There is a new “agrihood” in Palm Springs developed by Freehold Communities. It’s called Miralon, a community that will offer 1,150 Modernist-inspired residences to harmonize with the Coachella Valley’s architectural heritage. A highlight of Miralon’s 300 acres is its transformation of a previously constructed 18-hole golf course into working olive groves, community gardens and walking trails. The olive groves are now being planted. Once the olives are ready for harvest, they will be pressed on site into oil, delivered to Miralon residents and sold to the public.
Olive oil tourism in California is growing. The state produces 99 percent of the extra-virgin olive oil in the United States and 4 percent globally, according to the California Olive Oil Council, a trade association. In Southern California, Temecula has emerged as an olive oil destination, led by Temecula Olive Oil Company who Miralon will partner with on producing its olive oil. California’s production of olive oil is slowly increasing, but it has a production potential that is still largely untapped, Vincent Ricchiuti, director of operations for ENZO Olive Oil, told Food Navigator. One obvious solution is to plant more olive trees, but the problem is finding enough space for them, Ricchiuti said. Almond orchards and other crops in California take precedence, even though almonds need about 25% more water than olives. The olive groves at Miralon are filling a need!
