American Olive Farmer Staff

At American Olive Farmer everything we do is rooted in care—care for the land, for flavor, and for the people we serve. We’re a small Northern California business offering local extra virgin olive oil and freshly harvested olives with intention, not at scale. Our work is personal, practical, and always operated with our eyes on quality.

While we no longer operate a company-owned olive mill, we partner exclusively with trusted third-party olive growers, millers, and bottlers who meet our high standards and are certified by the Olive Oil Commission of California. We are the négociant for premium balsamic vinegars from a small centuries-old Modenese producer who shares our commitment to authenticity and exceptional flavor, and the olive trees we sell are propagated by the nursery that we use for our own trees. 

Liz Tagami

Founder, Steward, and Storyteller

“I came to olive oil through the front door as a brand consultant, not a farmer, but I stayed because of the trees. Our community of Corning, California has been cultivating olive trees since 1897.”

With over 25 years of executive experience as a senior merchant with national specialty retailers and more than a decade running an international olive oil company, Liz Tagami brings both expertise and grounded perspective to her work.

She began her work with Lucero Olive Oil® as a consultant in 2008 and became a co-owner in 2015. Seven years later, in 2022, she and her husband Donald re-launched Lucero Olive Oil as part of American Olive Farmer, a direct-to-consumer shop focused on our premium local extra virgin olive oil and authentic Modenese balsamic vinegar.

Liz now serves as steward of the land, coordinating harvests with carefully chosen local table olive and oil olive growers while converting her conventional stone fruit acreage into a regenerative olive orchard. She is a product developer, writer, and advocate for small-scale production. Whether she’s in the orchard, creating products, or responding to patrons, she's deeply involved in every aspect of this small-scale business. 

She has spent many years on sensory panels and international juries refining her palate, contributes to industry publications, and speaks internationally on olive oil quality and appreciation. 

Read more about Liz on LinkedIn. (This link will open in a new tab.)

Donald Shaw

Cook, Craftsman, and Keeper of the Kitchen

Donald is a former catering kitchen manager, pastry chef, cooking teacher, and the quietly capable partner behind much of what happens in our kitchen. Liz might drive the marketing content calendar, but it is Donald's culinary insight and experience that shapes many of the recipes we share. When something tastes just right, he’s usually the one who dialed it in. Importantly, the recipes we share are the way we eat at home.

Each autumn, it's who Donald leads our fresh olive packing team, ensuring that hand-harvested local olives are cleaned, sorted, and shipped with care.

Donald’s background in food operations and customer experience makes him a steady presence and a valued contributor across all facets of our work.

Why We Work This Way

Although our operational methods have adapted from the Lucero Olive Oil era, our values remain unchanged: we are still olive farmers, professional tasters, and eager storytellers—so much more than bottlers, and not mere marketers. 

Whether it’s being in the orchards, assessing oils, developing new products, or testing recipes, we work to offer transparency, trust, and food that tastes like someone cared, because someone did.

We believe food is one of the most intimate ways we connect to the world. By staying small and personal, we’re able to ensure that everything we offer—whether olive oil, balsamic vinegar, or a turn of phrase—reflects our values quality, service, and authenticity.

This is a hands-on, husband-and-wife operation with a literary and agricultural heartbeat. When you support us at American Olive Farmer, you're not just buying California olive oil—you’re supporting a small family business and joining an effort toward a slower, better way of making things. 

Thank you for taking the time to read about us. Please feel free to call or write to Liz with  questions and comments. Liz@AmericanOlive Farmer.com or 530-727-2004.