BECOME A GROVE ADOPTER
Savor an extraordinary sustainable and organic extra virgin olive oil while directly supporting Italy's family olive farmers.
JOIN NOWWith experts estimating that up to 70% of extra virgin olive oil in grocery stores is fake, Libellula stands out as an authentic taste of Italian heaven.
As a Grove Adopter, you receive pesticide-free, cold-pressed, sustainably grown extra virgin olive oil, all while investing in Sabina's family olive farmers.
Made by Family Farmers
Each bottle of Libellula extra virgin olive oil is carefully made by a small-scale family farmer in Sabina, Italy.
Sustainably Harvested
Regenerative agriculture and sustainable farming are used in every grove.
Lovingly Italian
Pesticide-Free, Cold-Pressed, 100% Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Rich in antioxidants and polyphenols.
Welcome to Libellula – a Collective of Family Farmers Just Outside Rome
When you become a Grove Adopter, you not only become a part owner in an olive grove, but you also contribute to one of three Sustainability Goals.
As part of the Libellula family, you are building a community that brings new life to Sabina's olive groves. You are helping ensure Italy's family farmers can continue their traditions of caring for the land, while creating a farming culture that grows more sustainable each year.
Why Grove Adoptions?
Let's start at the beginning...with Augustus!
Around 12 BC the first Roman emperor discovered the olive trees in the hills North of Rome, a region today called Sabina.
Enchanted by this olive oil, Emperor Augustus began selling it throughout the ancient world.
It was so fragrant and dripping with such exquisite flavor that it quickly became known as the “Gold of Rome.”
Over the centuries, however, the region's olive oil faded into the background as cheaper, industrially produced oils flooded the marketplace.
Julia and her father Camillo, both Italian natives, stumbled across Sabina in the summer of 2018.
Camillo had just moved from Rome to the small medieval town of Montelibretti, which is in the Sabina region. They soon got to know their neighbors, the many farmers of the area, and learned that nearly everyone in the region owned about 100 to 200 olive trees.
However because each farmer only had a small olive grove, they were unable to secure contracts with the larger olive oil distributers.
This, combined with inconsistent olive oil yields reinforced by climate changes, meant that many had to watch not just their groves fall into disrepair, but also their families' traditions of olive oil cultivation.
Julia and Camillo began meeting with the olive farmers throughout Sabina.
They spent time building relationships with them and deepening our understanding of the difficulties they were facing.
By coming together collectively through Libellula, Sabina’s local farmers realized they would be able to sell their extra virgin olive oil without fear of having to meet unrealistic production levels or worrying if they will lose their contract if they have a bad harvest.
Through the sharing of technology and farming knowledge, the local farmers also benefit from sustainability and eco improvements within their olive groves.
Each Grove Adoption delivery is more than just a beautiful box of olive oil.
As a Grove Adopter, you form a connection with the land and family farmers of Sabina that you are investing in.
Every bottle helps to save one more family's olive grove, allow one more farmer to shift to organic production, and help restore one more plot of land.
Because not only are we passionate about exquisite extra virgin olive oil, but also in together uplifting Italy's local farming communities while creating sustainable agricultural cultivation.
Each one of our family farmers puts decades of knowledge, tradition, and love into every bottle of extra virgin olive oil.
Our Italian chef whips up seasonal recipes just for you!
Join the Libellula family and receive easy to make authentic Italian recipes.