Biodiesel is better for the environment than conventional fuel. For example, greenhouse gasses produced by burning biodiesel are 50-75% less than those released by #2 diesel. Also, the burning of biodiesel adds no carbon to the biosphere. As you probably know, all living beings sequester carbon in their bodies throughout their life cycle, and after death, release the carbon back into the system. When burning fuels captured by creatures living millions of years ago, we are releasing carbon that has been held out of the biosphere that long. The imbalance from this excessive carbon in the atmosphere has caused some of the environmental problems we are seeing throughout the world now. Another benefit of using biodiesel fuel is that by recycling the grease that makes biodiesel, we are keeping it out of any landfills, and turning it into a useful product that replaces a more environmentally detrimental product.

Oliver’s is happy to be partnering with Yokayo Biofuels--a Ukiah-based collection and refinement company--and enhancing the relationship we started when we began selling Yokayo our grease. In spite of some concerns that biofuels compete with food production, it is not an issue with the biodiesel produced by Yokayo, since all the materials they use are fats, grease, and oils that would otherwise be disposed of and not reused.

We at Oliver’s are so excited to actively lessen our dependence on foreign fuel sources by continuing to work locally with this fuel company; sourcing and refining locally also reduces green house gas emissions from the transportation of foreign fuels into our county, state, and country. Continuing to improve our business, community and earth, Oliver’s remains a leader in sustainability. Thank you for supporting us!

For more information about Yokayo call them at (707) 472-0900 or visit them at ybiofuels.org

We encourage people to use reusable containers when embarking on outdoor adventures. However, if this is not a viable option, how about using biodegradable products or a combination of the two?

Using biodegradable products offers many environmental benefits as compared to petroleum-based products, for example, by breaking down in 30 to 90 days instead of the thousands of years it can take petroleum products to fully degrade. World Centric products are made from renewable sources, and with proper management will be a viable option indefinitely. Their products meet FDA standards for food contact and are gluten-free. They are made from the wheat stalks and not from the food grain which stores the proteins and allergens.

World Centric has many sustainable facets to its business, demonstrating that they care about the environment, the community and their workers. Not only are their products biodegradable and compostable, they pride themselves on social equity and giving back to the community. World Centric is setting positive examples for other businesses in the following ways: having a zero carbon footprint; offsetting their total carbon emissions by partnering with grassroots environmental and social organizations, whose programs have the additional benefit of creating sustainable livelihoods for their employees. They also donate 32% of their net profits to charity and give 25% of their pre-tax profits to create social and environmental sustainability. World Centric provides a 20% discount to schools and non-profits, and offer compostable lunch trays at cost to replace Styrofoam trays. They are committed to using renewable energy and power their offices using a combination of wind and solar energy and strive to be a zero-waste office.

Together with Oliver’s and World Centric, you can make the Earth healthier and happier for yourself and your family. So get out, enjoy the spring, and help our Mother Earth by choosing a product that gives back to her.

I started drinking the Gas Relief Tea as a joke…..just to see what it would do. What I’ve learned is that it definitely relieves bloating within an hour or two by promoting digestion and….well, gas relief. And it’s organic and it tastes great. What more can I say?

And as always, Traditional Medicinals Tea are made right here in Sebastopol.

Oliver’s re-usable bag solves many problems created by single-use plastic and paper bags. Plastic and paper use tremendous resources during their lifecycle; including petroleum, trees, water, energy, and creation of Greenhouse Gases. Every time you use your Oliver’s re-usable bag, you eliminate a single-use bag from the system. This means it doesn’t go to the landfill or recycling center (10% of plastic bags are recycled in Sonoma County), reducing space and causing problems by getting caught in equipment. Oliver’s re-usable bags are washable and contain no heavy metals.

The Sonoma County Waste Management Agency has been holding public meetings in each of the nine cities in the County to engage citizens and gauge our desires. I have attended three meetings. The question: should the county government put a ban on “carry out” plastic bags? “Carry-out” bags are defined as plastic and paper bags you receive at the checkout line in any retail store. This ordinance, which is modeled after San Jose would eliminate plastic bags from retail stores with restaurants and nonprofit charitable organizations exempt. This ban would not affect produce plastic bags. Additional facets of this ordinance would put a mandatory fee on paper bags. Starting at 10 cents for two years and increasing to 25 cents there after. All paper bags would have to contain a minimum of 40 post consumer recycled content (PCR).

The purpose of this ban is not to switch from plastic to paper. Both carry detrimental environmental factors throughout their lifecycle. The purpose of this ban is to change people’s habits from single-use to infinite-use (or the maximum uses one can get out of their re-usable bag).

Oliver’s fully supports this ban. It is imperative that there be an ordinance to ensure that no competitive edge is gained through different practices amongst the grocery industry in Sonoma County. This ordinance allows all retailers to exhibit environmentally and socially responsible behavior, while not disrupting or creating competitive advantage.

Additionally, I would like to ask our patrons to examine their produce and bulk plastic bag usage. All items in the produce section can be rung up without the use of a plastic bag. If you prefer using plastic bags in produce for sanitation or capture of moisture from produce, please entertain two viable alternatives. One, purchase re-usable cloth bags (which can also be used for bulk products). Two, re-use the plastic produce bags. Throw your produce plastic bags in your re-usable grocery bag and use them as many times as you can, before grabbing a new bag.

If you would like to have your opinion heard, comments can be sent to: Patrick Carter, Waste Management Specialist, Patrick.carter@sonomacounty.org  More information can be attained at www.recylenow.org

All the fresh meat used is the same high quality that is sold in the store which meets the Oliver’s criteria for Sustainability, Humanly Raised and Antibiotic Hormone Free Meat. We also use the same house made marinades offered in our Oliver’s Gourmet Meats on the grill.

The menu offering is Tri Tip, Pulled Pork and Chicken Sandwiches, Whole and Half Tri Tip, ½ Chickens, Whole and Half Baby Back Ribs, Salmon, Oysters and Bratwurst. Each item is prepared fresh to order and can be topped with your favorite condiments.

About our meat department...

Oliver's Market Meat Departments is a cross over Market offering a wide variety of fresh items that would interest the hard core natural food shopper as well as staple items for the more conventionally minded shopper. Every section in our Meat Case has something for almost every kind of meat or seafood consumer.

One particular category that offers a large selection of highest quality meat is our ground meat program. All our ground meats meet our core standards and beliefs. We achieve this by procuring meats from the finest producers available that share the same values. Antibiotic and Hormone Free, Minimally Processed, Residue Free, Cage Free, Free Range, Grade A, Grass Fed and USDA Choice or Higher. 

At Oliver's all of our ground meats are ground in house by our skilled Meat Cutters every day and may be ground up to 4 times per day. All meats are ground from trim generated by our daily cutting of Carcass and Primal cuts. At no time do we purchase trimmings or prepared coarse ground chubs for our Oliver's Meats.

BioBag does a tremendous job of producing all products with their “mater-bi” grade biodegradable materials. Biodegradability is characteristic of natural substances and materials being assimilated by micro-organisms, and thus introduced into the natural cycles.

When natural organic materials go into the ground, they tend to decompose progressively, to disappear. This phenomenon is very important for the environment, which has to get rid of waste to make room for new life. Trees, plants and algae, meaning photosynthetic organisms, absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and, with the power of the sun, the inexhaustible source of energy, use it to synthesize sugars, and a whole range of other substances present in Nature.

The flow of substances and energy passes along the food chain from the plants to the herbivores, and from these, to carnivores. However, this mechanism would quickly become blocked if the opposite process did not exist, that is, if it was not possible to release carbon dioxide from organic material. So, in natural equilibrium, the process of biodegradation is as important as that of photosynthesis, of which it is both the outcome and the starting point. An important role is played in biodegradation by micro-organisms, which are present in every environment, and which are fed by organic waste. Thus, organic material is transformed again into carbon dioxide, thereby completing the natural cycle.

This process, which is so important to the environment, is void when dealing with petroleum based plastics. “Typical” plastics, never bio-degrade. They do however, photo-degrade, which makes capture of these materials nearly impossible and invasive into all facets of the environment. BioBag offers an eco-friendly alternative. A product that can return back to the environment in which it came.

It is important to note that Sonoma Compost does not accept any type of bio-plastics at this time. This is due to their strict organic material only policy. These policies ensure that the amendment used on your garden is 100% organic. However, if you have home compost, you can put this bag into the compost and it will break down normally.

We at Oliver’s would like to thank BioBag for producing an earth-friendly product. Alternatives to plastic are extremely important on our journey to a sustainable future.

In the latter part of the 1800s, Oakley, Contra Costa County was a booming farming community with thousands of acres of orchards and healthy vineyards.

Fred Cline's maternal grandfather, Valeriano Jacuzzi of pump and spa fame, called this place home. On summer visits to his grandparents, Fred learned both the love of agricultural life and the mysteries of vinifying grapes into wine. These lessons led Fred to obtain a degree in Agriculture Management from U.C. Davis.

In 1982, with an inheritance from his grandfather, Fred founded Cline Cellars near Oakley, California. Here, he preserved and restored many ancient vine sites to their rightful reign as premier California wine lands.

In 1991, Fred and his wife Nancy relocated the winery from Oakley to the Carneros region of Sonoma County on an historic 350-acre estate with new vineyards and facilities. While much of the cool Carneros region is planted to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Merlot, Fred pioneered the planting of Rhône varietals including Syrah, Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne.

Over the years, Fred’s innovation has consistently resulted in some of northern California’s most distinctive Rhône-style wines and intense, flavorful Zinfandels, many with 90+ point ratings from Wine Spectator. Wine & Spirits called their Ancient Vines Mourvèdre “one of the top 100 values,” and in 2011 Robert Parker Jr. wrote in the Wine Advocate, “This is the finest portfolio of value-priced wines from Cline Cellars that I have tasted to date.”

Since 2000, Cline Cellars farms the Green String way - naturally and sustainably; avoiding chemical pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers that are generally used in everyday farming. They believe they utilize the most efficient methods towards retaining healthy vineyards by employing the use of organic cover crops, compost teas, crushed volcanic rock and oyster shell, natural mined sulfur and sheep grazing.

Please take the opportunity to discover – or rediscover these wonderful wines.

Click here for complete flyer

While Heck does not tote the “organic” label they do use practices that drastically reduce the need for synthetic chemicals. Their most commonly used chemical is sulfur dioxide, which inhibits oxidation and growth of microbes that can spoil wine. This is used as a preservative, ensuring the wine is in peak condition when it reaches the customer. Heck Estates reduces the need for chemicals by developing and encouraging the growth and health of the natural ecosystem. Predatory insects and birds keep pests at a manageable level. Sustainable grape growing provides much of the benefits of organic farming, with less risk and at a lower cost of labor.

In addition, Heck wineries employ many other sustainable practices. Some key elements include: using cover crops on all vineyards to control erosion, enhancing soils with decaying organic material and nutrition, and re-using materials instead of disposal. Open land is retained in its natural state to maintain biodiversity. Only land where vines are located is fenced, leaving property open for migration of wildlife. On 125 acres of vineyards, all water needs are met by using reclaimed processed water. Use of subsurface drainage collects rainwater for all irrigation and frost control needs for approximately 120 acres, meaning no well water is used. Heck wineries have been recognized by the state of California’s EPA with waste reduction awards each year since 2003. Heck wineries utilize night time harvesting which reduces energy needs for cooling the grape juice. All of these practices, amongst others, are why Heck wineries are a leader in sustainable wine growing in Sonoma County.

Valley of the Moon is a Sonoma County Green Business. This means they have been certified by the Sonoma County Green Business Program. In order, for a business to become certified they must meet requirements in energy, water, waste, and pollution prevention. This accomplishment is both beneficial for the winery and Sonoma County. Businesses that partake in this program are demonstrating their commitment to reducing negative impacts on the environment and improving on Business As Usual practices.

Heck Wineries uses the Code of Sustainable Winegrowing Practices Self-Assessment Workbook. This book provides a foundation of sustainable practices that can be implemented as applicable to each winery. Wineries can use provided tools to asses their own sustainability. Chapters include: viticulture, soil management, vineyard water management, pest management, wince quilting, ecosystem management, energy efficiency, winery water conservation and quality material handling, solid waste reduction and management, environmentally preferred purchasing, human resources, neighbors and community, and air quality. This diverse set of perspectives allows wineries to self-evaluate and grow in areas where they might be lacking. It also, provides a resource for wineries that allow them to learn about new and innovative practices.

Valley of the Moon and Heck Estates have done a tremendous job in providing a great product through sustainable practices. The 2010 Rosato Di Sangiovese is a vibrant red cherry and cranberry fruit character wine. The Rosato gets its brilliant color from an overnight soak of the crushed grapes on the skin. This wine is wonderful as an aperitif or paired with fruit and mild cheeses. The perfect wine for a romantic evening, setting the mood for a wonderful Valentine’s Day and month of February.

One of the great things about being a Produce Department Manager for Oliver's is that I have the freedom follow my passion and trust my judgment in sourcing the best fruits and vegetables for our store.  I'm proud that our quality is second to none.

Our Roots are in Produce...Steve Maass' Story, owner & founder

In 1972 my wife, Ruth Maass and I, began selling produce of the back of a truck in San Francisco, CA. I converted an old Coca-Cola truck into a mobile fruit stand which became a retail phenomenon every summer at Taraval and Dewey streets. The stand was so successful that I hired valets to park cars and the stand was featured on “Eye on San Francisco” and “Good Morning America.”
 

My commitment to quality and value still inspires our produce departments, which we consider the foundation of our company’s success.

I started working at Oliver’s 8 years ago as the Deli Department Manager in the Cotati store.  I am currently the Food Service Coordinator and have been in this position for 3 years.  I made a life changing decision when I came to Oliver’s.  I was a single mom raising two young boys and working a ton of hours to make ends meet.  Getting a job with a regular structured work week was very appealing to me, because I felt as though I was missing too much of the important years and events in my children’s lives, due to work.  I made the best decision for my family and have never looked back.

Here at Oliver’s I wear many hats too (Michael said it first).  I coordinate the Food Service for the Deli Department.  I oversee all 3 delis, but mostly the Stony Point store, as it is the home to our Commissary Kitchen where a good portion of the delicious Oliver’s food is made from scratch daily for the other two stores.  In addition to the food service, I organize and manage the transportation & warehousing for the company, and all of the large specialty packaging buying.

As I said earlier, my family is very important to me; and it doubled in 2007 when I re-connected with my high school sweetheart and we got married.  With that union, I added two girls and another boy to the mix.  We truly are a modern day “Brady Bunch.”

Life’s events allowed me to resume a passion of mine that I let slip away…cooking and feeding the ones I love.  I love to cook and experiment in the kitchen and boy have I been busy feeding my bunch—7 people with likes and dislikes—now that’s a challenge.  Oliver’s is my shopping place when it comes to feeding my family.  You can find everything you need in one stop; whether it is specialty ingredients for an exotic recipe, fresh produce from local vendors or good wine because all those kids are driving you crazy.

I can’t finish without mentioning how awesome it is to work in such a cool place with such great food.  Every day I get to meet people just like me, or not like me at all, but they all come here for the same reason…to feed themselves or their families. I have met so many customers, that I now know on a personal basis, because they like shopping here as much as I do.  

I have learned so much about food and the importance of eating well in the  8 years here at Oliver’s than I ever did  at the other place.  Oliver’s isn’t just a job—it’s an experience!