Queen Creek Olive Mill Estate

Queen Creek Olive Mill Estate

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Posted 2022-04-30 by Marni Pattersonfollow
You don't need to go to Italy to find award-winning olive oils. You can find them 40 minutes southeast of Phoenix at the .

The is a working,100-acre farm with over 7,000 olive trees, production and packing operations, a store and a restaurant. True to its slogan--"from blossom to bottle," the offers visitors an authentic agritourism experience.

Take an Olive Oil 101 tour to learn how olives are pressed into fresh extra virgin olive oil. Have lunch or dinner in the Marketplace Café, where the menu features Italian-inspired family recipes made from fresh ingredients.



Shop for olive oil, vinegar, stuffed olives, tapenades, sauces and wines in the Gourmet Marketplace, or stock up on OliveSpa,bath and body products such as facial oils, soaps, lip and foot balms, and even dog shampoo.



The was founded by Perry and Brenda Rea, former Michiganders who are now staunch Arizonans. They founded the Queen Creek Olive Mill after a trip to Scottsdale, Arizona to visit Perry's parents.

They were living in Bloomfield Hills, MI, where Perry was the CEO of a successful auto parts company that supplied brake lines and other products to the Big Three automakers, Mercedes and Nissan. They were impressed with the groves of olive trees they saw during their trip to Scottsdale and decided to produce extra-virgin olive oil. So, they sold the auto parts business and moved to Arizona along with four kids (and one on the way).

They started with a vision of being the premier source of fresh, locally produced extra-virgin olive oil. Eighteen years later, they are the only commercial olive mill in the state. They have created a collection of award-winning olive oils and are recognized as Arizona's professional olive oil "sommeliers."

Sustainability is a priority at the estate. Since olive trees thrive in hot and dry climates, they don't need a lot of water. The Reas use mostly lake water or greywater for production and have a drip irrigation system rather than flood irrigation. Greywater is recycled from the olive processing plant and reused on the trees, and drip irrigation uses less water by focusing the water only where it's needed. Around 600 solar panels supply energy to the entire enterprise. Since milling only occurs for two months, there is a zero-carbon footprint during production. Around 600 solar panels supply energy to the entire enterprise. Since milling only occurs for two months, there is a zero-carbon footprint during production.



Eight years ago, the Reas opened a store in Kierland Commons, an open-air shopping mall in North Scottsdale. It stocks all the items available at the , including all local products and a full range of wines."



Whichever location you decide to visit, you're in for a fun experience and will probably leave with some specialty products to try in your own kitchen.

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%wnphoenix
79201 - 2023-06-11 05:11:05

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