The Ancient Olive and its Place in San Diego
It's been a while since I've written a post for the blog. My horticultural ruminations of late have been on a number of subjects I'd like to address. So many topics, and so little time! When shall I ever get to all of them.
Today, join me as we discuss the ancient olive- Olea europaea. Olives are one of the oldest crops known to humanity, they have been cultivated for thousands of years in all the regions and cultures of the Mediterranean. One of the most meaningful trips of my life was the first time I went to Israel. The trip was deeply moving and meaningful for religious, sociological, agricultural, and horticultural reasons. I visited the kibbutz Ein Hashemir where Anna and Ein Shemer apples were developed, went sailing and fishing on the Sea of Galilee, sat on the hillside of the Beatitudes and enjoyed the wildflowers there, and planted trees in the birthplace of John the Baptist-Ein Karem.
As a devout Christian, one of the most moving parts of the trip was time spent in the Garden of Gethsemane (in Hebrew, Gad Shmanim means olive press), the location of so many momentous and significant moments in the history of Christianity. Olives can live for thousands of years! There are many trees in the garden of Gethsemane that are 2,500 years old, many may have provided shade, beauty, food, and oil for Jesus and his followers. It was profoundly moving to me to see and touch these trees.
Closer to San Diego and our own history, olives have been a part of agriculture and horticulture for us since 1769 with the arrival of the olive transported by the Spanish Friars to be part of agriculture at the chain of missions. Though the mission system was the colonization strategy of the Spanish, the mission system had a very short existence in California- the mission operations lasted from only 1769 until 1834, only 65 years. After the declaration of the Act of Secularization in 1834, the land holdings of the missions were stripped away and given by the Mexican government to military and political officials during the days of the Dons from roughly 1834 to 1850. These periods of time loom large in our memories and elicit a certain longing for the halcyon days of California as a romantic ideal, but the duration of these periods was incredibly short.
After 1834, the missions fell on hard times and were already in very bad shape by the time of California's entry into the union in 1850, and many of the lands under cultivation were in dreadful condition.
Large olive groves were planted across from Mission San Diego in Mission Valley, but even in the 19th century became the property of individual farmers and were no longer cultivated by the friars at the mission.
Today, join me as we discuss the ancient olive- Olea europaea. Olives are one of the oldest crops known to humanity, they have been cultivated for thousands of years in all the regions and cultures of the Mediterranean. One of the most meaningful trips of my life was the first time I went to Israel. The trip was deeply moving and meaningful for religious, sociological, agricultural, and horticultural reasons. I visited the kibbutz Ein Hashemir where Anna and Ein Shemer apples were developed, went sailing and fishing on the Sea of Galilee, sat on the hillside of the Beatitudes and enjoyed the wildflowers there, and planted trees in the birthplace of John the Baptist-Ein Karem.
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| A lovely forest in Ein Karem |
Closer to San Diego and our own history, olives have been a part of agriculture and horticulture for us since 1769 with the arrival of the olive transported by the Spanish Friars to be part of agriculture at the chain of missions. Though the mission system was the colonization strategy of the Spanish, the mission system had a very short existence in California- the mission operations lasted from only 1769 until 1834, only 65 years. After the declaration of the Act of Secularization in 1834, the land holdings of the missions were stripped away and given by the Mexican government to military and political officials during the days of the Dons from roughly 1834 to 1850. These periods of time loom large in our memories and elicit a certain longing for the halcyon days of California as a romantic ideal, but the duration of these periods was incredibly short.
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| Early engraving showing the San Diego mission |
After 1834, the missions fell on hard times and were already in very bad shape by the time of California's entry into the union in 1850, and many of the lands under cultivation were in dreadful condition.
Large olive groves were planted across from Mission San Diego in Mission Valley, but even in the 19th century became the property of individual farmers and were no longer cultivated by the friars at the mission.
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| Olive orchards across from the San Diego mission 1880
One of the pivotal moments in the survival of the olive tree as a crop in San Diego was the development of National City by the Kimball brothers. The Kimball's purchased 27,000 acres of the former Rancho de la Nacion for $30,000.00 in 1867. They had a vision to create a silk industry by planting thousands of mulberry trees in the Sweetwater valley and raising silk worms. That venture proved to be unsuccessful.
By 1877, Frank Kimball changed tack and decided to get into the olive business. Very few areas of the United States are suited for olive production. He obtained cuttings from the original olives trees brought to California from the orchards at the San Diego mission. Frank and Warren Kimball were in the olive business. Originally they raised olives for pickling, but by 1886 changed their focus to olive oil production. Warren's home called Olivewood, even became a stop on the railroad line from National City out to Sweetwater reservoir. There was a lunch and tea parlor on site, and one could make the trip for 25 cents.
 
At the beginning of the 20th century a venture to produce olive oil was started by a couple of Englishmen. They built a gorgeous building in the Mission style for the fabrication of their oil and called their venture the Old Mission Olive Company in Old Town San Diego. It is one of my favorite buildings of the era, but sadly, was razed for one of the most hideously ugly buildings the state of California had the poor judgment to construct, the Caltrans headquarters building on Taylor at Juan Street. San Diego had a very respectable olive industry.
When I was a youngster in the early 60's, olives became probably the most widely planted tree for residences in San Diego. Homes from Mt. Soledad to Clairemont to Fletcher Hills and El Cajon enjoy the gardening foresight of home builders of sixty years ago.
These days however, olive trees have fallen on very hard times, both commercially and in home gardens. In the next article, I'll discuss some of the challenges olives are facing these days.
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Thank you the very interesting article. My grandfather had 1 tree in his Point Loma yard. He would harvest and pickle them. I would like to put in 2 olive trees in my yard, but don't know enough about placement or care for them. Maybe your next blog can address some of those issues or suggest a resource. Thank you again!
ReplyDeleteI live in Valley Center in the midst of an old olive grove. This area burned in the 1940s and the olives survived. Looks like most sprouted from burnt trunks, but a few trunks may be original. We are learning as we go. I'm looking forward to your next article on olives. If you if you would like to take photos of a current orchard, feel free to contact me for a visit. I struggle to describe the peaceful mystery of these old trees.
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