HITOS

At Casas de Hitos, we’re dedicated to producing the world’s finest extra virgin olive oil. The key to achieving this is to take the olives to the mill immediately after harvesting, so that the fruit retains all its natural properties. Our extra virgin olive oil is obtained from the first cold press of the olives, at an ideal temperature of approximately 18°C, within 12 hours of harvesting.

Therefore, our oil truly epitomizes the term “cold-pressed” or “first cold press”, unlike the loose usage of these terms in the industry.

Casas de Hitos is located in Extremadura, where the climate is predominantly Mediterranean, except in the north, where it’s continental, and in the west, where the Atlantic influence softens the climate.

In general, Extremadura is characterized by very hot and dry summers with long droughts, and long and mild winters with oceanic influence due to its proximity to the Atlantic coast of Portugal.

Finca Casas de Hitos is situated in an exceptional natural environment in the Guadiana River watershed, surrounded by places such as the Monfragüe National Park, the Orellana reservoir, Sierra de Pela, the greenway of the Vegas del Guadiana and Villuercas.

At Finca Casas de Hitos, we have 2,100 hectares of olive and almond groves, both intensive and super-intensive, with approximately 75% of the land dedicated to olive groves and 25% to almond trees.

We’re committed to organic production, with about 20% of the surface area already certified as organic and aiming for 100% in the next 2 years. We grow the following olive varieties: picual, arbequina, arbosana, sikitita, oleana, and cornezuelo. We apply the principles of precision agriculture: we carry out exhaustive monitoring of our olive trees, using the latest technology to obtain accurate information such as temperature and soil humidity, allowing us to efficiently manage the crops and optimise resources.

This methodology has multiple benefits, both from the point of view of agricultural practices and the environment.

Through weather stations equipped with humidity probes and temperature sensors, we can apply appropriate treatments according to the specific needs of the soil, perform better pest and disease control, adapt irrigation to the real needs of the crop, etc.

In this way, and through modern fertigation systems, we increase the benefits of agricultural activity for the environment and optimise the use of resources such as water and fertilisers.

It’s also worth mentioning that at Casas de Hitos, we’ve been planting directly on the soil for more than 25 years, carrying out conservation work without tilling the soil.

OIL PRESS

Our oil press is equipped with state-of-the-art technology to produce exceptional extra virgin olive oil.

We ensure that the time elapsed between harvesting the olives in the field and obtaining the oil ready for bottling or storage is less than four hours.

After the olives are placed in the press’s hoppers, they undergo a thorough cleaning process to remove leaves, stalks, and other possible residues.

We carry out cold milling in a press with speed and outlet temperature control. During this phase, the vegetable tissues that compose the olive are destroyed, and the olive paste is obtained.

Blending is the most differentiating phase of the entire process carried out at Casas de Hitos, and it is key to obtaining super-premium quality AOVE. We blend the olive paste cold, at about 21ºC, without adding water, to facilitate the gathering of the oil globules formed during milling into larger droplets Our new system significantly reduces the beating time, minimizing the possibility of oxidation of the olive paste, which is critical to obtaining a unique AOVE.

The olive paste obtained undergoes horizontal decantation by centrifugation with multiphase technology, without the addition of water, separating the solid part from the liquid. We obtain three parts: oil, pomace (with a high percentage of the stone), and olive pulp (which we use to make compost).

The oil passes through a vertical centrifuge, where we separate the liquids (oil and water) by decantation, without adding water.

We take samples at each stage for continuous analysis of the process, with quality controls and measurement of the inlet and outlet temperature at each stage.

Finally, we filter the oil with cellulose plates for better preservation. Olive oil is a living product, so special care must be taken when storing it.

At Casas de Hitos, we preserve the EVOO in stainless steel tanks with a capacity of 27,000 kg and a nitrogen inerting system, which prevents oil contact with oxygen. Additionally, the enclosure has an automated air conditioning system that maintains the temperature between 15ºC-18ºC at all times.

 

 

Traceability

 

Traceability is crucial to us. We have an exclusive automated system that allows us to know all the details of both the origin and the process of production, storage, and packaging of Casas de Hitos at all times, ensuring traceability.

SUSTAINABILITY

Throughout the production process we are committed to biodiversity and the environment, contributing to its sustainability.

We’re currently in the process of gaining certification as a CO2-neutral company.

In our farm, we have a mix of olive and almond trees coexisting alongside the characteristic holm oaks of the Extremadura pasture. In our olive grove, we follow the principles of Precision Agriculture, which is one of the fundamental pillars of sustainable farming. By applying the right treatments at the right place and time, we’re able to benefit the crops, soil, and water table, ultimately ensuring the longevity of the entire agricultural cycle. With this philosophy, we respect the land, the crops, and the farmers. We’ve been practicing this for more than 25 years, using direct soil planting to preserve the soil without tilling it.

We also have a zero-waste policy, where we aim to reduce, reuse, and recycle as much waste as possible. On the farm, we create our compost from pruning waste and olive pulp.

Water is a scarce resource, so optimising its use is critical. Our olive grove has an automated and monitored fertigation system, which allows us to use water in a highly efficient manner. We follow deficit irrigation strategies to reduce our water footprint. Additionally, in a significant portion of our farm, we don’t need to pump water to the olive trees due to its orography. We use solar energy to pump water in those areas where it is necessary.

We’re also committed to sustainability and the environment by using Polaris Ranger electric vehicles for field maintenance. These vehicles work with rechargeable batteries powered by solar energy, and we were one of the pioneers in importing them for agricultural use in Spain. By using these vehicles, we eliminate the emission of exhaust gases into the atmosphere, contributing to a healthier environment in our surroundings.

COMMITMENT

 

Our commitment to maintaining the biodiversity of the dehesa landscape is reflected in our approach to cultivating woody crops such as almond and olive groves. By practicing intensive cultivation, we are able to maintain similar levels of richness, density, and diversity of different faunal groups as found in traditional, untransformed dehesa. Additionally, these crops also maintain a similar proportion of species considered characteristic of dehesas.

We believe that cultivating in an “organic” regime, which involves maintaining vegetation cover, limiting pesticide use, maintaining adequate grazing load, and maintaining plant density, is crucial for preserving biodiversity.

We understand that it is possible to have highly productive intensive tree crops in the dehesa landscape without reducing biodiversity, and we are committed to achieving this through responsible and sustainable practices.

 

CRANE SANCTUARY

Casas de hitos is located in one of the most privileged natural environments of the peninsula. The region is home to over 22 species of flying invertebrates, 414 species of ground-dwelling invertebrates (such as Carabidae, ants, and spiders), and seven species of amphibians, including the tortoise and the horseshoe snake, which coexist with 12 different species of bats (Chiroptera).

It is a paradise where 103 species of birds reside, including nearly a thousand cranes and other magnificent birds such as the imperial eagle, black vulture, black stork, white stork, marsh harrier, bar-tailed night heron, ortega, elanios, red kite, black kite, short-eared owl, eagle owl, short-toed eagle, stone-curlew, sparrowhawk, booted eagle, and other smaller species like the raccoon, lesser spotted woodpecker, whimbrel, or Eurasian spoonbill.

We must not overlook the mammals, which are as rare and protected as the Iberian lynx or wildcat.

Therefore, our farm has transformed into a genuine sanctuary for cranes owing to the symbiosis between the almond plantation, on which the cranes feed, and the farm’s irrigation ponds.

ZONE OF EXTREMADURA

Casas de Hitos is situated in a privileged location between the Rueca River and the Pastures Channel, spanning across Las Vegas Altas and Siberia Extremeña regions in the southern part of the province of Cáceres and northeast of the province of Badajoz.

What’s more, our land boasts one of the most significant cultural heritages on the Iberian Peninsula, thanks to its privileged natural environment nourished by the waters of the Guadiana’s tributaries and the dehesa channel.

The name “Extremadura” derives from the Latin “Extrema Dorii,” which was used to designate the territories south of the Duero River basin and its tributaries.

It all started when groups of hunters traveled to the most important river basins during the Lower and Middle Paleolithic periods to find ways to survive.

However, perhaps the most important historical event in this area of Extremadura is the death of King Ferdinand the Catholic on January 23, 1516.

In the sixteenth century, there was a massive emigration of people from Extremadura to America. Many were men in search of fortune and fame that Spain could no longer offer after the fall of the Nasrid kingdom of Granada in 1492, the same year America was discovered. Among Among the conquerors of the new lands were Hernán Cortés, the conqueror of Mexico; Alonso Valiente of Mexico, who contributed to the conquest of San Juan Bautista (Puerto Rico), Nueva Galicia, Honduras, and the discovery of the Old Bahama Channel; and Francisco Pizarro, who annexed the Inca territories to the Hispanic Monarchy.

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