Community Press Information

 

 

 

 

  

   

 

  

Community Press Information

The Olive Press holds a Community Press Day once a year.  This is a wonderful opportunity for the person with only one or maybe a few trees to press their own olives into olive oil.  The Community Press day is for the homeowner with only a few trees, growers with small harvest and hobbyist wishing to create their own "Estate Oil".  All pressing is carefully monitored by our Master Olive Oil Maker and Co Founder Deborah Rogers.     

The Olive Press Mill is CCOF Certified Organic.

November Community Press Day : 28th, Sunday after Thanksgiving

December Community Press Day  - TBD

The cost is $0.60 / lb. The minimum is 5 lbs.

PLEASE READ CAREFULLY:

We will be ready to receive your olives from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM (no later). 

Most important, we prefer that you pick olives in varying degrees of ripeness/color, 70-80% purple to black and 20-30% green is ideal. Try not to bring 100% green olives, if you can help it. They have a high degree of bitterness and dramatically affect the flavor of the oil. If you are only able to participate in one of the dates and your olives are still green, bring them and we will try to blend them with riper olives. Please do not bring over-ripe (Manzanillo) olives on the December date.

We will only accept olives that are freshly picked no more than 24 hours before you bring them to the press; do not leave them in the sun to ferment or mold. Please DO NOT pick up fruit that has fallen to the ground (use a tarp under your tree when picking). We will inspect your olives when you bring them in, only the most desireable olives will be used and accepted, this is to guarantee only the freshest best tasting olive oil will be produced.

Bring your olives in an appropriate container, NO paper or plastic bags, inexpensive small plastic tubs/buckets are ideal.  ( No trash cans please, if you can't lift it, neither can we).  The container weight will be subtracted from the weight of the olives giving us the net weight in pounds. All of the olives will be crushed together as they arrive throughout the day. Each person will receive back the amount of oil in the percentage of weight they brought in. In other words, if your olives represent 10% of the total weight of the olives, you will receive 10% of the oil produced.  We round up or down to the nearest ounce.  (We cannot guess or guarantee a certain percentage yield).

We will bottle your oil in a new, clean container, either plastic or glass, that you will pay for when you pick up your oil.  (We do not accept customer supplied containers for bottling). You can pick up your portion of oil 1-2 weeks after processing. We will post the pick up dates the day of the Community Press.

Please note:  We reserve the right to refuse olives that are not desirable to ensure the optimal olive oil is produced for all enjoying our Community Press Day.  This includes olives that are infested with the OLIVE FRUIT FLY. This pest has made its way throughout California with a vengeance! It causes damage to olives by laying an egg in a healthy olive. The larvae then eats its way through, making the olives unsuitable for olive oil. If you are not informed about the Olive Fruit Fly, consult your County Agricultural Adviser or.http://cesonoma.ucdavis.edu/hortic/pdf/olive_fruit_fly_home.pdf  If you have evidence of the Olive Fly you must pick all your olives and dispose of them properly.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION :  IF YOU LIVE IN A LIGHT BROWN APPLE MOTH QUARANTINE AREA, you must deliver your olives to the mill free of all leaves and stems. You must transport your olives in a closed container or covered transport.  For more information, please go to the Sonoma County Agricultural Commissioners Website - http://www.sonoma-county.org/agcomm/lbam.htm

CUSTOM CRUSH MINIMUM - 800 lbs. by appt. only