visit the press house to see how olive oil is made. Freshly pressed olive oil, known in Italy as "olio nuovo" will be sampled and visitors will be able to purchase olive oil.

Visitors are advised that this is a working orchard and to dress appropriately with closed-toe shoes, hats, and sun screen. It is expected to be very hot, so bring water or the beverage of your choice. Carrizo Springs is a two hour drive from San Antonio, and hotel space is very limited due to the Eagleford Shale oil industry. Visitors planning to spend the night are encouraged to arrange for lodging at the earliest opportunity.

Schedule Shapes Up for Texas Olive Oil Conference

Got olive questions? If you’re curious about growing, buying, tasting or anything else to do with the popular fruit, you’ll find answers at the 2012 Texas Olive Oil Conference.

Scheduled for August 22-24 in San Antonio, the conference will feature seminars and addresses from a variety of experts throughout the olive oil industry. Organizers describe the gathering as an opportunity to provide a wide range of information to newcomers and professionals working in the expanding Texas olive oil industry.Read more

Texas "Liquid" Gold Rush

Texas Olive Ranch was awarded four medals for fine olive oil of outstanding taste, character and complexity in heavy competition at the Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Northern Hemsiphere Competition at the Los Angeles County Fair in February. A silver medal was awarded to Texas Olive Ranch Arbequina variety extra virgin olive oil, and bronze medals were awarded to the Texas Olive Ranch Koroneiki variety extra virgin olive oil, the Roasted Garlic Infused Olive Oil, and the Mesquite Smoke Infused Olive Oil.Read more

Texas Olive Oil in the spotlight on PBS station KERA (June 23rd)

The Texas Olive Oil Council and PBS Television station KERA celebrate the burgeoning Texas olive oil industry in the Lone Star State and the growers who recently harvested a bumper crop of the freshest, extra virgin olive oil on the planet. This Texas-sized confidence in the locally grown product will be featured on KERA's broadcast of "El Camino Olive Trail", a new documentary Film about the Texas\Mexico olive oil movement and the people who make it. The program airs Saturday, June 23rd from 6:00 - 7:00pm. covering the North Texas market.

Texas "Liquid" Gold Rush

Last month, on March 26, 2011, many growers, producers, and a few new enthusiasts gathered for the First Annual Texas Olive Oil Tasting Festival. In a classic Texas-style celebration, over 200 people fill a "gas-station-turned-honky-tonk" restaurant, Threadgill's, where a big screen projected multi-media of olive groves, producers, fruit, and bottled oils. The scene was reminiscent of a family reunion as everyone greeted one another with camaraderie, interest, and respect. Banter around the room was a continual exchange of information about the groves, concern for how the early, dry and warm weather will affect the 2011 harvests, the bud growth, parasites, and frost damage.

The event's tasting competition was an informal one to showcase the harvest and varieties. The tasting panel was a mix of prominent chefs, olive oil buyers and food writers; and international olive growers. Out of seventeen orchards represented, six commercial producers and six artisans submitted 30 bottles of oil. They competed against international olive oil producers from Argentina, Spain, and Italy.Read more

Olives another kind of Texas oil

Good weather, maturing trees and more knowledgeable growers have combined to get the juices flowing in Texas' olive oil industry.

The Texas Olive Oil Council, a 16-year-old trade group that promotes olive production, is estimating that about 500 tons of olives will be produced for oil in Texas this year. That would demolish the old record of 100 tons set three years ago and provide more credibility for the state's still delicate olive industry. Read more

New Oil Boom Feeding Texas Economy

Crowds have gathered in South Texas to observe the state's olive harvest season currently in full swing. Texas Olive Oil Council (TOOC) leaders are anticipating a statewide yield of approximately 500 tons, making this a banner year for the burgeoning olive oil industry. To mark this historic occasion the state's largest orchard, Texas Olive Ranch, invited the public for an up close view of the mechanical harvesting and process of pressing extra virgin oil.
Click here to view the complete Multimedia News Release

new flavors

BASIL OLIVE OIL: SWEET!

One of the most popular olive oil infusions of all time has arrived at Texas Olive Ranch: Sweet Basil! We infuse our Arbequina varietal olive oil with delicious and aromatic Sweet Basil for a buttery herbal finishing oil that will knock your socks off.

MORE OLIVE OIL!

• EXTRA VIRGIN OILS
• MEYER LEMON OLIVE OIL
• RATTLESNAKE OLIVE OIL
• MESQUITE OLIVE OIL
• ROASTED GARLIC OLIVE OIL

FRUITY TEXAS BALSAMIC VINEGAR

• BLACKBERRY INFUSED
• ORANGE INFUSED
• FIGALICIOUS FIG INFUSED
• POMEGRANATE INFUSED