There are new oil fields in Texas, but not the ‘black gold’ variety. Fields of olive trees are producing oil that is edible and healthy.
AgriLife Today reports olive trees, native to the Mediterranean region, have been documented on almost 800 acres in the state and many affiliated with the new industry believe the acreage is closer to 2,000. In 2002, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s census had no record of olive production in Texas.
One olive tree grower, Curtis Mickan of Williamson County, researched what would be the best use of his family farm. He and his grandson, Josh Swafford, broke ground for the Central Texas Olive Ranch in January 2009. Besides tending their own groves and producing olive oil, they provide an olive press service for other growers.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service plans to plant numerous trials in 2015 to help research the best practices for olive growing in Texas. Since olives are a Mediterranean crop, Texas’ severe weather with occasional freezes, bothersome weeds, and cotton root rot disease can all be problems for olive growers.