About SECA
History of olive oil production on Hvar island
There are many legends related to the arrival of olives in the Mediterranean. The most famous legends come from ancient Greece which tell how the olive tree was created as a gift of the goddess Athena to the inhabitants of the city of Athens in a competition that she and the god Poseidon had to get the majority over the city. Today, there are about 220,000 olive trees on Hvar, which speaks volumes about the impact and importance of the variety on the climate. In our production we use wide range of varieties to get the perfect product.
Known as Šoltanka, this variety develops a lush and round tree. Large, broad and rounded leaves of dark green color with a whitish reverse. Flowering is abundant, and the number of hemaphroditic flowers is abundant, which is why this olive is mostly self-fertilizing. The fruit is medium-sized, elliptical and slightly curled towards the top, with an average weight of 4.5 g. Levantine gives birth regularly and abundantly with no signs of alternation. Fruits bear in clusters of 3-5 fruits
Due to its huge distribution, Oblica has many names, so on Brač it is called Bračka, Velika or Krupnica, and in Istria it is known as thick olive.
The shape develops a medium lush tree, a canopy-shaped round canopy. The leaf is medium-sized, long and broad, with a wavy surface and an elliptical gray-olive face. In times of drought, the leaf is spirally twisted to expect water. The average length of the axis of the flower is about 3.5 cm and 10 to 35 flowers can be found on it. The fruit of the form is large and round. The weight of the fruit is from 2.5 to 14.5 grams, on average about 5 grams. Due to its size, the variety is used for green and black canning and processed into oil. The shape ripens unevenly, so on the tree we find fruits of different colors from green, yellow, golden yellow, purple to completely black. It is a partially self-fertile variety, prone to alternative fertility.
The swallow grows as a medium lush tree with a pyramidal crown due to the upright growth of the branches. In natural forms the branching angle is sharp, and the young shoots are of upright and lush growth. The leaf is small, narrow and short, lanceolate in appearance, dark green in color. It blooms profusely, and in one bloom there are 20-25 flowers. The swallow’s fruit is elliptically elongated. The fruit is medium-sized, weighing 3.0 g, and can grow twice as large in years of smaller yield. It is intensely green in color, and the closer it is to full maturity, the more pale it becomes to turn completely black. Swallow is a very self-fertile variety, which is why it gives birth regularly and abundantly.
Originally from Tuscany, leccino is today the most widespread variety in the world. It has become popular due to its exceptional durability and adaptation to drought and temperatures down to -10 degrees Celsius. Planting this variety in deep soils will result in constant and abundant fruit, while in all poorer soils it will bear fruit but with reduced intensity and quality. The tree is quite lush and branched with a tendency to grow in height. The fruiting branches are short and drooping. The leaves are elliptical-lanceolate, medium in size, up to 6 cm long on average. On the upper side the leaf is light green, and on the lower grayish-silvery, with a slightly accentuated light yellow overflow. Flowers medium long with an average of 18-20 flowers. The fruits are ovoid and are usually two to three in a bunch. The fruits weigh an average of 2-3 grams.
"Croatian island product"
The family farm is registered in the Environmental Register production, which we confirm with an organic certificate. It was also assigned to us stamp “Croatian island product”.
We live in harmony with nature, and our organic production includes growing olives, lavender, immortelle, figs, citrus fruits and seasonal vegetables. The olive grove has 1000 olive trees and 12 of different varieties. The most common variety is oblica, followed by levantinka, leccino, lastavka.
At 180m above sea level and 5 hectares of area we are primarily engaged in the cultivation of olives of which we get organic extra virgin olive oil of high quality. It is obtained directly from olive fruit exclusively by mechanical means – cold process. We produce two monosort oils (Levantinka, Leccino) and three flavored oils (Lemon, Basil and Chili).
The combination of Mediterranean climate with long dry periods and sun, rocky soil and a lot of love and work give extraordinary results.
About the attraction
All production is certified organic. Surfaces are processed manually. The olive harvest is also manual and the olives are processed fresh within 8 hours. Processing is also certified organic and cold pressed.
Since we live in the countryside, in the eastern part of the island of Hvar we have a lot of land around the house where we grow aromatic herbs that are an addition to the superior oil that further refines.
Award winning olive oil
Every year we participate in various events where our oil wins numerous awards. Of the more important ones I will mention: 2017 and 2020 when olive oil rated as the best organic Croatian island product at the event “Noćnjak”, in 2018, is the champion at the event “Days of olive oil on the island of Hvar”, also included in the world guide to olive oils “Flos Olei 2019” as one of the 500 best
oils in the world, and this year’s gold medal at the NYIOOC in New York City.
