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MONDAY JUNE 28, 2010 Breaking news at: www.redbluffdailynews.com Yoga for MS patients See 5A Vitality RED BLUFF BoSox- Giants See Sports Sunny, hot 104/70 Weather forecast 6A DAILYNEWS TEHAMACOUNTY DAILY 50¢ T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U N T Y S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Behind the plate Local olive oil winning awards By TANG LOR DN Staff Writer Awards recognizing top quality extra virgin olive oils have been pouring in for two local pro- ducers. At the 2010 Los Angeles International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition held in May, Pacific Sun Gourmet, which produces Pacific Sun Olive Oil, and Lucero Olive Oil were among the top con- tenders of hundreds of domestic olive oil produc- ers. Pacific Sun was awarded two gold medals, two silver medals and one bronze medal at the compe- tition. Eva’s Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a blend made primarily from the Manzanillo variety of olives, won a gold medal, which is its third gold medal in major competitions this year. Pacific Sun’s flagship product, the Tehama County Blend Extra Virgin Olive Oil, won gold as well. The Proprietor’s Select Ascolana Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Meyer Lemon Olive Oil earned silver medals. The Meyer Lemon also won a bronze medal for label design. Pacific Sun has participated in each annual Los Angeles competition since 2003. To date, it has been awarded a total of 12 gold medals, 13 silver medals and two bronze medals from the competi- tion. Pacific Sun has earned 10 gold medals and two Daily News photo by Geoff Johnson A boy cradles a 5-day old Black Copper Maran baby chick Saturday at Field to Fork at the Red Bluff River Park. By GEOFF JOHNSON DN Staff Writer At first taste Field to Fork, spon- sored by the Slow Food Shasta Cas- cade, could have been mistaken for a larger Farmer’s Market, a weekly event overlapping in both time and place. Saturday, both offered a mix of fresh produce and local craft in Red Bluff River Park and both paired local customers with local farmers. But Field to Fork’s goals are loftier. Its organizers want to rethink the rela- tionship between crops and cooking, farming and feeding. The relationship between farmer and consumer has been severed by gro- cery stores, stripping shoppers of the knowledge of just where their food came from and how it was made, Co- Director Mary Jayne Eidman said. Eidman argues eating locally car- ries both economic and environmental benefits. By reducing the distance pro- duce has to be trucked, consumers leave a smaller carbon footprint. By knowing where their food comes from, families know what chemicals were used. And by putting money in the hands of local farmers instead of national chains, it keeps cash circulat- ing in the county, instead of sending it off to a national chain. Saying and cooking are two differ- ent things, so the festival posted a pair of challenges. Participants were invited to share in a pancake breakfast made by Rosser’s Bakery, topping their meal with only local ingredients — which meant no maple syrup. Next, visitors were invited to cook dinner using only ingredients bought at the festival, many of which had direct ties to Chico or Redding. With more than 60 booths, cooks had plenty to choose from. “There’s everything you need here,” Eidman said. “There’s pork, there’s beef, there’s chicken...” Even the ready-to-eat food reflected the festival’s down-to-earth philoso- phy. Valerie Workman of HomeCraft Breads, Inc., said her business has stuck to six ingredients for over 30 years and through three families. There were also educational booths. At the Tehama County Resource Con- servation District booth, TITLE Kevin Greer gave moisture-saving irrigation drip tips and turned on a flow of insight into where drinking water comes from. “I’ve asked some people where there water comes from, and they just say, ‘as long as it comes from the tap, I don’t care,’” he said. Katie Smith, of Richfield Feed and Supply, brought milking and meat goats to show children where their milk comes from, or something much like it. Milking one is much like the other, she said. A few booths away, Debi Stuhr, of Heaven Sent Ranch, had live chickens and chicks. That drew the attention of the Nel- sons from Oceanside. Brooke warned her children Kaleb, 6, and Hayley, 4, to be delicate with the black and yellow, squirming 5-day old Black Cooper Maran chicks. If the Nelson children think of the field next time they pick up a fork, they may have Red Bluff to thank. ——— Geoff Johnson can be reached at 527-2153, extension 114 or gjohnson@redbluffdailynews.com. silver medals from other prestigious California olive oil competitions. “These awards represent a continued response from judges giving affirmation of our high quality products,” General Manager Brendon Flynn said. “It’s a nice to have feedback and know that our oils hold to the standards of these expert judges.” The accolades for Lucero Olive Oil are over- flowing as well. At the Los Angeles competition Lucero was awarded Best of Show in the flavored oil category, three gold medals including a Best of Class, a sil- ver and two bronze. Lucero’s Meyer Lemon Olive Oil won Best of Show for flavored oil and a Best of Class gold medal. Its Manzanillo and Miller’s Blend each won a gold medal. The Sevillano and Mission oils each won a bronze medal. A silver medal was awarded for packaging and branding. In 2010, Lucero has garnered 27 awards, includ- ing 13 golds, five silvers, three bronze, three best in class and three best of show at county fair com- petitions throughout the state. Since 2005, Lucero has received 86 medals and leads North America in the number of awards received, owner Dewey Lucero said. “It’s been amazing for the Lucero company this year with not one, but two Best in Show awards, validating the blood, sweat and tears that literally have gone into making our olive oils,” Lucero said. “It’s been about dedication, consistency, attention to detail, the best quality, bar none.” ——— Tang Lor can be reached at 527-2153, Ext. 110 or by e-mail at tlor@redbluffdailynews.com. Back to School Project spreads word through food By GEOFF JOHNSON DN Staff Writer Ten years ago Kim Berry fell on hard times. A single parent, she could only afford school supplies for her daughter through an anonymous gift of $100. She has done her best to repay the favor — more than 500 times over. By Saturday, she was on her way to pay- ing it back 379 more times. Berry is the force behind the Back to School Project, best known for the back- packs it leaves through- out the county for anonymous donors. Berry’s organization takes low-income chil- dren on a $100 shop- ping spree for shoes, shirts and school sup- plies. Berry is now in her seventh year of activism and still getting the word out. “They see the back- packs and they don’t know what we do,” she said. Berry hoped to change that this week- end with a classic fund- raising strategy. For a few hours, her volun- teers transformed the Bethel Assembly of God into a lavish restaurant, adding table- cloths and flower and waiters. Diners settling in for the most impor- tant meal of the day were treated to a full course including sausages, pancakes, eggs, fruit, juice and coffee. It worked. 7 5 8 5 5 1 6 9 0 0 1 9 The model, already applied last year, drew even bigger crowds this time, including Red Bluff resident Lia Gray, for whom the cause was as important as the food delicious. “What’s better for a child than a new back- pack and a pair of shoes?,” she said. One customer, Berry said, was a past recipi- ent of the Back to School project and so grateful she used what little money she had to buy breakfast for a fam- ily of eight. Berry expects to take 379 children to Walmart with this year’s funding. But no one will be shop- ping before August. Berry, and the com- munity, have plenty of time to reach higher. Yet whatever hap- pens, the project has come a long way from when Berry began her work, at Zion Christian Ministries, helping 18 students seven years ago — and longer still from the gift of a single, anonymous stranger. More information is available by calling Berry at 529-4074 or visiting backtoschoolproject.com. ——— Geoff Johnson can be reached at 527- 2153, extension 114 or gjohnson@redbluffdaily news.com. Daily News photo by Geoff Johnson Pastor Paul Wright,of Community Baptist Church,and Pastor John McKim, of Zion Christian Ministries, flip pancakes Saturday at the Second Annual Back to School Project Pancake Breakfast.