De Rust has the perfect climate and soil for high-quality olive oil production. We began planting olive trees in 2019 on a portion of our farm, called Varsfontein, named after the fountain, where the crystal fresh water used to irrigate the trees originates. Our orchard has Frantoio, Coratina, Arbequina and a few Mission trees. Coratina is a variety that produces high amounts of phenolic compounds which act as anti-oxidants and stabilize the oil. Frantoio produces high yields of a stronger more fruity oil. Arbequina is a variety that grows best in alkaline soils and is the champion in our orchard. It produces small olives with high amounts of mild buttery and fruity oil. The Mission trees produce large fruits with very little oil and are used more as table olives. Our olives are hand-picked and cold-pressed using a small press on the same day to yield excellent quality oil.
