From Casa Mumu · Piedmont · Italy

From bare land to olive grove

The story of the small plot right next to the house — and of the first olive oil we hope to press in 2027.

A long history

From mulberry to olive

Right next to the house lies a plot of land with a long history. About fifty years ago, mulberry trees still stood there — "mumu" in the Piedmontese dialect, and the origin of the name Casa Mumu. Those mulberry trees were later replaced by grapevines for winemaking. And about fifteen years ago, the plot became overgrown: no one tended it any longer, and nature gradually took over.

Anyone seeing it back then wouldn't immediately picture an olive grove. But that's exactly what we wanted to make of it.

The overgrown, fallow plot next to Casa Mumu before it was cleared
This is how the plot looked after years of being overgrown.

Four years ago

Clearing the plot

Four years ago we started afresh. The entire plot was ploughed and all the weeds removed, leaving bare, fertile soil ready for a new chapter.

Into that bare soil we planted around 50 olive trees — specially selected varieties well suited to the Piedmont climate — along with 10 almond trees.

The tilled plot next to Casa Mumu, ready for planting

The planting

Fifty young trees into the ground

Each tree was planted with care and protected with a wire guard, to shield the young stems from wildlife and wind. A modest beginning — rows of thin stakes in bare earth — but with a clear promise for the future.

A glimpse of planting the first young olive trees.

The first growth of the young olive trees in wire guards

The first growth

Fragile, but persistent

In the first months after planting, the young trees were little more than twigs in a guard. But patience paid off: slowly, leaves appeared, and with each season the trunks grew sturdier.

The olive trees in particular turned out to thrive in the soil and climate here — even better than we had dared to hope.

Today

A real grove

Four years later, a young but fully-fledged olive grove stands here: rows of lush trees with full canopies, where once there was only bare earth and wire guards. It's one of the most rewarding things to watch change around the house — a little greener, a little fuller with every season.

The Casa Mumu olive grove as it stands today, with mature young trees
This is how the olive grove looks today.

Looking ahead

2027: the first harvest

Next year, in 2027, we expect our very first olive harvest. A special moment we've been working toward for four years — and the start of something new: our own olive oil, "Casa Mumu", pressed from olives grown quite literally next to the house.

The very first olive on one of the young trees at Casa Mumu
The very first olive, already visible on the branch — a preview of what 2027 will bring.

See it for yourself during your stay

Walk among the olive trees, breathe in the herbs along the path, and witness this corner of Piedmont as it changes — a little more beautiful with every year.

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