ADDITIONAL OLIVE TREE FARMING RESOURCES
WEBSITES
The UC Extension Office in Sonoma County has a wealth of information for olive growers, both commercial and residential. The Olives page on their website features articles about pest and disease management, harvest methods, oil yield and milling, as well as resources and classes for California olive oil producers, current issues for the industry and their quarterly newsletter, First Press.
The UC Davis Olive Center is another link between our university system's research and the California olive industry. Their website features reports and resources pertinent to California olive growers.
The Olive Oil Commission of California (OOCC) supports farmers by conducting research on sustainable crop growth, developing and enforcing purity and quality standards, verifying olive oil quality through mandatory sampling and third-party analysis, and promoting accurate labels for California olive oil to help lessen consumer confusion. It runs with general oversight from the California Department of Food and Agriculture and is funded by the state’s olive oil farmers. To learn more about why we’re active members of this organization, click here.
BOOKS
Pruning and Training Systems for Modern Olive Growing
This is the most comprehensive guide to pruning olive trees available, useful to professionals, beginners and everyone in between. It is also a valuable resource for additional information about olive trees as related to pruning and training decisions.
The Olive Production Manual
This UC publication offers the best introduction to California olive cultivation. The compilation of essays ranges from olive tree physiology, nutrition, pruning, orchard preparation and irrigation management, to harvesting your crop, trends in the industry and processing the olives for canning or oil.
The Organic Olive Production Manual
The perfect companion to the Olive Production Manual for growers interested in pursuing organic olive production. All of the recommendations for fertilization, pest, disease and weed management, land development and processing fit within an organic scheme.
