Who is the OliveUncle?
My name is Antonino Cutrona – I am the olive uncle.
Since 2006 I manage my olive plantation, which is located in Agira, in the middle of Sicily. I am a registered direct producer and responsible for all the work on the plantation.
Basically, I manage and coordinate all activities myself, but from time to time I am supported by my dear helpers. So it is possible for me to offer you my olive products of the highest and natural quality – produced in complete harmony with nature. Because I love nature and our planet and it is very important to me to live and work in harmony with nature. I really enjoy the work on the plantation with beautiful olive trees, because I, as a nature-loving person, appreciate working outdoors.
It is the goal of my work to be able to offer food made out of olives of the highest, natural quality with complete conviction.
I consider this my life’s work, because it is very important to me to cultivate a loving and sustainable way of dealing with nature.
But it is just as important to me to produce healthy, natural and chemical-free olive products of the highest quality for my fellow human beings – especially children.
To pursue these goals every single day and to realize them through my work is a lot of fun and fulfills me with great joy every day.
Olive Onkel’s Philosophy
I love the nature! My olives are completely natural foods – and they should remain so in the future.
Therefore I disapprove of all kinds of chemistry as a matter of principle and above all out of complete conviction in my work. I like to put up with the increased workload and the resulting costs in order to get a high quality and pure, clean food.
My way of working is transparent. This means that every customer and prospective customer can personally experience how we work on the plantation. You and my helpers – unlike with most other food manufacturers – are welcomed to look over our shoulders.
In autumn the olive trees are painted with a natural lime-clay mixture. This is a form of a natural protection of the trees from parasite infestation that we can provide without any sort of pesticides. The trees are fertilized with cattle and horse manure in autumn, so we do not use artificial fertilizers then either.
Respect for nature is the most important guiding principle of OliveUnclel! My helpers and I therefore work in harmony with nature and harvest the olives exclusively by hand.
Harvest? At „OliveUncle“ only handmade!
As a matter of principle, the olives are harvested only by hand, as this is the gentlest method. Each olive is individually lovingly stripped from the branch.
This is in complete contrast to the loveless and nature-damaging industrial operations. During the harvest, the tree trunks are mechanically shaken with tongs. This damages the trees, as their roots are affected as well – and of course this causes the trees to get sick …
Electric and powered by gasoline hand harvesters are not used by us due to their environmental impact. In addition, these machines partly damage the olives, and also unfortunately unwanted oxidation processes are initiated which increase the acidity of the fruits.
For these reasons, I reject such ways of working in principle, because I do not want or can to be a part of such a thing.
Even if harvesting by hand takes a lot more time and also leads to higher costs, this is practiced at “OliveUncle” out of conviction. Of course, I also take on social responsibility and pay my helpers fairly and appropriately. Through our effort, we can offer our customers olives and valuable olive oil in top quality. With “OliveUncle” you get true superfoods for an appropriate amount of money!
Best, natural quality
– even without organic certificates!
“OliveUncle” has deliberately decided against organic certification. I briefly would like to explain why.
What many do not know about organic certification is that it prohibits the use of a lime-clay mixture same that I use to protect the trees against parasites and frost damage. This limestone porridge consists exclusively of natural lime, loam and water. Instead, I was told I should only use products approved and distributed by the Bio-Certification Office for this purpose.
Projects for the Environment – Nature Conservation & animal welfare
I plan to spend part of my profits on global projects in the area of nature conservation and animal welfare.