Events at the UC Davis Olive Center

Active Events

General Registration: $1150.00

Premium Registration: $1350.00

Industry, Media, Educator & Group discount: $920.00

2022 Introduction to Sensory Evaluation of Olive Oil

Friday & Saturday June 24-25, 2022
8:30 AM – 4:00 PM.

Introduction to Sensory Evaluation of Olive Oil from the UC Davis Olive Center is our first 2022 event with two days of olive oil sensory instruction including tasting, lectures, and roundtable discussions. This practical educational program is designed to provide a solid foundation for understanding and evaluating olive oil. In addition to learning about the positive sensory attributes and the defects of olive oil, you will start to explore the factors that influence olive oil flavor and how quality is measured. We will experiment with food and extra virgin olive oil pairings and discuss the culinary use of this transformative ingredient. At the end you will receive a certificate for the introductory level of our olive oil tasting series as part of our comprehensive olive educational programming.

For more information:
Event Details - Click here
Adele Amico Roxas – adamicoroxas@ucdavis.edu
UC Davis Olive Center – ucdolivecenter@ucdavis.edu

Learn more and Register

Early Bird General Registration: $799.00

General Registration: $849.00

2022 Growing Olives for Oil Production

Friday & Saturday July 15-16, 2022
8:30 AM – 4:00 PM.

The UC Davis Olive Center invites you to the next class in our 2022 olive education series. In this two-day event, you will learn about the agronomic aspects of olive farming for oil, on all production systems with a special emphasis on medium density fields. Lecture and theory will be followed by field demonstrations and industry visits to local orchards in the region.

For more information:
Event Details - Click here
Adele Amico Roxas – adamicoroxas@ucdavis.edu
UC Davis Olive Center – ucdolivecenter@ucdavis.edu

Sponsorship Levels

Here are the available sponsorship levels for our events. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor please get in contact here

One six-foot table in the lobby area to display and present company materials and information. Enrollment for 2 participants (Regular registration) and 10% discount for up to two additional registrations. Prominent logo placement in slideshow, social media story (if desired), and booklet.

One six-foot table in the lobby area (near the registration area) to display and present company materials and information. Enrollment for 1 participant (Regular registration) and 10% discount for up to two additional registrations. Logo in slideshow, social media post, and booklet

One six-foot table in the outdoor area of the RMI Sensory building to display and present company materials and information. 10% discount for up to two additional registrations. Logo in slideshow and program booklet

Past Events

UC Davis Olive Center Olio Nuovo Festival

Saturday November 20, 2021 12:30 – 3:30 PM.
This event has multiple activities and locations. For complete details please proceed to the registration page.

The UC Davis Olive Center in collaboration with the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation and the tribe’s Séka Hills line of agriculture products have created the 2021 limited edition Olio Nuovo from UC Davis Wolfskill Experimental Orchard and the plantings at the blue hills tribal land in the Capay Valley.

For this special release, the UC Davis Olive Center is preparing a variety of events opened to the public. Como join us in this celebration of the 2021 Fall Harvest.

Olio Nuovo Festival Activities:

Downtown Tasting and Sale of our Current Oil Selection

This event is free and open to the public
Date and time: Saturday November 20, 2021 12:30 – 1:45 PM
Location: UC Davis Downtown Store, 630 2nd St, Davis, CA 95616

Self-Guided Olive Tour and Arboretum Walk

Date and time: Saturday November 20, 2021 1:00 – 2:30 PM.
Location: UC Davis Arboretum. Pick up a map at the UC Davis Downtown Store and enjoy the walk to our next event.

Home Gardening with Olive Trees Workshop

Registration: $5/person. Due to COVID restrictions we are limiting the number of attendees.
Date and time: Saturday November 20, 2021 2:30 – 3:15 PM.
Class location: UC Davis Good Life Garden, 392 Old Davis Rd., Davis, CA 95616

Olio Nuovo Release, Tasting and Food Pairing

This event is free and open to the public
Date and time: Saturday November 20, 2021 2:00 – 3:30 PM.
Location: The Robert Mondavi Institute Sensory Building, 392 Old Davis Rd., Davis, CA 95616
Get a free olive tree when you purchase three bottles of 2021 UC Davis Olio Nuovo, thanks to our sponsor NovaVine.

For more information, please contact: Shirley Li at spsli@ucdavis.edu.

Orchard Management for Extra Virgin Olive Oil Production (in Spanish - en Español).

The class is offered thanks to the collaboration and sponsorship of Showa Farm

September 18th, 9:00am - 2:00pm

This half-day class will be led by Javier Fernandez Salvador, Executive Director, UC Davis Olive Center. Javier served as an Assistant Professor at the Oregon State University (OSU) Extension Service where he led a multi-disciplinary team in olive production research.

This is the first class of two Spanish language offerings for 2021. The class is directed to Spanish speaking orchard managers and farm workers.

Topics Include:

Crop Botanical Traits and Physiology
Cultivars, production cycles and growing stages
Soil and site requirements
Plant density and production systems
Crop management during establishment
Mature tree management
Irrigation
Fertility and plant nutrition

Javier Fernandez-Salvador standing next to olive trees

Join our new executive director for a virtual olive oil tasting.

Aug 25, 6:00pm - 7:00pm

Javier Fernandez-Salvador is the new executive director of the UC Davis Olive Center. Previously an Assistant Professor at the agricultural extension service of Oregon State University, he has led the Olea project, a multi-disciplinary team dedicated to researching and determining the best practices for olive cultivation in Oregon.

Register now for a virtual ‘Sips and Bites’ event on August 25 to learn about his experience producing olives up north and other olive horticultural topics in an open discussion while enjoying our award winning oils.

We’ll be tasting a selection of UC Davis olive oils. Sales of these products are an integral component of the Olive Center's self-supporting efforts, to continue to provide olive research and education to students, industry deleted leaders and consumers. The center’s main goal is doing for olives what UC Davis has done for wine. The selection of oils will include:

Gunrock Extra Virgin Olive Oil (100 mL or 250 mL)
Wolfskill Extra Virgin Olive Oil (100 mL or 250 mL)

Oils can be purchased online at the UC Davis Bookstore or on campus and at the downtown UC Davis store location. Attendees are encouraged to purchase oils at their earliest convenience due to limited stock. Sign up soon for this upcoming event and get your oils while supplies last!

View Webinar Recording

Free webinar on modern acreage for table olives

June 23, 9:00 – 10:30 AM

Compared to traditional production, modern table olive acreage features:

higher-density planting of ~200 - 250 trees/acre (compared to less than 100 trees/acre)
yields up to 6+ tons/acre (compared to 10-year industry average of 3.25 tons/acre)
mechanical harvesting (compared to hand labor, which is more costly and not always available)

The webinar will feature Dan Flynn, founding director of the UC Davis Olive Center, who will summarize key elements of siting, establishing, maintaining and harvesting modern acreage. He will be joined by Dennis Burreson, an olive grower and vice-president of field operations and industry affairs for the Musco Family Olive Company. Dennis will discuss his experience in modern table olive acreage for the past 12 years

The webinar is sponsored by the Musco Family Olive Company. Information provided by the UC Davis Olive Center will be from University of California sources. The UC Davis Olive Center is not affiliated with the Musco Family Olive Company’s Million-Tree initiative.