California Olives FAQ

Are olive trees native to California?

No. Olive trees originated in Asia Minor, spreading about 6,000 years ago from Iran, Syria and Palestine to the rest of the Mediterranean region. Records show that in the mid-1500s, olive tree cuttings were taken by the Spaniards to Peru. In the 1700s, Franciscan monks brought olives to Mexico and northward as they established the California mission system. The first recorded planting of an olive tree in California was in 1769 at Mission San Diego de Alcala.

How old is the California olive industry?

Commercial olive farming in California began in the late 1800s, primarily in the valleys of Central and Northern California. Those early olive crops went into olive-oil production but, in the early 1900s, the industry shifted, as canning technology resulted in higher returns for table olives than for oil. Today, 90 percent of California's olive production is for canned olives, with only 10 percent crushed for oil. This is just the opposite of Spain, the world's leading olive producer, which grows 90 percent of its olive crop for oil and only 10 percent for cured olive products.

How big is the California olive industry?

California is the only state in the nation producing a commercially significant crop of olives. Approximately 70 to 80 percent of the ripe olives consumed in the United States come from California. While the olive is an important specialty crop for California, the state's olive industry is dwarfed by that of Spain. For example, a 2002 Census of Agriculture indicated that California had 39,591 acres of olives grown on 1,549 farms, while Spain had more than 5.6 million acres of olives grown by 571,150 producers.

During the past 25 years, health-conscious consumers have led a revival in olive oil as a flavorful alternative to vegetable oils. Demand for olive oil has doubled during the past 10 years. California now produces about 400,000 gallons of olive oil annually.

The development in recent years of new tree varieties that can be efficiently machine-harvested has also led to large new plantings of olive trees. Industry experts forecast that California's volume of olive oil will increase by 500 percent in the next five years.

Which are the leading olive-producing counties in California?

The top olive-producing counties in California are Tulare, Tehama and Glenn counties.

What olive varieties are grown in California?

California farmers grow dozens of different olive types. The five most important California table-olive varieties are the Manzanillo, Sevillano, Mission, Ascolano and Barouni. The Manzanillo represents the most acreage, while the Sevillano and Ascolano are valued for their larger olive size. Olive-oil producers have planted large numbers of the Arbequina, Arbosana, Koroneiki, Frantoio, Mission, Manzanillo and Leccino varieties.

Shop The Olive Hut! The Olive Hut features an excellent assortment of olives, olive oils, olive products, nuts, fresh produce, and specialty items.

Be certain to check out our Free Recipes!

- Scott Patton

Now, for a little fun! Here is an hilarious Mad TV parody of an Olive Garden commercial!

Olives in Mythology

According to Greek mythology, the goddess Athena brought the olive tree to the Greeks: after the construction of the most beautiful Greek city, the Greeks apparently sought a name for it and decided that the patron god of the city would be the one offering the best possible gift, in the image of the most sumptuous of Greek cities.

Apparently, Athena struck her spear in the ground and it turned into an olive tree. The Greeks loved the fruit of this tree to such a point that the newly built city was named Athens. If you visit the city today, Athena's olive tree is still there to be seen.

Shop The Olive Hut! The Olive Hut features an excellent assortment of olives, olive oils, olive products, nuts, fresh produce, and specialty items.

Be certain to check out our Free Recipes!

- Scott Patton

Chabad Rabbi Yitzchok Gurevitz Presses Olives

The History of Olives

The olive tree symbolizes peace and wisdom all over the world. It is more than 14,000 years old. It is part of the oleaceous fruit family—like the ash or the lilac. The first signs of the wild olive tree date back to more than 14,000 years ago in Asia Minor. Archaeological digs have prompted some historians to believe that the culture of the olive dates back 5000 to 3000 years, before our era, in Crete.

In ancient times the tree was already considered holy.

The olive is also the primary fruit associated with the oldest culinary tradition—the Mediterranean culinary tradition. Throughout the history of the Mediterranean, it is mentioned in countless works of Greek literature.

The dove that flew from Noah's Ark to scout the land returned with a fresh olive branch in its beak, confirming that the water had drawn back from the surface of the Earth. The olive tree was the first tree to grow after the flood.

Olive-growing and the extraction of olive oil have been traced back to Crete, at the time of King Minos. The oldest document relating to it was written on clay tablets 2500 years BC. References were made to the various types of olive oil, the transport of it, and its many uses.

The extension of olive tree cultivation to the Bronze Age improved the diet of the Greeks. It was also burned as a source of light. The olive tree had become a fundamental part of Greek civilisation. When the Greeks founded cities on the Mediterranean rim in the 7th and 8th century BC, they brought with them a taste for this developing culture. That is how the olive trees spread to Italy, France, especially to Provence through the Phoenicians who founded Marseilles in 600 BC.

With the period of the Great Discoveries, followed by Colonization, it found its way through the Straits of Gibraltar, reaching California, Mexico, Chile, South Africa and Australia.

It is often said that an olive tree will keep every generation of a family busy: the first will deal with planting, the second with maintenance and the others with harvesting! Others even say that the olive tree is eternal. There is no doubt that it lives an exceptionally long period of time, perhaps for thousands of years!

Shop The Olive Hut! The Olive Hut features an excellent assortment of olives, olive oils, olive products, nuts, fresh produce, and specialty items.

Be certain to check out our Free Recipes!

- Scott Patton

Now, for some olive entertainment! This is Glass Olives Volume 1 and some incredible skateboarding. Enjoy!

Olives and Nutrition

A perfect fit for a low-carb life-style, olives are healthfully monounsaturated.

Green or ripe, olives are a delightful little fruit that was once considered sacred. The Greeks considered it a symbol of goodness and nobility. Even today, the branches of the olive tree are a symbol of peace.

Health Benefits: Olive oil is a delicious source of antioxidants. Olive oil is monounsaturated, and it has a positive effect on the cholesterol level in our blood streams. Monounsaturated fats are not considered "essential," but they should be an important part of our diets. These oils act to keep cholesterol from sticking to our artery walls.

Olives contain substances that are believed to help us to ward off cancer, polyphenols. Polyphenols give the olive its taste and aroma. One of the polyphenols found in olives is thought to act as an anti-inflammatory.

Olive oil is easy to digest. Because it is monounsaturated, your body can handle it with ease. Enjoy it on vegetables or whole-grain bread. It’s also nice for sautéing, but be sure not to heat it to the point of smoking. Use the lowest heat possible to produce the results you want.

Shop The Olive Hut! The Olive Hut features an excellent assortment of olives, olive oils, olive products, nuts, fresh produce, and specialty items.

Be certain to check out our Free Recipes!

- Scott Patton

Here is an excellent recipe for Mashed Potatoes with Cream Cheese and Green Olives: