On Monday Richard and I stood on the stage at the California State Fair, holding a Golden Bear, the Best of Show – Blend award for our 2025 French Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil!
A few days earlier, I had been reading through my journal when I came across these words. They made me smile.
"I can envision a farm that grows lavender and olives; that is welcoming and inspirational... A place where people come and feel a connection to Nature, a sense of well-being. Oh my... that would be wonderful." (July 2021)
By 2021, I had spent several years learning to grow lavender. That's when I decided it was time to take on a new challenge—olives. I knew there would be an entirely new set of lessons. Pruning. Nutrition. Organic pest management. Harvesting on a much larger scale. Milling fruit into extra virgin olive oil. Each season, I was presented with still more to learn. It was a long journey, but also fun and fascinating.
But, studying those processes was only part of it. Along the way - on a personal level - I also learned how to truly appreciate extra virgin olive oil and the variety of ways it might be used and enjoyed. Like many people, I had thought of olive oil as something to dip bread into or to whisk into a salad dressing. But my friends, there is an entire world of aroma, flavor, and character waiting inside every bottle of freshly milled olive oil. Today, I reach for olive oil before butter. Even something as simple as scrambled eggs has become a completely different culinary experience.
As I stood on that podium, I realized this award means so much more to me than a simple recognition of a bottle of olive oil. It was a celebration of achievement -- five years of studying, asking questions, making mistakes, adjusting, and trying again.
My journal entry was about more than simply growing lavender and olives. It was also about creating a place where people could slow down, reconnect with nature, and leave feeling just a little better than when they arrived. Holding my Golden Bear, I smiled wide with the realization that that dream has become a reality. And for that, I am deeply grateful.
I thank you all for joining me on this journey. Hope to see you at the Farm in the Fall, where you can taste a flight of our organic extra virgin olive oils and discover ways you can enjoy them in your own home!
