What started out as a desire to create an aesthetic border on one of our property lines 45 Tuscan variety olive trees, turned into a ‘labor of love’ producing award winning extra virgin olive oil. Since that modest beginning, we have added 375 trees and now have a little more than a hobby orchard.

Our name comes from the Red Tail Hawks that circle our property and the Italian word oliveto translated meaning olive grove. Together they merge the local elements of Western Sonoma County and the six varieties of our Tuscan olive trees.

During our initial tree planting, I was diagnosed with a rare kidney cancer. In between surgeries, I planted the bulk of our trees which helped to keep my mind off the reality of the disease. Unfortunately, the surgeries didn’t provide a cure. Fortunately, however through friends I found a tremendous doctor, Dr. Robert Figlin, at the City of Hope who has kept my disease stable and allowed me to lead very close to a normal life. I mention this only for background to explain why 100% of the revenue from our olive oil sales goes to funding cancer research. We have established a fund, “The Friends of William Wallace Fund,” at the City of Hope that ensures all contributions go directly to Dr. Figlin and specifically cancer research.

Every autumn when our olives are at their peak, family and friends, both local and from around North America, gather to harvest our bounty. We celebrate the event with hard work, great food and wine, a Bocce tournament, and a renewal of friendships! It is Zack’s, our Australian Shepard and companion in the fields, favorite time of year.

We want to thank those who have contributed to our success:

Doug Webb, my mentor at the University of California master gardener program and fellow olive grower at the Terra Bella Vista Ranch. Samantha Dorsey, a McEvoy Ranch Consultant, who brought us so much knowledge and information about growing healthy olive trees. And lastly, but most importantly, those who have contributed to our fund at City of Hope for Cancer Research. Their generosity is making a difference in bringing solutions to this terrible disease.