Freda Ehmann
Freda Ehmann was a farmer who has been credited with launching California's olive industry by perfecting a process to preserve the fruit for shipment.
Early life
Freda Ehmann was born in Germany.Career
She owned a small olive grove outside Oroville in the Sacramento Valley, and sought ways to increase her market beyond olive oil. At the time, olives could not be successfully preserved for long-term storage or shipment. Working with a University of California food scientist, she experimented with a number of pickling methods before hitting on a formula that resulted in a marketable product.She founded the Ripe Olive Industry of California.
Today, Ehmann's home is the headquarters of the Butte [County, California|Butte County] Historical Society, and tours are offered regularly.
She was active in Women's Clubs affairs and was Chairman of the Financial Committee of the YMCA Building Fund.
She was a member of the Oroville Monday Club.