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Ray's Olive Chopping Board
Ray's Olive Chopping Board
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Ray's Olive Chopping Board
Cut from a single slab, one paddock from where the tree stood
Ray Greco, 67, thirty-two years in olive wood. His grandfather Dante planted the trees in the Clare Valley in 1954. When drought pushed them out in 1994, the contractor piled the trunks for removal. Ray loaded one onto his ute and drove it to the shed. That first board went to his mother in Watervale. It’s still the only thing he makes — and this batch is his last.
"The wood sat in the shed for eighteen months before I touched it. You can't rush olive. Dry it too quick and it'll let you know about it six months after you've given it away."
Ray Greco · Penwortham, Clare Valley, South AustraliaThirty-two years in the shed. This is the last lot.
Ray still gets a kick out of the first pass of the plane, when a cracked old trunk turns gold and the grain comes up underneath. Making something beautiful out of his grandfather’s trees is what he loves doing, and always has.
But olive is about the hardest timber you can work, and every board is hours of gripping, pushing and scraping. At 67, his hands and shoulders have had enough. His fingers ache before smoko, his grip goes by mid-afternoon, and a big day at the bench knocks him around for the next two. There’s no apprentice and nobody to take on the shed.
So this batch is Ray’s last. Once these boards are gone, that’s it.
"I’ll be straight with you: the hands are done. If they’d let me, I’d keep going — I’ve loved every minute out here. But Nonno planted these trees to be looked after, not rushed, and I won’t send out a board I’m not happy with."
Ray Greco · at the bench since 1994Use it daily. Take it to a Christmas lunch. Cut on it, serve on it, put it through its paces. If it isn’t right — for any reason, including no reason — send it back for a full refund.
| Size | Approx. 40–46 × 20–25 × 2.5 cm, natural outline — varies board to board |
| Weight | Approx. 1.1 kg |
| Material | Solid olive wood (Olea europaea), one piece. No glued strips, no laminate, no veneer, no filler. |
| Hardness | Janka approx. 12 kN (2,710 lbf) — Tasmanian oak, common in Australian boards, is approx. 5.5 kN |
| Wood source | Clare Valley olive orchards, South Australia — trunk wood from drought clearances and orchard removals. No bearing tree is cut for this. |
| Drying | Air-dried in a Clare Valley shed, kiln-dried to approx. 8%, then rested before working |
| Finish | Food-grade mineral oil, satin. No stain, no lacquer, no sealant. Arrives oiled. |
| Grain | Flame, Burl, Honey or Storm — decided by the tree, not selectable |
| Care | Hand wash, dry upright. Never dishwasher, never soaked. Re-oil monthly the first year. |
| Cut and carved by | Ray Greco, Penwortham, Clare Valley, South Australia — at the bench since 1994 |
| Availability | Last batch. Ray is retiring — once these boards sell out, there’s no restock. |
| Shipping | Ships from South Australia with Australia Post, free Australia-wide. No customs, no import duties. |
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Free Shipping Australia-Wide
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- Delivery time: 3–5 business days
- Each calendar is carefully packed and ships from the US
- Printed from original oil paintings on thick, writable paper
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Frequently Asked Questions
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Got a question? Here’s how to reach us.
Email us anytime at support@backroad-goods.com. We answer Monday–Friday 9am–5pm and Saturday 10am–3pm (ET) — whether it’s about your order, a gift, or just to say hello.
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Can I return it if it’s not for me?
Of course. 30-day money-back guarantee. If it simply isn’t right for you, email support@backroad-goods.com within 30 days for a full refund. No questions asked.