Olive Oil the New Zealand Way

Olive Oil
 the New Zealand Way

David Walshaw
 
“I have a lot invested in each drop of this gorgeous, golden liquid. There is the time and money, of course, but there is far more than that, too. It is the distillation of a dream and the physical and emotional effort required to realise that dream. The flavours and the aromas of the oil are like a story — the story of the tree’s experience of a year, itself a chapter in the life of the tree, and the tree’s life a volume in the ages long story of the cultivation of the olive. My own story is in there, too, intertwined with the gnarled wood of the olive tree.”

You must be nuts, they all said...

When, after a successful career in banking and finance, David Walshaw decided it was time for a change, he settled on growing olives for oil as his new direction. Neither he nor his wife Helen had any previous experience, but by doing the research, by seeking the advice of other growers, by putting in the work, by trial and not a few errors, they made a go of it.

Join David and Helen on their journey, from the decision to take the plunge, through the establishment phase of their grove at Te Horo on the Kapiti Coast of the North Island, up the steep part of the learning curve to where they are now, living the dream: producing award-winning olive oil on a commercial scale.

Told with candour and humour, Olive Oil the New Zealand Way is part inspirational memoir, part case study in how to make a go of lifestyle farming. It’s a great read for anyone interested in living your dreams and for anyone nuts enough to give growing olives a go.

DAVID WALSHAW

While writing a book was not what David Walshaw planned for a fourth career it seemed natural to respond to the many questions he received about transitioning from city to land and what it meant on a personal level. Many people have this dream in the back of their mind, so David thought he would write about his “journey” to share a first-hand experience.

 David spent 25 years in many roles from message boy to senior management in banking over 25 years then left that to build his own financial advisory and investment company for 13 years. Subsequently he had to realise the long-held dream of “growing something” and there started his life growing olive oil, and marketing Kapiti Olives, for the last 14 years.

David’s hard-earned success has been illustrated by the many awards won by Kapiti Olive Oil.

 

Olive Oil the New Zealand Way

Mary Egan Publishing | RRP $39.99 | Full Colour Paperback