Organic olive oil production short course featured tasting, tour
Organic manzanillo de jaen olives. (photo by Jack Kelly Clark, UC IPM)
In response to growing demand for organic olive oil and an increasingly competitive market, the University of California Cooperative Extension offered a one-day course in organic oil production May 27, 2005 in Santa Rosa.
"Organic olive oil production could be a significant niche in California's agriculture industry," said Paul Vossen, UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor in Sonoma and Marin counties, one of the program organizers. "We were pleased to be able to offer this short course with presentations by local and statewide experts on all aspects of organic olive oil production, and an opportunity to taste a variety of organic olive oils."
Laura Mendes, Santa Rosa Junior College's sustainable agriculture instructor, introduced the short course. Steve Gliessman, UC Santa Cruz agroecology department professor, discussed the agroecology of an olive orchard, while Vossen presented information on site selection and preparation, varieties and production systems. He also led participants through the organic olive oil tasting.
UC Cooperative Extension farm advisor Joe Connell, Butte County, presented information on organic olive oil nutrition, while Tom Lanini, UC weed ecology specialist, talked about weed control alternatives. Bill Krueger, UCCE farm advisor, Glenn/Tehama counties, discussed prevention and control of common olive insects and diseases using organic methods, while UC research associate Alexandra Devarenne of Santa Rosa focused on the olive fruit fly.
Composting olive waste was the topic of Jeff Creque's discussion. He is a land stewardship consultant and supervisor of mill operations at McEvoy Ranch. Anita Sauber and Stacy Carlsen of the Marin Agricultural Commissioner's office discussed organic certification requirements.
A field visit to SRJC's Super-High-Density Olive Orchard ended the day.
Other sponsoring organizations were the UC Sustainable Agriculture and Research and Education Program (SAREP), SRJC, and the California Department of Food and Agriculture's "Buy California" Initiative.
