Olive Grove
Our olive grove in Imanha in Valle de Guadalupe, Baja California, thrives thanks to an extensive agroecological management program. This method highlights the complex relationships that exist between plant vitality, soil health, and ecosystem balance. Through the implementation of organic amendments and selective cover cropping, we may promote and maintain a vigorous nitrogen cycle in our soil. By enriching the soil, this procedure gives our olive trees the vital nutrients they require to thrive. Our top priorities are growing a wide range of plants and promoting a wide diversity of beneficial insects in order to create a diversified and well-balanced ecology within the grove. Our olive trees are more resilient because of this diversification, which also naturally controls pests, lowering the need for chemical interventions. Our all-encompassing management techniques are made to coexist peacefully with the environment, encouraging high-quality yields and sustainable growth. The result of these efforts is a premium olive oil that offers customers a product based in ecological integrity and sustainability while capturing the energy and dynamic environment of our meticulously tended orchard.
We include native flowering plants like *Salvia apiana*, *Salvia clevelandii*, *Artemisia californica*, *Rhus integrifolia*, and *Eriogonum fasciculatum* to increase beneficial insect variety. Our olive grove's health is boosted by the range of pollinators and predatory insects that these plants draw and nurture.
Additionally, we create our own compost especially for the olives using leftover materials from harvest, pruning, and our on-site restaurant. We may improve our soil's ability to retain water by adding more organic matter (OM), which lowers our overall water requirements and contributes to the preservation of the Valle de Guadalupe aquifer, which has been overused.
Here at Imanha, we're quite concerned about climate change. Because it increases the soil's capacity to store carbon, an increase in organic matter is essential to reducing the effects of climate change. Humus, a stable form of carbon that stays in the soil for extended periods of time and effectively absorbs carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, is created when organic matter breaks down. This procedure enhances soil fertility and structure while also helping the worldwide endeavor to lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. To work toward becoming certified as carbon-neutral, we want to carefully evaluate carbon sinks and greenhouse gas emissions. In addition to creating premium olive oil, we are also demonstrating our commitment to environmental stewardship and climate resilience by emphasizing sustainable techniques and increasing soil organic matter. Our goal is to actively battle climate change through soil management while maintaining our olive grove's productivity and sustainability for future generations.
