Meet our Board of Directors
Eric Costa-President
Kathy Pifari- Secretary
Susan Bragstad - Treasurer
I am a retired architect. When the Farm Bureau and Foothill Conservancy got our heads together to see how we could help preserve agricultural operations in Amador Co. we formed the Ag Roundtable and invited all ag groups to brainstorm the issues. The idea of growing olive trees to make olive oil appealed to me and thought I might talk someone into doing it. I decided I’d try it myself. I found the trees and a company who would pick, crush and bottle my new oil. I picked my fi rst crop in 1995 and slowly learned where all the Amador County olive trees grew so I could expand my picking in the future. I bought my farm in 1998 and have been planting new trees ever since. I now own 170 ancient trees and 170 new trees. I think my old 100 year old trees are mostly Missions and my new trees are of Italian varieties. I hope to be self sufficient in two to three years so that I won’t have to travel around the county during harvest time. I pick with a crew and friends during the winter, I haul the olives to Sciabica’s in Modesto one ton at a time, which fills my compact truck plus a trailer. I get approx. 40 gallons per ton. After one month of resting, Sciabica’s sends me a vial of my oil and we jointly decide when to bottle. I usually wait two months before bottling so it’s mellow with small bite left in it. I don’t filter my oil but it settles out with time. An olive is just 20% oil, 80% waste so it’s not a very effi cient endeavor, a labor of love indeed. I sell my oil at the two Amador Co. Farmers Markets, several wineries and shops including one in Sonoma County. I don’t harvest outside Amador County so that it’s a totally local product. Susan Bragstad can be reached at amadorolive@twinwolf.net
Carla Gianandrea
In l957, we moved from Milpitas, CA to Plymouth on to a ranch my in-laws purchased. It is a cattle ranch where we have lived and worked raising cattle since that time. I also sell Blue Shield Health Insurance from my office on the ranch. The ranch is located at 4001 Carbondale Rd. Plymouth, CA 95669.
Carla Gianandrea can be reached at cgianandre@aol.com
Ken Deaver
Michelle Grondin
Susan Feist
Ray Stacey
Andrew Kramer - U.C. Representative to the Board of Directors