Hoo Hoo Knew! Olive Oil Is Good for You and Good for the Planet

Photo courtesy of Castillo de Canena
This owl knows a healthy environment when she sees one, which is why she resides at Castillo de Canena in Spain, where the Vañó family grows olives and produces extraordinary extra virgin olive oils.
“The groves are fully irrigated, creating a natural ecosystem where cultivation is based on a deep respect for the environment and nature,” write Rosa and Francisco Vañó, producers of Castillo de Canana’s extra virgin olive oil. They create a sustainable environment by employing modern precision agriculture and advanced systems for measuring phenological factors of the trees. They also maintain good grass cover, create compost, restore landscape, reintroduce endangered species, and completely eliminate all types of pesticides.
The Vañós will be among presenters on September 5–7 at the International Olive Sustainability Conference at the UC Davis Conference Center. The conference is aimed at farmers, producers, food professionals, and the culinary community with presenters from ten countries across the olive-growing world exploring the role of the olive in a sustainable future.
A highlight of the conference is a half-day at the Culinary Institute of America at COPIA with chef demonstrations and tastings to showcase the delicious possibilities of olive oil as the cornerstone of a healthful diet.
Visit the conference site to learn more.

UC Davis Olive Center Experimental Olive Orchard at Wolfskill. Photo by John Boyer