Welcome to the home of the first commercial olive orchard in Central Texas. We started planting trees in 1998, had our first harvest in the Fall of 2001, our first olive oil pressing on September 24, 2001 and continue this pioneering effort by pressing fresh olives each year! The Bella Vista Ranch currently grows more than 1000 olive trees consisting of over 15 different varieties, primarily Mission, Coratina and Arbequina varieties, with a range of other Mediterranean varieties so we can see what thrives best here in the Texas Hill Country.

First Texas Olive Oil Company presses fresh Extra Virgin olive oil in our frantoio (the Italian word for olive press). This pressing facility is located on the Ranch, next to the olive orchard. We use modern, Italian oil processing equipment (an Oliomio Mdl 60 olive oil press) that is especially designed to extract substantial volumes of the highest quality Extra Virgin oil by the "cold press" method.

Olives have been important to mankind throughout history and the tremendous health benefits of olive oil are being universally accepted and lauded. Fresh olive oil is available in our tasting room at the Ranch – please join us to learn more about olive oil and more importantly enjoy the incredible taste of fresh olive oil! (And you’ll see why FRESH olive oil does taste different than what you purchase at the store.) While you’re here, you can taste the other fresh preserves, dipping oils, balsamic vinegars, wines, chocolates, etc.!

We also provide guided tours offering a depth of historical and agricultural information, a leisurely walk through the orchard, a close-up view of the olive mill and allow you to participate in evaluating fresh, cold-press olive oils, gourmet foods and our hand-crafted wines. Tour are provivded Saturdays at 10:00 AM and 1:00 PM and Sundays at 12:00 Noon. Tours last approximately 1 ½ hours and the fee is $10 per person (includes all tastings, wine tasting, etc.) Visit our Events/Group Tours page for more details.

We have pressed fresh olive oil every Fall (Sept to early Oct) since 2001 and look forward to another "fruitful" pressing this Fall. If you'd like to be notified of our upcoming pressing, and get a chance to taste "fresh off the press" oil or to participate in the age-old practice of picking olives, please join our email list at: oliveguy@bvranch.com.

First Texas Olive Oil Company is a family-run business, specializing in FRESH olive oil and other fresh foods. We base our products on the fruits and vegetables grown at the Bella Vista Ranch - blackberry and raspberry bushes, figs and many other fruits and vegetables.