California Ripe Olives: Deep Roots, Bright Future

Описание: In the 1800s, many acres of olive trees were planted because of the demand for olive oil. Freda Ehmann and her son, Edwin, purchased an orchard in the Oroville area of Northern California around that time. Soon, with the trees barely producing and oil prices dropping, only their tough German heritage convinced them to continue to search for other outlets for their fruit. Consulting with a Berkeley professor on processing methods, Freda began experimenting with 280 gallons of olives in barrels on the back porch of her home. The black olives she produced were a decided success and the California ripe olive industry was born. Freda Ehmann’s grandson would later write: “Where science and chemical exactness had failed, the experience and care of a skillful and conscientious housewife succeeded.”
Today, the California olive industry consists of two canneries which produce 80,000 to 125,000 tons of olives produced by approximately 18,000 acres growing in the warm inland valleys of the state. There are about 800 growers with orchards varying from as few as five acres to multi-crop farms with over 1,000 acres. Tulare County in the central San Joaquin Valley has over 56 percent of olive acreage, while Kern, Fresno and Madera counties account for about 8 percent. In the Sacramento Valley to the north, Glenn, Tehama, Shasta, and Butte counties represent about 36 percent of the acreage.

Want to learn more about the California olive industry, meet our growers, discover tasty olive recipes, and more? Check out our website here: https://calolive.org/

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