Sunnylands opens the historic Annenberg estate to a public olive harvest
Olives gathered Nov. 14 will be used to produce Sunnylands Olive Oil
RANCHO MIRAGE – For only the third time in nine years, Sunnylands is inviting the public to spend a morning on the historic Annenberg estate harvesting the olives that will be milled into Sunnylands’ signature brand of olive oil.
Volunteers will be granted free access to the 200-acre estate, a demonstration of the milling process and, after hours of collecting olives, a refreshing lunch. Members of the public will be assigned to work in teams, guided by Sunnylands employees, to gather and sort olives after they’ve been shaken to the ground.
“We’re excited to be able to bring the public back to our olive harvest,” said Michaeleen Gallagher, director of Sunnylands Center & Gardens. “Conditions aren’t always right to harvest fruit from the estate’s 600 olive trees, but this year there is a bumper crop.”
The Sunnylands olive harvest is relatively new. For decades, olive trees on the 57-year-old estate were sprayed with a fruiting suppressant. But the practice came to an end in 2014, with the idea that the olives could be the source of a food product – Sunnylands Olive Oil. The first public olive harvest occurred that same year; the second in 2019. In the meantime, Sunnylands Olive Oil became a popular item in the Sunnylands gift shop when it was available.
This year, as many as 150 people will be allowed on the estate to help with the harvest on Tuesday, Nov. 14. Admission is free but guests are asked to register online at www.sunnylands.org/events.
Volunteers are asked to arrive at Sunnylands Center & Gardens between 6:30 a.m. and 9 a.m. for registration. The harvest will continue until approximately 11:30 a.m., when the Temecula Olive Oil Company will demonstrate the olive-milling process and guests will be treated to lunch on the estate grounds. The event will come to an end at 1:30 p.m.
Members of the public with questions may email the Sunnylands Education Department at education@sunnylands.org. Entry to the historic Annenberg home will not be permitted. Volunteers must be at least 10 years old to participate.
Sunnylands Center & Gardens is located at 37977 Bob Hope Drive in Rancho Mirage.
