Oro del Desierto

Rafael Alonso Aguilera

Having achieved success in various businesses involving restaurant and farm properties, Rafael Alonso Aguilera returned to his organic farming roots on a full-time basis in 1999 after inheriting the family estate. The family already had part ownership of an old mill built in the 1920s that belonged to José Alonso, Rafael Alonso’s grandfather, but the mill had been abandoned in the 1970s. Passed down through 7 generations, the lands of the family estate had always been bio-diverse, providing a mix of produce including almonds, grapes, and many old olive trees of the Lechín variety. While emphasizing that “my grandfather’s grandfather’s Lechín olive trees still produce olives,” Rafael breathed new life into the estate by planting young organically-grown olive trees. At a time when organic farming was quite rare, many neighbors may have considered the Alonsos to be out of their mind. Yet they believed using practices that respected the land would ultimately produce the best products in return. The family endured a tremendous amount of hard work to help the new trees succeed, but today count more than 26,000 olive trees on the estate.

The Harvest

At the time of harvest it's not only a family affair, but a local one as well, as all harvest workers come from Tabernas, the nearby village. Yet there remains something special about sharing experiences across generations, “to see the family working hard and together around our heritage from many generations, seeing the young children playing among the trees and learning to love and respect them as our own friends.”

The Alonsos say that tasting true high quality oils is the best way to educate the consumer and help them understand the difference between lesser oils. But this is also the greatest challenge for any respectable olive oil business. “Don’t be afraid if the taste is bitter or spicy/piquant, that’s good news: a product full of natural antioxidants.”

The Land & Trees

At various times throughout the year, horses and sheep can be found in the groves, grazing on the weeds sprouting between the olive trees. This simple practice reflects how the Alonsos view their place on the land: to continue the long-standing family traditions of environmentally-friendly farming methods without the use of synthetic fertilizers. The hot summers and cold winters naturally protect trees from pests and disease. The surrounding mountains also protect the groves from both the elements and from the potential intrusion of pesticides used by conventional farming practices. The land is a true oasis in the desert.

The oldest trees are of the Lechin variety and date long before the construction of the original mill, many having lived over 250 years. The Lechín trees’ age and the small, hard olives they produce require the fruit to be hand-picked. In the late 90s the family reinvented the groves by planting thousands of new olive trees, mostly of the Picual & Arbequina variety, all young and organically grown. Picual is a favorite fruit to harvest, as its big olives can fall easily from branches with just a shake.

Sustainable Farming

Maintaining unity with the land, Oro Del Desierto implements many different sustainable farming practices. The compost that helps fertilize the farm consists of mill waste, sheep droppings, and other organic materials sourced from the property. Wild horses run free and eat the edible weeds growing beneath the trees. Solar outposts dot the landscape, and their power feeds not only the mill and restaurant, but also all the water pumps throughout the estate. The water used to irrigate the land traces to a reservoir in the mountains which collects water run-off naturally into a nearby ravine. Furthermore, their own patented drip irrigation system uses 30% less water than older systems. Even the work vehicles operate sustainably; the vehicles run on a biofuel created from filtered olive oil reused from the restaurant kitchen.