A Lincolnshire farm has finished its first harvest in what is believed to be the world’s northernmost commercial olive grove, redefining what can be grown in the UK and marking a bold shift in how British agriculture adapts to climate change.
The English Olive Company, based near Spalding, will harvest olives from a 10 hectare site planted in 2024, marking a significant step in proving that olives can be grown and processed commercially at field scale in the UK.
The company is currently pressing fruit on-site using the country’s first on-farm olive press and bottling line, and a small batch of British olive oil will soon be released.
Although initial harvests were limited, it was demonstrated that olive trees could flower, set and mature successfully under British conditions. The olives are hand-harvested by family and friends and transported to the on-farm press within hours to ensure quality.
Farmer David Hoyles said the results had exceeded expectations despite the harsh weather earlier this year. “We are delighted to have had a small but first harvest, which shows that olive trees can flower, fruit and mature on a commercial and field scale in the UK,” he said.
Frost, high winds and heavy rains reduced yield and fruit size compared to Mediterranean growing areas, but flavor quality remained high. “The taste of this 2025 crop is fantastic, grassy, fresh, piney, with a nice peppery hit on the throat thanks to the great polyphenol levels,” Mr Hoyles said.
The decision to plant olives was driven by the need to future-proof the family’s long-established fenland farm as weather patterns change and traditional crop markets become more volatile.
Mr Hoyles said some existing crops were struggling under hotter, drier conditions, prompting a search for alternative crops better suited to a warming climate. “We wanted long-term security in food production,” he says.
He added that continued warmth late in the season helped the olives ripen. “2025 was a good year for olives. They bloomed in July and the fruit grew well throughout the summer,” he said, noting that into October mild conditions helped the fruit reach a reddish-green color and enhance flavor.
Supplies of British olive oil will be very limited in the first year, but quantities are expected to increase steadily as the orchards mature. “As the trees grow and mature each year, we expect the number of olives, and therefore the amount of oil, to increase each year,” Hoyles said.
The olive project runs alongside an extensive 250-year-old arable and vegetable operation in the Fens, producing crops such as wheat, potatoes, sugar beets and peas.
The farm invests in renewable energy, water storage and habitat creation, and the olive grove itself is managed using low-input methods without the use of pesticides or fungicides.
Currently being cold pressed, the limited batch British olive oil will be available through the company’s online shop later this month. In the future, as production increases, the company plans to move away from hand harvesting.
“As we grow more olives, we would like to invest in a self-propelled harvester instead of picking by hand,” Hoyles said. It’s a move that could mark the next step in expanding what is already one of Britain’s most unconventional farming ventures.
