Less than 3% of the olive oil consumed in the U.S. is from the U.S., yet California is home to some of the most beautiful, and beautifully kept olive groves in the world. Nevermind that many imported olive oils are adulterated: cut with less expensive oils like genetically modified canola oil, soybean oil or nut oils and is considered to be one of the most frequently adulterated foods according to Food Fraud which is why it’s critical to know your source and to buy wisely if you want clean and pure food.
For this reason, I’m careful about from whom I purchase – preferring to buy from farms and families I know well.
about Chaffin Family Orchards
Chaffin Family Orchards is a fifth generation, diversified family farm located in northern California that employs sustainable and biodynamic methods through all measures of their farm. They produce grass-fed and pasture-raised meats for local customers in addition to beautiful fruits (persimmons, the best mandarins I’ve ever eaten, grapefruit, peaches, nectarines, plums, figs, avocados and pears), but what they’re most well-known for is their olive oil.
Carol Albrecht of Chaffin Family Orchards is also a strong member of the Weston A Price Foundation, and she has been awarded for her activism in helping farmers and supporting the real food movement.
Chaffin Family Orchards Award-winning Olive Oil
I fell in love with Chaffin’s olive oil several years ago when I first began writing Nourished Kitchen, and since that time Chaffin has been the only olive oil I serve in my home. I wait for their newsletter updates which alert me to when preorders for olive oil come available, when fresh olives can be bought for home-curing, and when their mandarins can be purchased (I give them away as holiday gifts).
The simple clean and bright flavors of their Mid-season Harvest Olive Oil stunned me. Never had I tasted such a complex, but simultaneously mild oil. I use it in my olive oil ice cream and as a finishing oil.
I also purchase a gallon (or two) of their late-season olive oil each year which is quite mild with none of the biting and acid undertones that can sometimes affect grocery store oils. I use this, as Chris from Chaffin recommends, in mayonnaise, allioli and for occasional and very light sauteing.
As Chris from Chaffin explains:
When tasting this oil the initial flavor notes are mild but it finishes with a hint of a spicy bite. This earlier less ripe fruit also produces an olive oil with slightly higher polyphenols. The Late Harvest has milder flavors all the way through to the final flavor notes. It’s more versatile for things like making mayonnaise or pesto where the flavor of the oil is less likely to be masked or the oil’s flavor is more likely to compound.
They’re both still fantastic oils and both are still very mild compared to what is available on the market. Even though the Mid Season is a little spicier, both oils received gold medals in the mild category at the Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition. A gold medal at that event is one of the most prestigious awards an extra virgin olive oil can receive. So we’re very proud of them.
the giveaway
Chaffin has generously offered to giveaway 1 gallon of either their mid-season oil or their late-season oil to one Nourished Kitchen reader. A gallon jug of their award-winning, artisan-produced olive oil is valued at $72 (And beyond worth it. We buy 4 gallons at a time.)
how to win
All you need to do is visit the link below and sign up for the Chaffin Family Orchards newsletter If you’d like to increase your odds of winning, make sure you’re also subscribed to the Nourished Kitchen newsletter, a fan of Nourished Kitchen on Facebook, that you like this post on Facebook and that you tweet about the giveaway.
remember: do this first
count your entries
a Rafflecopter giveaway
You do not need to comment on this post to confirm your entry. But if you have a question about Chaffin, olive oil or anything else, please feel free to post it. You do need to confirm your entries by using the widget below. We verify all entries and if you say you signed up for a newsletter, tweeted or liked a page on facebook (and didn’t) all your entries will be negated. So be straight up, folks.
eligibility and announcing the winner
This sweepstakes is open to U.S. residents aged 18 and over except where prohibited by law. The contest is open Wednesday, June 6 through Thursday, June 14 at midnight Eastern time. The winner will be selected at random and will be announced on this post as well as by email to contestants no later than Tuesday, June 19th.
great giveaway!
I’m super excited about this giveaway! Thanks for offering it.
Thanks for this super giveaway!
I tried to tweet using the widget above, and the widget said that I tweeted about the giveaway, but it didn’t show up, so sorry, I wasn’t trying to cheat the system! I’ll tweet it for real.
sounds great!
I have a question. Above says, “You do need to confirm your entries by using the widget below. ” What is a widget and how do I confirm all of the entries I just made? Thanks
In addition to using Chaffin’s olive oil in our kitchen, I use it in my herbal body products. It is lovely. The scent is light, the oil has a perfect clear tone that shows its purity, and I sooo appreciate Chris’ honesty about how his trees are maintained and his oil pressed. It is a beautiful product.
When you get a chance, grab a bottle of the mandarin-infused olive oil as well. I’ve built a number of dressings and sauces around its flavor. The combination is just great!
Mandarin-infused olive oil? OMG! Gotta try this!
I’m so glad I found your site! It’s so informative, has wonderful recipes, and fits our lifestyle perfectly. Thanks for a great giveaway!
Does anyone know if there is a difference (quality, taste, color, etc.) between early & late season olive oils?
I love Chaffin Orchards olive oil. This is a wonderful give-away. I’m already receiving both your newsletter and theirs, but I did Like the post as well.
Quality olive oil is a staple in my kitchen. I have long known that it is important to be discriminating in choice b/c most on the store shelves are tainted. What a joy it would be to win this! Thanks for all your excellent information on foods and nutrition.
I had no idea that imported olive oil could be adulterated. Now that is useful information. I’d love to learn more about pure quality olive oil. Thanks for the chance to win.
Olive oil isn’t the only thing Chaffin Orchards has. I love their oranges andd other fruits. I am excited about this but I don’t know what a widget is either.
I have used their olive oil. It’s very good and I trust the oil to be all olive oil. No guessing if they are using cheaper oils to keep costs down and make a bigger profit.
thank you for offering such high quality exciting giveaways.
i recieve your newsletter which i enjoy
and i signed up for the chaffin farms news too.
i also liked you on fbook many moons ago.
that should be good odds for me!
thanks again
frances
Is the “widget below” referring to the rafflecopter widget above? And if I entered my entries in there, is there another step to confirm? Thanks!
I have the same question!
Yes, it refers to the Rafflecoptor widget.
Wonderful giveaway!
M-m-m. I do love good olive oil. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
Joined their site, shared the FB post, liked the FB post, already get your newsletter!
Yay! Thank you!
Can Canadians enter?
Ahhhh, with so many entries my chances are slim! I’ve been dying to try this olive oil since you posted about it a while back. I have liked you on FB as well (which is how I saw this contest info). I’ll just keep wishin’ and hopin’ until the results are posted! Thanks for such a great contest offering!
Awesome giveaway! I’ve been wanting to try their oil for the longest time. Thanks!
Wow! What a generous giveaway! Would love to try Chaffin Family Orchard’s Olive
oil!
Great giveaway. I would love to win this.
Wow! Wish I lived close to that farm! It looks amazing!
I feel really daft, but I can never find “the link below” on your giveaways. I usually have to google the name. Would you mind pointing it out to me? I’m not on FB or Twitter – does that make a difference?
I agree, I do not twitter or facebook or friend….whatever that means in cyber space…’friend’. Anyway, am I entered? My screen say’s 0/60?? I read your site all the time but am never sure if my contest entries work. Please give a mini course on how to enter. Thanks for all of your useful info!
Thank you for sharing this olive oil company. I didn’t know about their products.
Awesome giveaway! I’ve just emptied my bottle of olive oil, and I’m ready for some more. I’m also a “Gaffin” and my last name rhymes with the fabulous product.
Thanks, Chaffin!
I would love to win this prize. No fresh garden salad is complete without a dressing made with Olive Oil. I am Canadian but I have a US Postal Box should I win. Is this ok? Gaffin farms looks like the kind of place I would love to visit. Here’s hoping
Best giveaway ever!
I love olive oil, I use it everyday for cooking and as a skin moisturizing oil. I did everything but tweeted. thanks for hosting this giveaway!
Thank you!
Went ahead and did all of the above. Found some neat sites. Thanks for the info.
What a great way to try a new (to me) olive oil. I had just read an article about how brands like Rachel Ray are actually a mix of EVOO and other oils. Made me sad to think that I could have been feeding my children inflammatory foods.
What Widget???????
I’d love to win this olive oil
This sound wonderful. I’m always concerned about the quality of oils off the shelves . I do have a concern however.
I live in the east and am concerned about having the oil shipped. I’m afaid of it sitting somewhere in a shipping carton turning rancid. Has anyone ever had any problems with this? Thanks for any comments.
Oils – especially oils with plenty of monounsaturated (or saturated) fats are very stable.
I am curious why it comes in a light plastic jug? I though olive oil was supposed to be in dark glass?
I love this olive oil! I bought a case of their bottles last December to give out as Christmas gifts to employees. It was a hit!
Love olive oil!
Hotwdee! Thanks for the great contest. I did everytwhing ‘cept tweet….they keep changing my password for some reason….sorry!
Would love to try this olive oil!
Wonderful giveaway! THANKS!
Signed up for newsletters.
“Like”d on Facebook
AND, Tweeted!
I’ve never had California olive oil before that I know of, so I’m very excited to try this (to win this!)
yum!
What a great give-away! I didn’t know this brand of olive oil…I will look for it to try.
Oh I would love to try this olive oil out!
Nickole
Thank you for the opportunity to win this wonderful product! I wash my face with Olive Oil and this would really be the go to for me. Loved watching their u-tube video and tour of their farm. What an amazing place, I am adding them to my bucket list! LOL
Blessings,
Juliette
You can’t believe how close I am to Chaffin’s! Olive oil is just one of their tasty goodies!! Their fruit is fabulous…their meats are next on my list!
Signed up for their newsletter. Thanks for the giveaway!!
Would love the mid-season oil to try….
Thank you! I already am signed up for your newsletter.
Already a big fan of yours… need some good olive oil
thanks for the opportunity!
Great Giveaway!! Thanks for the opportunity!!
I want to win, pick me pick me!!!
Thank you for a great giveaway. We love Chaffin’s olive oil and mix the mid-season and late-harvest varieties together. So good!
this is awesome! unfortunately i can’t figure out how to “like” this post…any help would be appreciated!
I had read an article in NY Times magazine awhile back about the shenanigans of the olive oil industry. There is a book, too, solely about the industry where consumers are openly ad covertly being deceived by a ‘cartel’. Ever since, I’ve been wondering about where I can get good olive oil.
I am really enjoying your blog.
Sounds awesome!!! What olive oil is best for frying??? Anyone know???
I love this olive oil too. It tastes great in homemade salad dressing! I’m looking forward to trying it in a mayo recipe. I just recently ran out and was saving up the cash to purchase another gallon. I would love to win this giveaway!
Any ideas about the Whole Food’s brand, 365 olive oils? Is there a list of “bad” or adulterated oil brands circulating?
Oh how I love Olive Oil!
Fabulous give away! I’d dearly love to win this. I signed up for their newsletter. I “like” Nourished kitchen on Facebook. I already subscribe to your newsletter.
That would be the best thing to win!!!!!!! LOVE OLIVE OIL!!!!
I would love to try this olive oil! My family loves olive oil! Thanks for a chance to win some!
Would love the olive oil
Thanks for a chance to win this awesome giveaway! {I did all of things in the entry but I have 2 different emails. One I used for everything except my twitter account has a different email (same name both at yahoo).Hope that is not a problem with my entries counting.}
excellent giveaway. hope i win
I live in Canada. This contest is only for U.S. citizens. You got my “fan” vote on Facebook, my tweet, etc. before you told me I could not qualify for this contest. -NICE! …not
I love your blog. I just got the book so I really appreciate what you are doing!
Thanks!