California: Olives on a roll in north state

The north state is home to a number of olive oil growers and producers. A variety of olives flourish here because of the area’s Mediterranean-like climate.

Not all businesses bottle under their own name, and they may sell their harvest to other producers or may only sell by wholesale.

Visitors, especially on the weekends, may arrive in time for tours or talks, and some mills offer tastings, recipes and purchases.

Growers offer free, tested recipes that use olive oil, as well as offer their oil for sale on their Web sites. Recipes and health benefits are listed on the California Olive Oil Web site: www.oliveoilsource.com.

The statewide association also offers tips on tasting, in addition to a tasting score sheet, at www.oliveoilsource.com/tasting.htm.

A list of area growers and producers is an indication of how olive-rich this area is:

Chico

• Mooney Farms — 1220 Fortress St. (retail site), 899-2661 or www.mooneyfarms.com.

Glenn County

• Tehama Gold in Flournoy (833-0119 or www.tehama gold.com). Produces unfiltered, extra-virgin oil.

• Pacific Sun Olive Oil in Gerber (385-1475 or www.pacificsunoliveoil.com). Offers oil and olives.

• Emerald Valley Orchards in Orland (6913 County Road 16, 865-0113 or www.emeraldvalleyorchards.com).

Oregon House (in Yuba County)

• Apollo Olive Oil (692-2314 or www.apollooliveoil.com). Awards include 2006 Der Feinschmecker magazine, 2005 Food and Wine magazine. Used in food preparation by Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. in Chico. Produces organic olive oil.

Oroville

• Butte View Olive Oil Co. (534-8320 or www.butteview.com). Awards: Los Angeles County Fair. Web site offers recipes, gift sets and soap. Available at Made in Chico, Maisie Jane’s and S&S Produce in Chico; at Country Touch and Noble Orchards in Paradise; at West Coast Products in Orland; at Collins and Denny’s in Oroville.

• California Olive Ranch (2675 Lone Tree Road, 846-8000 or www.californiaoliveranch.com). 700 acres with more than 300,000 semi-dwarf trees. Awards: 2005 Los Angeles County Fair. Available: Raley’s, S&S Produce, Vino 100, Creekside Cellars and Blue Diamond Growers’ store, all in Chico.

• Lodestar Farms (3719 Foothill Blvd., 534-6548, www.lodestarfarms.com). Tasting room is open on weekends. Awards: Los Angeles County Fair and Sonoma Valley Olive Festival. Available at Creekside Cellars, Made in Chico, S&S Produce, Vino 100, and Zucchini and Vine, all in Chico; Wagon Wheel Market in Oroville.

• Meier Orchards (7441 Lower Wyandotte or 589-0203).

• Stonehouse California Olive Oil (800-865-4836 or www.stonehouseoliveoil.com). Working to turn an Oroville olive grove organic, and have a mill in Corning.

• Sunset Olive Grove (589-0565 or www.sunsetolivegrove.com). Produces Giannecchini Olive Oil. Awards: 2003 & 2004 Los Angeles County Fair. Available: Wagon Wheel Market, Long Creek Winery and Grey Fox Vineyards in Oroville; Rich’s Butcher Shop and Old Glory Mercantile in Chico; The Olive Pit in Corning.

Palermo

• The Olive Grove Nursery (533-8811 or www.olivetreemover.com). Produces cold-pressed, extra virgin Kalamata olive oil. Orchard consists of 850 trees.

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