The Farm

The Cavazza farm was started at the beginning of the 20th century when Duke Gaetano de Ferrari of Genoa decided to buy the Island of Garda from Count Lechi of Brescia. He also purchased many other properties in the Valtenesi area between Portese, Manderba, Moniga and San Felice.

At that time the farm extended over an area of about 300 hectares, with no clearly defined borders, but rich in vineyards, olive groves, woods and fields where cereals were cultivated.

At the beginning of the 20th century, under the management of Alessandro Cavazza, the company underwent an important expansion both agricultural and technological. New machinery was purchased and the first irrigation system was installed

In 1970 Novello Cavazza, an engineer, inherited part of the farm in Manerba and Moniga del Garda. He increased the cultivation of olives while decreasing the size of the vineyards and rearing less cattle.

Today his daughter Dr. Alessandra Cavaza has taken over the reins and has completely renewed the machinery making the farming more effective and dynamic.

Today the Cavazza farm extends over Moniga and Manerba del Garda for about 100 hectares. Farming is based on the cultivation of cereals and fodder for 70 hectares and olive groves for the remaining 30 hectares.

The oil produced is certified DOP Garda Bresciano and is an exclusive production of the company and is packed and jealously kept in the dark at a constant temperature in the historic cellar.

Total number of trees: 3,400 4% of which are non-productive (in areas which are impossible to reach with the machinery).

Lake Garda creates a particular Mediterranean micro-climate with mild winters and hot summers, which allow the growth of the olive at a latitude which would otherwise be too rigid.

Types of Cultivar:
DOP Garda: Frantoio (Oil mill), Leccino, Pendolino in variable proportions + Casaliva (local variety of the Frantoio cultivar)

FS 17: The FS 17cultivar is a variety of oil obtained from the free pollination of the Frantoio cultivar by the Institute of Research of the cultivation of olives of the CNR of Perugia (patent IRO CNR 1165nv). The FS 17 is a variety which is ideal for high density installations.

Types of Olive installations: 
The company possesses more ancient fields in which the plants are traditionally planted 6mt. from each other. Whereas the new olive groves are thicker with planting 5x3 or 6x4.