INTERVIEWS

Camille Jehl

“When the opportunity arose, we jumped at the chance!”

Monique and Camille Jehl are not afraid of risk and can act as they please, as they did when they bought an abandoned olive grove in 2001. “A friend of mine was selling 7 hectares,” says Monique, “without ever having worked on trees. My husband loved this place, where he came on vacation every other summer since he was a child. So, when the opportunity arose, we jumped at the chance!”

An additional 1200 trees were planted in 2006, resulting in a varied production: a Delicatezza range, fruity and ripe; Verdura and Ardente, fruity and green. The three are directly collected from the tree every year. In 2018, at the age 28, Camille joined the family after finishing her studies, armed with solid knowledge of agricultural practices. Then, they initiated the creation of a 250-head chicken farm. “I wanted to diversify the farm, with a second interest in mind: to prevent and limit the ravages of the olive fruit fly (Bractocera oleae),” explains the young woman. Marc, her partner, takes care of it with white clay treatments, as required by organic farming.

Soon, a new activity will be launched at Domaine des Oliviers de Giuseppone: the “camping on the farm” will welcome amateurs and lovers of working the land.