One.

Seven years ago we moved into a house near our farm, in a small town on the outer most ring of the Bay Area. Our property had olive trees, and our neighbors did too - we started noticing them on the hillsides on hikes, dotting the golden hills of summer.

Six years ago my husband started getting interested in olive oil. We grow our own food, we should make our own oil was the basic logic.

Four years ago husband joined some local olive growers at an olive grove in Livermore. In exchange for work he was given oil.

Three years ago we got an email about an olive grove for lease. It turned out to be the same olive grove that husband had harvested on the year prior. A few visits after seeing it, and a mental check in with his Italian ancestors, husband was on the Olive train and we started negotiating the lease to the olive grove.

Two years ago we signed the lease to an olive orchard. 1,500 trees. We also had our first big olive harvest. We set aside a week, were joined by family, friends, customers and curious neighbors.

Last year we learned the importance of water (who knew) and had a tiny harvest so we could have some oil.

This year husband is going all in at the olive grove. He and our one woman crew, Thea, have gone through and trimmed each tree. And the next step is irrigation.