The five stages
Complete every practice at a stage to reach it, then move to the next. Expand a stage to see exactly what's needed.
Stage 1 — Getting the basics right
A conventionally-run grove taking its first deliberate steps. Tillage and spraying are still the default, but you've started cutting out the habits that cost money without helping the trees — and you're keeping a simple record of what you do and when.
Stage 1 — Getting the basics right
A conventionally-run grove taking its first deliberate steps. Tillage and spraying are still the default, but you've started cutting out the habits that cost money without helping the trees — and you're keeping a simple record of what you do and when.
A conventionally-run grove taking its first deliberate steps. Tillage and spraying are still the default, but you've started cutting out the habits that cost money without helping the trees — and you're keeping a simple record of what you do and when.
What you gain
- Less diesel for tillage
- Lower herbicide spend
- Fewer needless sprays
- A baseline to track from
Soil health
- Pruning residues are shredded and left in the grove, not burned or removed
- Tillage reduced to no more than 2 passes per year
- A baseline soil test has been done at least once (pH and organic matter)
Chemical use
- Herbicide use limited to spot-spraying under the canopy, not blanket spraying
- Fertilizer rates and timing are written down each season
- Insecticide is only applied when a pest is confirmed present, not on a fixed calendar
Biodiversity
- Field margins are left unmown for at least part of the year
Water management
- Irrigation timing (if any) is recorded, not just done by habit
Monitoring & learning
- A simple season log is kept — key practices and dates, in a notebook or phone
Stage 2 — Building the soil
Tillage is no longer your default weed control — a cover crop, sown or spontaneous, holds the inter-rows for part of the year. Inputs are more targeted. You're starting to notice the soil feels different underfoot.
Stage 2 — Building the soil
Tillage is no longer your default weed control — a cover crop, sown or spontaneous, holds the inter-rows for part of the year. Inputs are more targeted. You're starting to notice the soil feels different underfoot.
Tillage is no longer your default weed control — a cover crop, sown or spontaneous, holds the inter-rows for part of the year. Inputs are more targeted. You're starting to notice the soil feels different underfoot.
What you gain
- Better water infiltration
- Less topsoil erosion
- Lower fertilizer bill
- More pollinators on site
- Falling irrigation needs
Soil health
- A cover crop (sown or spontaneous) is maintained in inter-rows for at least 3–4 months a year satellite-verifiable
- Tillage eliminated, or reduced to a single light pass only where truly needed
- Pruning residues are chipped or mulched back onto the soil surface, not just piled
- An organic amendment (compost, manure, or olive mill by-product) is applied at least once every 2 years
Chemical use
- No blanket pre-emergent herbicide use
- Fertilizer rates are set from soil test results, not a flat rate applied to every row
Biodiversity
- The cover crop includes at least one flowering species to support pollinators
- No insecticide is used during the olive flowering period
Water management
- Cover crop is mowed (not tilled) ahead of the dry season to limit water competition while keeping ground cover
Monitoring & learning
- Soil is tested annually, so organic matter can be tracked year over year
Stage 3 — Working with the ecosystem
Cover crops are a permanent feature you actively manage, not just tolerate. Chemical inputs are minimal and targeted. You're seeing fewer pest outbreaks and can point to rows where the soil structure has visibly improved.
Stage 3 — Working with the ecosystem
Cover crops are a permanent feature you actively manage, not just tolerate. Chemical inputs are minimal and targeted. You're seeing fewer pest outbreaks and can point to rows where the soil structure has visibly improved.
Cover crops are a permanent feature you actively manage, not just tolerate. Chemical inputs are minimal and targeted. You're seeing fewer pest outbreaks and can point to rows where the soil structure has visibly improved.
What you gain
- Rising organic matter
- Near-zero spray costs
- Natural pest control
- Better drought insurance
- Yield gains you can see
Soil health
- A permanent, year-round cover crop (mowed, not removed) covers the inter-rows satellite-verifiable
- Zero tillage
- All pruning residues and available organic by-products are returned to the soil every year
- Soil organic matter shows a measured upward trend over the last 3 years
Chemical use
- Herbicides eliminated entirely — weed control comes from mowing and cover crop competition
- Only OMRI-listed or biological treatments used for pests and disease
Biodiversity
- Habitat for beneficial insects is established — hedgerow, insect hotel, or a diverse flowering cover crop mix
- Natural predators (ladybirds, lacewings, etc.) are confirmed present and used as the first line of pest control
Water management
- A deficit irrigation strategy tuned to tree phenology is used, guided by soil moisture readings rather than a fixed schedule
- Rainwater capture or contour management is in place to reduce runoff
Monitoring & learning
- Yield is tracked alongside practice changes, to see the agronomic payoff directly
- Pest and beneficial insect populations are monitored (traps or visual counts) at key points in the season
Stage 4 — Regenerative management
The grove runs as an integrated ecosystem. Soil is visibly darker and better structured, with earthworm activity easy to find. You manage the whole farm as a system, using data to fine-tune decisions, and you're starting to look at verified carbon or ecosystem-service programs.
Stage 4 — Regenerative management
The grove runs as an integrated ecosystem. Soil is visibly darker and better structured, with earthworm activity easy to find. You manage the whole farm as a system, using data to fine-tune decisions, and you're starting to look at verified carbon or ecosystem-service programs.
The grove runs as an integrated ecosystem. Soil is visibly darker and better structured, with earthworm activity easy to find. You manage the whole farm as a system, using data to fine-tune decisions, and you're starting to look at verified carbon or ecosystem-service programs.
What you gain
- Visibly healthier soil
- Zero input costs
- More resilient in dry years
- Data-driven decisions
- Carbon & premium programs open up
Soil health
- Soil organic matter is at or above the regional benchmark for agroecological groves
- An on-farm composting or organic matter cycling system is in place, using prunings plus available local organic waste
- Soil structure and infiltration are checked at least once a year
Chemical use
- No synthetic fertilizer — nutrient needs are met through amendments, cover crop legumes, and soil biology
- No synthetic pesticide of any kind used in the past 3 years
Biodiversity
- Structural biodiversity elements are present — hedgerows, nesting boxes, native trees or shrubs on farm edges satellite-verifiable
- An increase in beneficial species is documented over time
Water management
- Irrigation efficiency is verified — system audited, water use tracked per kilogram of oil produced
- The grove shows less yield variability in dry years than the regional average
Monitoring & learning
- Satellite vegetation data (e.g. NDVI) is used to track grove vigor and cover across seasons satellite-verifiable
- Seasonal data trends are reviewed and used to adjust practices
- Preparing for, or already engaged with, a voluntary third-party carbon or ecosystem-service verification
Stage 5 — Agroecological excellence
A flagship grove for the region. Soil health keeps improving year after year and the farm operates as a net carbon sink. It has become a reference site other growers visit and learn from — and returns now come from more than olives and oil.
Stage 5 — Agroecological excellence
A flagship grove for the region. Soil health keeps improving year after year and the farm operates as a net carbon sink. It has become a reference site other growers visit and learn from — and returns now come from more than olives and oil.
A flagship grove for the region. Soil health keeps improving year after year and the farm operates as a net carbon sink. It has become a reference site other growers visit and learn from — and returns now come from more than olives and oil.
What you gain
- Net carbon sink
- Reference habitat status
- Aquifer-positive grove
- Carbon credit eligible
- Access to premium buyers
Soil health
- The grove shows a net positive annual soil carbon balance, verified via remote sensing/modeling or direct measurement satellite-verifiable
- Soil organic matter is sustained at a high level with a stable or rising multi-year trend
Chemical use
- Fully closed-loop, input-independent nutrient cycling on-farm
Biodiversity
- The grove functions as a biodiversity corridor or reference habitat, with species richness monitored and increasing satellite-verifiable
- Active collaboration with researchers or a university on ongoing biodiversity assessment
Water management
- The grove is a net-positive contributor to local water table health — strong infiltration, no runoff, minimal irrigation
Monitoring & learning
- Remote sensing and on-ground data (soil, vegetation, water) are reviewed together each season satellite-verifiable
- Actively mentors other growers moving through the levels
- Eligible for verified carbon credit markets and/or premium buyer programs