The olive tree

the long version

Troubled by challenges her own South of France farm is experiencing--attack by a virulent pest and the premature ripening of the trees' fruits--the author realizes new approaches to farming are becoming essential. Traditional customs have been set aside while the use of excessive chemicals is putting crop harvests at risk. Changing patterns within the world's climate demand urgent action. Her quest takes her south through Spain, Morocco, Algeria, and Italy before she finally returns to her farm. As a woman traveling alone, she is frequently vulnerable and never more so than in Algeria where, on her arrival, terrorist bombs devastate the capital. Determined not to give up, she accepts the support of a network of beekeepers who parcel her across troubled territories. Through her travels she confronts some of the critical issues of our time--land-care and the harsh realities of diminishing water reserves--and ends her momentous journey in the company of olive growers whose vision for the future is remarkable and ingenious.