'Crazy Englishman' growing olives the Italian way

A farmer says the changing climate has allowed him to grow and harvest what is believed to be Lincolnshire's first commercial crop of olives.

David Hoyles, whose family has farmed the Fens for more than 200 years, has grown the fruit on 25-acres (10-hectares) of land at Long Sutton.

"We were seeing climate change making it sometimes difficult for some of our conventional crops, we're getting warmer, drier periods," he said.

The olives have been hand-harvested and crushed to extract oil which has been bottled for public sale.

Mr Hoyles' windswept grove is one of the world's most northerly commercial olive farms. He has spent the last five years researching the specialist techniques needed for a successful harvest.

"We first looked at grapes but they didn't suit our soil type. Olives is something of an extreme choice but one we've gone for," he said.

Mr Hoyles planted his olive crop in 2024 after fact-finding trips to Italy, which saw him collaborate with other farmers who said it had been "fantastic".

The Italian farmers helped Mr Hoyles to research the various species of olive tree and assess their suitability for growing in Lincolnshire.

"They [the Italians] call me the 'crazy Englishman' but they've all been willing to share their knowledge, share their passion and enthusiasm," he said.

Mr Hoyles said the decision to plant more than 18,000 olive trees on his farm had been driven by "pragmatism" but also because he "loves a challenge".

Mr Hoyles, who is growing the olives alongside more conventional crops such as wheat, sugar beet, potatoes and peas said he had installed wind turbines and solar panels to improve energy self-sufficiency.

Additional reservoirs have also been constructed to provide extra water for the crops during dry periods.

He said: "We're finding that the textbook way of growing olives isn't how we do it in the UK; the season timings are different and we are learning and adapting all the time."

For decades it has been possible to produce wine from UK-grown grapes and, with the Met Office predicting, external warmer, wetter winters and hotter, drier summers Mr Hoyles believes there is an opportunity for farms like his to diversify.

"Seeing the climate change is one reason why we have invested, although we are on the edge of where the [olive] trees will survive," he said.

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