Old Village Olive Oil

Our Carbon Footprint

Recently I took a look some web sites on carbon offsets. We felt that we needed to have some kind of a connection to the program we would be contributing to. So my wife and I decided to donate to the WWF (World Wildlife Fund). As a family we will contribute to this organization on an annual bases. It has always been part of our culture here at Old Village Olive Oil to preserve our environment as best as possible. We certainly use unobtrusive farming methods, and we try to waste as little as possible in our bottling and labeling procedures. This is the one reason why we chose to bottle our oil here and to use glass bottles. Anyway the WWF is our chosen organization to donate to. It is our hope that our small donation may not only off set our carbon foot print, but will also go towards a much better world for our daughter.

The Hundred Mile Diet

For those of you who do not know what this is I will explain. In essence this diet requires the participant to only eat food that has been produced within 100 miles (or 100km if you are Canadian) from where one resides. The diet is a response to how we treat our planet. If we only consume and use products that are locally grown and manufactured then we reduce our carbon footprint. As for food we also keep valuable agricultural land as agricultural land which reduces the possibility of land being bulldozed to create another big box parking lot for the next Home Depot or Wal-Mart. My wife and I try to run our lives within this ideological framework. For our personal consumption we buy food products that are grown as close to Toronto as possible.

Now the question arises about our product. Obviously our olive oil is produced much further away than 100 miles. We produce in Greece and ship over to Toronto. To reduce the expense and the magnitude of our carbon footprint we bottle our oil here in Toronto. This way we require a much smaller amount of space on the ship, train and trucks used to ship over the oil. Yes a small amount of product requires this much transportation infrastructure. As for the bottles (as anyone familiar with our earlier troubles trying to find bottles would know) it was a very difficult process trying to find someone willing to sell us a pallet. Anyway we did at the end. The bottles are locally produced and we bottle the product here at home. We are very proud of our small network, and our attempt to keep our carbon footprint as small as possible. However, we still feel like we need to do something more for our planet. Our discussion has been to buy carbon offsets. Continued next blog.

Business Practices

My wife and I have been in business for approximately 8 months. We have developed our brand, and worked out the infinite details of establishing an olive oil importing and bottling business. There is a tremendous amount of learning a head of us, and we certainly feel that we are up to the task. So to lesson mistakes I have started to read as much as I can on the food industry. I have been especially interested in the way the bigger companies market their products. We have reached the point where we must get our product out there, and hopefully build a customer base. Unfortunately, what I have found out is that for most of the bigger companies their brand is more important than their product. In this post I want to discuss branding, and the effects it has on the food industry.

There was once a time when people bought food from grocery stores as bulk products. Consumers relied and trusted their local shop keeper. The shop keeper brought in food that was fresh and healthy. Normally, the food products were grown and shipped to the retailer through a very small network of distributors. This ensured that the food was fresh, sold without contamination. Even though the distributors did not deal directly with the customers, the retailer did, and consumers trusted their retailers. The local grocer, and butcher were a main stay on the neighborhood streets. There was an established trust between these small retailers. In a lot of cases the consumers knew their grocer and butcher by name. There was an established relationship fostered by years of friendships and mutual respect. It was not only in the best interest of the retailers to only sell quality products from trusted wholesalers and farmers so as to avoid getting a bad reputation and losing business, they also were ethically bound to their customers. When you get to know people you tend to want to supply them with the best possible products.

Unfortunately the relationship between farmers and consumers (you) has been lengthened. There is virtually no relationship between retailer and consumer. Consumers enter supermarkets and walk down endless rows depositing products into carts. We wait at meat counters for our number to be called, and talk to the faceless voice. There is no connection between the consumer and retailer. However, big grocery chains, and product manufacturers attempt to bring back the relationship. It is called branding. Through the use of pleasant commercials and advertisement campaigns which try to convince consumers that their products uphold traditional standards. A well branded product should instantly convey a sense of trust with the consumer. The advertisers spend millions of dollars manipulating your feelings, installing a "fake trust" so you have confidence in the product. There are plenty of examples out in our markets. Look on your shelves. "Uncle Bens" has replaced your local grocer, while "Maple Leaf" meats spend incredible amounts of money to replace your local butcher. (oh yea my pet peeve "Micro Wave roasts?? My God, how much does it take to shove a roast in the oven. Sprinkle some oregano, cut some slits in the roast and place some garlic cloves and dribble some olive oil on it). My wife will submit a recipe soon.

Anyway, my point is that big business is just that, big business. I believe we must go back to basics. The consumer has to ask question about their products,. Especially food products. We are what we eat. Lets all try to eat health.

Oh yea our shipment is here! For those that have placed an order you will be receiving your oil shortly.

Why we sell the way we sell!

We have started selling our olive oil. I hope those who have bought some enjoy it. It is certainly nice to have some sales under our belt, but now my wife and I must start thinking about the next steps. How do we move the business, and keep this Christmas momentum going throughout the year.

My wife and I have discussed many options for the up coming year. Most of our options revolve around advertising in local papers, and Organic Magazines. We will look at linking our web page with some organic food web pages. By far the most often asked question, and one we asked our selves when we first started this business, should we sell our oil to grocery stores. The answer is some what complicated. As one reads this blog, the underlining message is the miss trust I have of large corporate organizations. Our dream is to establish a small business focusing on the quality of our oil and maintaining that quality. The farm in Greece has supported our family for many generations and I would feel terrible if we had to take orders from some big multinational. Currently most farms in Greece sell their oil to wholesalers who in turn export the product. Corporations, buying from all over Europe, mix and sell the oil. Unfortunately, this compromises the quality and taste of the oil. The buying power of these corporations bully small independent farms. I our case the multinationals would buy our product very cheaply, and because this is a premium product they would sell at a very high price.

We have branded our oil, and we will sell the oil independently. There will be no compromise to the quality of our product. I will not be forced to compromise only to put money into the bank accounts of multi million dollar corporations. Our product is a premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil, which in most cases will retail well over $60.00 a bottle!

Why we grow Organic

In my previous posts I have talked about the benefits of eating and growing organic. In essence what I have been trying to say is that the least amount of chemicals and toxins that enter our environment and eventually into our bodies, the better off we will be. When my parents decided to go back and continue olive farming, they didn’t know that they would turn to organic farming. Their intentions where to farm the land. It was important to them to grow the best olives possible because the olive oil they produced was not only being sold on the open market; it is the same olive oil my parents consume. In addition, my parents still send oil to my sister and my beautiful niece, they send olive oil to my antes and cousins in Australia and of course they send olive oil to me and my family here in Canada. The olive oil we will start selling is the same oil we use for our families’ personal consumption. It is extremely important that our olive oil is grown in the healthiest manor possible.

Every Little Bit Counts

I have argued that food, simply labeled organic is not good enough to be considered safe for us to eat or safe for our fragile environment. I discussed that the majority of our food comes from factory farms (agri-business), big multi national corporations that will and have put profits in front of quality and safety. My wife and I have made a conscious effort to not only buy organically grown food, but food grown from small family run farms. I certainly feel better about eating meat and produce grown by people who care about the quality and safety of what they produce.

The fact is that most of our food is contaminated with foreign substances. Modern farming methods use a considerable amount of pesticides and chemical fertilizers to make sure that the majority of their crops make it to the market. Factory farms spray their crops with many types of insecticides. They use a crazy amount of chemical fertilizers to put back nutrients into the over worked soil. We as the consumers are at the tail end of this chemical soup. We ingest vast amount of chemicals into our tissues which sit and accumulate. We can’t tell what these chemicals are doing to our bodies, but in the last year, the government of Canada has indicatedthat one in four Canadians will have cancer in their life time. Now that scares me. Although we ingest chemicals and toxins from various sources, there is a way to limit them. Buying and consuming organic food ensures that you eat the least amount of chemicals and toxins possible. Essentially, the more chemicals in you system the bigger chance you have of getting a bad disease.

In addition organic farming is good for the earth. The typical organic farmer will not use harmful pesticides and chemical fertilizers. In this way the frame doesn’t distribute deadly chemicals into the ground. The organic farmer does not contribute to the chemical mix found in our ground water, our streams, our lakes, and our oceans. The organic farmer does not contribute to the contamination of food, including our fish stocks. The typical organic farmer produces food with the minimal impact to our earth.

Why Organic - Part 2

In recent days we here in North America have had outbreaks of e-coli, and botulism. There have been some deaths associated with tainted organic spinach and organic carrot juice coming from the USA. I have heard people make the argument that organic foods may not be as safe as regularly processed food. Statements have been made proclaiming that the health checks are not in place at organically grown food is not monitored properly. I have heard arguments proclaiming that organic farming is a hoax, buying and selling organic products just cost more money, and there are no benefits to it. These types of arguments have been floating around for a while, but have really been prevalent theses past few weeks.

I will try and explain why organic food production is important to our personal health, and to the health of our planet. I will also make the argument that these outbreaks, have nothing to do with a farm growing organic produce, but everything to do with agri-business and their practices. I admit I have a stake in making sure that people know organically grown produce is beneficial. Our farm is certified organic, and our product is certified organic. We take pride in knowing that the olive oil we produce is the best and cleanest there is on the market. I take pride when I hear the older Italian or Greek customers proclaim that the smell and the taste of our oil brings them back to their village. All our food should inspire this type of reaction.

Firstly let me state that organically grown food in North America and in the EU must still meet government standards. Organic food production is regulated and is under the same scrutiny as non organic food production. The modern day agri-business practices are usually the main reason people get ill. Increasingly our food is coming form farm business that produce food on a colossal scale, using mechanized machinery and migrant labor. Agri-business is usually managed by a professional manager with an MBA as opposed to being an experienced farmer. The agri-business’ entire mandate is to make the biggest profit possible. This includes organic operations. When the bottom line is profit, your operation, unfortunately, must give up on quality. Lets take the meat processing industry in the USA as an example. Meat processors have been pressuring the government to scale back on meat inspectors. They have made huge strides in quickening the pace in the slaughtering process at the expense of quality and safety. This happens here in Canada, and I will have to assume it happens in the EU. Because of the processing pace, meat is essentially contaminated by the animal’s by-products. People are forced to buy and consume meat that is contaminated with feces. The answer in the US is to radiate their meat essentially killing all the bacteria but unfortunately for the consumer, we are still being fed "shit". Agri farming treats all food with this much contempt. Well at least it’s clean shit. All agri-business acts in a similar fashion. Products are picked than handled by the farm workers, the buyers, the trucking company, distributors and finally the grocery store workers. Anyone of them, if they are not careful could be responsible for contamination.

My point, and I am sorry if I am not very clear, is that farming should be conducted by using traditional methods. Our food should not be complicated, and the methods we use to produce our food should not be complicated. If we need to use nuclear technology to eat our meat something is incredibly wrong. In my next post I will write about the benefits of organic farming. For our health and for our planet.

Why Organic

I am a great supporter of organic farming and everything that it implies. I have been for many years. As I mentioned in the last post we have always eaten fresh vegetables from our garden. We still do thanks to my father-in-law. So I wasn’t surprised when Dad started to experiment with organic methods on the farm back in Greece. He has mentioned to me how it used to be back when he was young. Farming methods were strictly regulated by the earth. By this I mean that the earth supplied all of the ingredients necessary for a good crop. All the farmers in the village had a manure making machine (donkeys or horses) and all of them took care of their trees by hand. There were very few mechanical machines during my grandfather’s time. So I wasn’t surprised that he decided to go organic. We were concerned that the chemical fertilizers and pesticides could be harming us. I had a long talk with my dad about going organic, and we decided that it was the best route to take. Given the state of our environment we would try to keep our little corner as clean as possible. I also believe that our organic methods make for better tasting oil.

I believe in technology and all that it brings to benefit our lives. The modern car is a technological dream. It’s faster, cleaner, and safer than ever. From household appliances to medicine we, through our initiatives and advancements, have improved our quality of life. Unfortunately, I don’t believe that our food should be so complicated that we need huge advancements in technology just to eat it. Let me explain. The family farm in North America has almost disappeared. We get most of our produce, meat and poultry products from factory farms. These agribusiness’s number one objective has been, and will always be to make a bigger profit every year. I mean they are owned by shareholders, and the shareholders want a big return on their investment. That’s the way of business. Unfortunately, I don’t want my food to be produced by companies where their number one objective is the bottom line. This indicates to me that they will meet the minimum standards set by the government. All agribusiness use the maximum amount of pesticides, and chemical fertilizers to ensure that they get a good crop. We as the consumer end up eating and storing these farming by-products in our tissues. Store enough of these chemicals, and you may end up getting sick. Please read "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson and "Fast Food Nation" by Eric Schlosser. The agribusiness will use what ever technology there is available to increase their profits. By using an aggressive amount of pesticides and chemicals the agribusiness ensures a good harvest and a good return for shareholders.

As one of our Members of Parliament has stated "We need to stop playing with our food"!