Local Food Northern Nevada

Learn to grow food when it's cold outside - Eliot Coleman teaches in Nevada

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 15:32:00 +0000

Many think Nevadans can grow only what our gardens or farms produce between May and September, but we know some farmers and gardeners harvest all year. Here's an opportunity to learn how they do it and what is possible on your piece of land.

Eliot Coleman of Four Season Farm is on the cutting edge of cold region food production and he's coming to northern Nevada to share what he knows.

Coleman grows food year round...in Maine. Using no-energy technology and season-appropriate crop selection he grows food for his table and his business. We discovered his techniques a few years ago when I came across his book, Four Season Harvest, at the Washoe County Library. Since then we've read all his books and have been using what we’ve learned to grow some of our own cold-weather food.

Year round production is not a new concept. One hundred and fifty years ago France fed much of its urban population using year-round agricultural practices in the heart of its towns and cities.
Now is your chance to learn directly from a man who is reviving cold weather production, bringing it into the 21st century and introducing it to the US.

Whether you're a farmer or a backyard gardener this is a fantastic opportunity, not to be missed.
The Saturday workshop is geared towards farmers, the Sunday towards gardeners.

Saturday, February 11
Four Season Farming and Gardening with Eliot Coleman
Saturday, February 11, 9 am - 3:30 pm
RENO HIGH SCHOOL THEATER, 395 BOOTH STREET, RENO
$75 (includes lunch) - $85 after January 27

Sunday, February 12
RAIL CITY GARDEN CENTER, 1720 BRIERLEY WAY, SPARKS
Session 1 - 10:30 am - Noon Session 2 - 1:30 - 3 pm
$45 each session - $50 after January 27

Presented by Western Nevada College Specialty Crop Institute.
Information/registration: Ann Louhela -775-351-2551 or louhelaa@wnc.edu.

Zoning initiative jeopardizes future of Wolf Pack Meats and northern Nevada's local food infrastructure

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:25:00 +0000

If you love local food and local jobs make your voice heard.

On December 14th @ 6pm the Reno City Council will vote on a Planning Commission recommendation to zone 104 acres of the Main Station Farm for light industrial use making the land accessible for development. Should the Council vote yes, this will open the door to the parceling off and destruction of this valuable piece of urban agricultural land and northern Nevada's agricultural infrastructure.

Though UNR and the Reno City Council are correct when they say the zoning decision to be addressed at the December 14th meeting will not close Wolf Pack Meats, what it really means is it won't close it right now. This will be the first parcel to be paved over and other development initiatives will follow. As development encroaches, opposition to the close proximity of a slaughter facility will surely result in the closure. This has happened to agricultural land everywhere. In the US we pave over 1 acre of prime farmland every minute.

Wolf Pack Meats is the only USDA meat facility in northern Nevada and access to it keeps production costs lower so local ranchers can make their product available to us at a reasonable price. Processing the meat here reduces middleman and transportation fees. It ensures the animals are treated humanely from farm to table. This production circle keeps our food-based jobs in Nevada. Read more or sign the petion now to oppose this proposal.

Annex, rezone, and sell is the way local government has "planned" for many years and the results have been less than stellar. We want the University of Nevada, Board of Regents and the Reno City Council to take an innovative approach and use this property to build a different future -- one based on a burgeoning local food economy. But first we need to convince them to make a different decision at this meeting, perhaps designate the land as agricultural. The more of us who speak up the better.

Make your voice heard....

Sign the petition.

This petition will be delivered to the Reno City Council, members of the University of Nevada Board of Regents, the University of Nevada, Reno Chancellor, the Nevada legislative
representatives, and members of congress.

Attend the meeting on December 14th at 6:00pm. The meeting may not be held in the Council Chambers. We're hoping so many people show up to support a different future that we'll need a bigger space.

Contact members of the Reno City Council directly, personally, and now...because the members need to know we want the land preserved for our burgeoning local food economy future before the meeting is held.

Let them know we are opposed to zoning the Main Station Farm land for these reasons:

1. We do not support new commercial/business zoned properties in the city of Reno. Many existing properties sit vacant and our city is fraught with urban blight. We should strive to fill what we have before we consider making new properties available for commercial, business, and/or industrial use.

2. Building in critical flood zones cost taxpayers. As citizens of Nevada, subject to local and state non-income based taxes, and as payers of federal income taxes, we do not support any develop within what has been designated a Critical Flood Zone. When properties flood citizens pay directly and more often indirectly. These 104 acres are in a Critical Flood Zone. It is amply outlined in the presentation from the Truckee River Flood Management Project.

3. Adjacent land-use presents conflicts. Although the City Planning Commission and the University of Nevada, Reno, along with various representatives, have attempted to deny that this rezoning will have any impact on Wolf Pack Meats, we respectfully disagree. There is a well documented literature of agriculture/urban conflict, so much so that all 50 states, Nevada included, have some form of Right to Farm laws. Nonetheless, the pastoral image of agriculture that many individuals have conflicts with the reality of agriculture as a working business with noise and odors.

Subscription Farming Workshop on December 17, 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 22:26:00 +0000

Last night the Local Food Network held one of their periodic strategic planning meetings at the River School. At this meeting interested people (30 of us) identified local food economy trends and needs. Then we determined which aspects are really important and need advocacy. One of the messages we heard from new young farmers is the need for education and training on the business end of farming and how farming works in a high-desert environment. In this regard, Western Nevada College fills a valuable role with educational opportunities for future farmers. Here's the latest, from my mailbox to you.

Western Nevada College Offers

Subscription Farming Workshop

Subscription services are not limited to magazines and newspapers anymore. Farmers have discovered the popularity of offering weekly subscriptions to consumers for local, seasonal produce.

Area growers can learn more about this trend at an upcoming Western Nevada College Specialty Crop Institute workshop. “Subscription Farming for the Small Farm” meets Saturday, Dec. 17, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., at WNC Fallon campus, 160 Campus Way. Cost is $35 for registrations by December 9 and $45 afterward. Lunch is included.

The workshop is directed to small-acreage farmers to teach them how to make a profit in this alternative direct marketing enterprise. Participants will learn about recruiting and retaining customers, planting schedules, recordkeeping, benefits and challenges of working with other farms, and more. The workshop will include a roundtable discussion on farm successes and challenges.

Featured speakers are Wendy Baroli of Grow for Me Sustainable Farm, and Ray Johnson of Custom Gardens Organic Farm. Both have successful and innovative subscription farm operations, and share more than 35 years of commercial farming experience.

Subscription farming, also known as Community Supported Agriculture or CSA, employs a system of weekly delivery or pick-up of farm-fresh, seasonal produce, and sometimes includes dairy products and meat. Customers pre-pay during planting season for a set number of weekly shares of produce to be delivered during harvest season. Customers enjoy the benefits of fresh produce delivered directly from the farm and often receive varieties that cannot be found in retail outlets or farmers markets.

The WNC Specialty Crop Institute is an innovative program that teaches alternative farming methods. Funding for this project was provided by the Nevada Department of Agriculture and USDA/AMS through the Specialty Crop Block Grant.

For information/registration, contact Ann Louhela at 775-351-2551 or louhelaa@wnc.edu.

Good for us! Florida's Ag-gag bill fails

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 14:44:00 +0000

Here's a good-news-update on the Take a Farm Picture -- Go to Jail post. The bill that would have made it illegal to take pictures of agricultural facilities in Florida did not pass. Minnesota and Iowa still have bills on the table though, and Monsanto is pushing hard for passage in Iowa.
Read a bit about this development here.

When Slow Food USA called on farm-lovers to become farmarzzi and take pictures of local farms in response to these bills, we went straight to Girl Farm with one of our favorite families and took these shots. We didn't even get frisked!

Take a farm picture and go to jail -- Big Ag has plans for us

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Fri, 06 May 2011 14:15:00 +0000

Imagine you’re a person who cares about people and animals so you take pictures of abuse and negligence. Then you share them with others who care. Then you’re arrested, pay fines, and possibly spend some time in jail. This is what Big Ag has planned in Florida, Iowa, and Minnesota.

People like you and me know about the nasty side of industrial food because insiders and those who work undercover share their images and knowledge. And because we know, we think and decide for ourselves what is best. Increasingly, many decide Big Ag is not for them. This scares the agricultural powers-that-be so they use their money and influence to change the laws, infringe on our right to know, and penalize those who are willing to speak out. This is nothing new; it’s just the politics of money and influence throughout human history.

Why do Nevadans care about this? Because law and legislation creeps state by state. What happens elsewhere shows up at our family dinner table. Then it could be illegal in Nevada.

Thanks to the Internet, We the People know about this before anything is final and we can try to impose our own influence. Numbers and timing count.

An Iowa bill supporter offers the draft bill in defense of the proposal. His position is that those opposed misunderstand section 717A.2A (Animal facility interference) and are misrepresenting the intentions.

Other opinons are here and here. Decide for yourself and then take some online action, or not.

Another great way to get involved is to become a farmarazzi. Here’s a Slow Food email excerpt explaining the details. I’ll be exercising my rights at GirlFarm this Sunday!

“But that’s not all. We don't just want to stop Big Ag's attempt to restrict consumers' right to know — we also want to use this as an opportunity to lift up the good, clean and fair farmers who like consumers to come and see exactly how their food is produced.

So join the farmarazzi! In the next few days we'll be calling on you for help. Plan a visit to a nearby farm (or just step outside, farmers) because we'll be holding a contest for the best farm photos, and sending a flipbook of the winning photos to the legislators in question. Can't wait to get started? Share your favorite farm photos by uploading and posting them on our Facebook wall here”

Kids and gardens at Urban Roots Garden Classrooms Summer Camp 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 14:44:00 +0000

Summer is just around the corner and it’s a great time to start thinking about outdoor activities. If you’re looking for something unique and fun for the kids this year consider the Urban Roots Garden Classrooms Summer Camp. Urban Roots is a dynamic non-profit dedicated to developing innovative opportunities for kids and educators to interact with nature, food, and each other. This year the program has expanded to offer camp for kids of all ages from June through August. Go to the Urban Roots Garden Classrooms to learn more about the organization, or here for more camp information and sign up.

Master Gardener 2011 annual plant sale

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 13:47:00 +0000

Dust off the little red wagon and grab your checkbook. The annual Master Gardener plant sale is coming up soon.

This is a great way to buy garden plants suited to our region, grown by experienced gardeners you might even know. Here are some details:

When: Saturday May 21^st at 7:30 – 11:00a. Come early because everyone else does. Michael Janik reports the line was 60 people long 30 minutes prior to opening last year.

Where: 4955 Energy Way. The UNR Cooperative Extension moved to a new location this year.

Prices and plants: Flowers and veggies in 4 inch pots for $1.50; ½ gallon shrubs, grape vines, and flowers, prices vary but they’re still low.

We’re not kidding….come early! Bring a thermos of coffee or tea and be prepared to stand and chat for a while. The line looks daunting but the people are really nice and the early shopper really does get the tomato plant (Michael Janik said this first…I’m copying him!). A couple of tips – bring something to carry your plants in while you browse, and a checkbook or cash.

Are you a backyard farmer? Hungry Mother Organics wants to know!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Tue, 19 Apr 2011 14:53:00 +0000

More and more people are growing their own food. Some are growing lettuce and tomatoes in containers on their apartment patio, and others are buying acreage and growing for their communities. It's hard to know how many of us are out there but Hungry Mother Organics is trying to find out how many backyard farmers are active in northern Nevada. If you want to get on the map, go to 1000 Backyard Farms and sign up.

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 16:29:00 +0000

This event is a great opportunity to meet the people who make local food go in Nevada. It was hoppin' the first year I attended and has been getting better each year.

From my mailbox to you:

Join us for the 2011 Nevada Small Farm Conference!

Friday & Saturday, March 11-12 • Fallon

$75 Early Bird • $95 after Feb 24 (both days include lunch)

SATURDAY only (Community Education Day) • $40 (includes lunch)

THURSDAY Pre-Conference Workshops • $25 • $30 after Feb. 24

FRIDAY Evening Reception •$30 • $35 after Feb 24

From bees to beef - there's something for everyone at this conference!

Additional information at http://www.wnc.edu/sci

Exhibitor and sponsorship information is available at www.wnc.edu/sci , or call Ann

Louhela, 775-351-2551.

Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food!

Think Wal-Mart will benefit local farmers or eaters? Really?

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 13:24:00 +0000

Recently we've heard that Wal-Mart intends to expand into two new markets, local food and urban neighborhoods. For people who like or need their stuff cheap and plentiful, these sound like really great ideas but on closer examination the long-term consequences have proven otherwise. Normally I wouldn't post anything about Wal-Mart on my blog because it goes against my core philosophy, that people are healthier and happier when they are for something rather than against something. But I can’t let this opportunity pass.

Last week I started hearing some friends and acquaintances talking about how great it would be to buy their local food from Wal-Mart, and that this market will be good for farmers and eaters. Really? This morning while drinking my coffee and reading the news I came across this article, Wal-Mart and the End of the Local Food Movement. It concisely lays out what really happens to producers who enter into a "partnership" with Wal-Mart. Low paying jobs, family owned business driven out of town, producers enslaved by bullying contract negotiations, huge formerly healthy producers periodically driven into bankruptcy, and ravaged communityscapes when the company abandons a megastore to build a super-mega store 3 miles down the road. Think a small family farm can survive these practices? Not likely.

Scary! Nooooo....doooon't doooo iiiiit!

Slow Food Reno Fall Potluck - another great meal and chat!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 14:17:00 +0000

Last night we attended another fantastic Slow Food Reno potluck to eat, visit, and learn along with the usual cohort and many new folks, about 60-70 of us. Pantagonia again let us use their fantastic facility for the spread...we love them!

Of course the food was fantastic. There's no pressure to be a culinary star; we just bring what we like to eat. It's amazing how diverse and colorful the dishes are. I don't have any pics because I came prepared only to eat and chat, which is exactly what Slow Food is about.

Tim Curry from Wood Fire Roasted Coffee provided caffinated and decaf to go with the huge table of desserts.

Doug Booth from Buckbean Brewery brought beer. Doug and I started talking about beer, of course, and he told me Buckbean hosts beer dinners. Contact them if you want to get on the list. His place also generates a lot of spent grains and hops and anyone who wants them for chicken feed, or whatever, can drop off some empty containers and pick them up later.

Ty Martin brought wine. Ty is opening a new shop called Craft Wine and Beer. His new place will be at 22 Martin Street, phone: 775-287-2646. Look for it in November.

The speakers/entertainers were Rick Lattin from Lattin Farm, Dawn Spinola from Reno Egg, and me.

Dawn and Alan Spinola run a local business called Reno Egg, selling farm fresh eggs to all including local restaurants, specifically Dish, Back of the House, and Bistro 7. They're working with others to sell out of markets, so watch for that soon. Dawn told of their hilarious journey from urban dwellers to living with about 400 chickens, and it all started with a horse. Seems like Dawn is the dreamer gal and Alan makes the infrastructure happen. BTW, their eggs are natural and free range...not labeled organic for the usual reasons, which are more about paperwork and administrative fees than food ethic.

Rick Lattin from Lattin Farms entertained us with his quick wit and sense of humor and at the same time told us what's happened in Nevada farming over the last decade. First, let me just say that the Lattins rock! Rick and B. Ann are a formidable team and have done so much to promote farming in this region. Rick really honed in on why it's important to value farming in Nevada....we love where we live, and if we're going to live here we should grow our food here.
Here are a few of the high points from his presentation.

Over the last decade of so a handful of local food enthusiasts have created the initiatives that move local food forward in our community. Through these organizations and motivated people we now have greater access to local food and new growers entering the market. They've shown us it can be done and how to do it!

In no particular order:

Great Basin Community Food Co-op - BTW they've outgrown the 600 square foot building and are planning to move to something like 5,000 sq ft. This in itself is a great indicator in this economic climate.

Great Basin Basket, which feeds 400 or so families and supplies local restaurants with fresh food.

8 or 10 other CSAs - This type of program is where much of Nevada's new farmers. People with a few acres grow food for those who want it. Rick says that larger farms like his are not the norm.

Nevada Grown - a list of organic and conventional growers in Nevada.

Local Food System Network - a loose networking group that strives to bring local initiatives together and develop partnerships.

Nevada Certified Farmers Market Association - provides support for anyone wishing to start a farmers market in their neighborhood.

Western Nevada College Specialty Crop Institute - The workshops teach us it can be done.

I'm going to include Eliot Coleman on this list because even though he's not from Nevada (he lives in Maine) his work with hoop house technology has resulted in growing practices that create Zone 5 growing conditions in a Zone 7 region. If you want to know more read any one of his books but I recommend The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year Round Vegetable Production Using Deep Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses. Rick uses these techniques on the farm, and Mark and I use them in our backyard.

My topic was the Mobile Slaughter Unit presentation we attended in September. There's too much info for this post, but watch for it in a separate one.

Looking forward to the winter potluck!

Learn to grow food in Northern Nevada on a community scale

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:43:00 +0000

The other night at the Slow Food Reno Fall Potluck Rick Lattin talked about a few of the most important agricultural and local food programs to develop over the last 10 years or so. Among them is the Western Nevada College Specialty Crop Institute. This program reaches out to people who want to grow food on a community scale and teaches them how it's done. Much of the new local food grown in Nevada comes not from existing large commodity crop farms (hay, alfalfa, etc.) converting to specialty crops (tomatoes, fava beans, etc.) but from folks who want to grow food on just a few acres, so these workshops are for anyone who interested in local food production. The Romanos (see pic) are excellent examples of contemporary farmers.

Here's another fantastic and versatile program for both approaches. When I get to work today I'm going to ask the boss for November 19th off!

From my mailbox to you:

Learning to Grow Our Own

Demand for locally-grown food continues to rise, and an increasing number of Northern Nevada farmers are interested in growing fresh produce for consumers. However, many do not have the knowledge or training to produce these specialty crops.

In response to this need, Western Nevada College Specialty Crop Institute announces an Introduction to Specialty Crop Production Workshop for the commercial grower.

The one-day workshop will be Friday, Nov. 19, at the Jeanne Dini Cultural Center in Yerington. Cost is $15 if registered by November 11, $25 after November 11. Lunch is included.

Participants will learn what products are considered specialty crops, and gain an understanding of the potential for growing and selling these high-value, direct-marketed crops in Northern Nevada. Topics will include hoop houses and season extension practices, viticulture, Community Supported Agriculture (CSAs) and more. Three local farmers will discuss their successes in specialty crop production.

The Nevada Department of Agriculture will present a session on the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program that provides funding to individuals and groups for projects to enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. These projects include research, promotion, marketing, food safety, education, product development and more. Staff will be on hand throughout the day to answer questions about the program and other NDOA programs.

The WNC Specialty Crop Institute is an innovative education program to teach alternative farming methods, allowing growers to diversify from low-value crops to high-value, direct-marketed specialty crops; increase per-acre return; and manage water efficiently. It is made possible with funding from the Nevada Department of Agriculture and USDA/AMS through the Specialty Crop Block Grant.

For workshop registration or details, contact Ann Louhela at 775-351-2551 or louhelaa@wnc.edu.

Buy Nevada-grown baby ginger at the Great Basin Community Food Co-op

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:04:00 +0000

Ray and Virginia Johnson of Custom Gardens Organic Farm has been growing baby ginger for a couple of years with great success. The only way to get some was through their CSA , which has been full for years, or drive out to Silver Springs to pick it up. Now we can get it through the Great Basin Community Food Co-op!

Baby ginger is very different from the fiberous tuber we see in the supermarket. It is perishable and tender so needs to be used up or stored. My friend Mackenzie buys a bunch of baby ginger each year and puts it in the freezer.

Below is a bit of information and some recipe ideas from Ray and Virginia. From my mailbox to you:

Here’s the whole scoop:

Since we harvest the root at an early or mid-growth) stage due to our climate (not quite Hawaii) Our baby ginger more perishable than the usual tough skinned ginger root you will find in a supermarket. Here are some tips and a recipe to help you discover and enjoy Baby Ginger. Look up how to candy it, on the Internet!

Storage, perishability and uses: Clean your ginger root by washing under running water, gently removing any soils or blemishes – the skin of baby ginger is quite tender.

Young ginger root can be stored in the refrigerator for 10-14 days – simply wrapped in a damp paper towel, and put into a zip-lock bag or a container with a tight fitting lid. Any part of the root not used for fresh purposes within two weeks should be frozen in a zip lock bag (air pushed out) then simply taken out or sliced, diced, grated for use.

Leaves: To prepare leaves to store for tea: Cut off the stalks-- about 2 inches above the ginger root. Pull off leaves - rinse, blot dry, then cut or snip into small pieces. Place cut leaf pieces on a paper towel allowing them to air dry on the counter. When thoroughly dried store ginger leaves in a glass jar or zip-lock bag.

When making and drinking your tea: If used medicinally, don’t add sugar. For regular consumption doll it up any way you choose, with sugar or honey, or other flavorings.

Tender shoots & stalks: May be cut into pieces and used, to taste, in stir-fry.

Ginger Root Pickles

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh baby ginger -- sliced paper thin with vegetable peeler or mandolin

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup natural rice vinegar

1/2 cup sugar

Directions: Stir all ingredients together in nonreactive stainless steel pan or glass saucepan and bring to a boil. Let mixture cool to room temperature and chill overnight (Pickled ginger keeps for several months in the refrigerator).

Use your baby ginger in any way you would use any fresh ginger, but know it is tenderer with less fiber than the tough supermarket ginger root.

Local ginger is available now!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:05:00 +0000

From my mailbox to you:

Certified Organic Baby-Young Ginger Crop is being dug in October and November, Order now, while supply lasts!

Our regular Sunday On-Farm Market has ended for the season, but seasonable produce is still available by order. Farmers, Ray and Virginia Johnson are growing Certified Organic Ginger in the hoop-house to the left, (hoop house #3 two 50’wide beds) along with future beets, carrots and turnips in the other beds. The other three hoop houses are planted to cold-hardy fall, winter, to spring vegetables, available by orders to be picked up at the farm, starting the second week of November.

Pick some up at 3701 Elm St. Silver Springs, Nevada - 89429

More information? customgardens@att.net or 775-577-2069

Nevada needs a mobile slaughterhouse unit!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 14:40:00 +0000

This is so exciting, and so important for Nevada! On Thursday September 9th, from 8:30 to 3:00 (RSVP by September 1st) the USDA will be in Carson City to talk about mobile slaughterhouse units. If we ever want to buy Nevada meat in a market setting we're going to need one of these.

A key component of a responsive local food network is the consumer's ability to buy locally raised meat one cut at a time, that is, from the market. Buying in bulk is an option and ultimately more sustainable because we eat the whole animal rather than just the stylish cuts, but sometimes it would be nice just to pop down to the market and pick up one piece. We don't have that option in Nevada because we lack a USDA inspector to provide the mandatory certification. A Nevada rancher can arrange to have their product individually packaged and USDA approved but they have to transport the cattle out of state and then transport it back as a saleable product. However, the increased cost to the rancher is rarely what a consumer wants to pay. These mobile slaughterhouse units come with USDA inspection certification.
A mobile slaughterhouse unit is exactly what we need to reestablish the link between ranchers and new local food consumers in Nevada.

I’m off work this day so plan to go…maybe I’ll see you there. Woo hoo!

Red Meat Mobile Slaughter Unit Information Session
Thursday, September 9, 8:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.
2621 Northgate Lane, Suite 15, Carson City (UNCE office)
RSVP by Sept. 1 to Clint Koble, 775-784-5411 x117

Nevada raised grass-fed beef and lamb

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 17:55:00 +0000

These guys have been around for a while but I just learned about them last month. Though we haven't eaten Albaugh meat yet I hear good things about them, and they certainly have tons of experience.

From my mailbox to you:

"Albaugh Ranch in Fallon is now offering grass-fed beef and lambs, locally slaughtered and processed.
For details, call Norris Albaugh, 775-423-3361, or visit their website."

Canning tomatoes - get 'em while you can

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:15:00 +0000

It's been a really crazy growing season. While I sit here in sipping coffee in my winter fleece, outside the weather is cold and cloudy...and it's August! Usually this time of year I’m giving away tomatoes just to get them out of my house, but not this year. Of the seventeen tomato plants I started with in May six survived and 1.5 are producing ripe tomatoes. The rest just sat there and took up space and nutrients all season. Thank goodness for farmers otherwise my family would have to get through winter eating fewer of my favorite cold weather meals.

Lattin Farms has tomatoes now. Get them while you can!

$15 for a 20 pound box (update - I called today to put in my order and learned that the price is $20 per 20 pound box) or 50¢ a pound for u-pick - all certified organic. Delivery options can be made for Reno. Call the farm at Toll Free: (866) 638-6293 or Local: (775) 867-3750 to order.

How are we doing? Results from informal Nevada farmer survey

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 13:51:00 +0000

It’s been about four years since I discovered that there are still farmers in Nevada and that it is possible to buy locally grown food. In 2006 I didn’t know anyone who purchased food grown in Nevada, or anyone who even knew a farmer. Now there are 20-25 people in my world for whom local farmers provide much of their food and almost daily I meet many who shop at farmers markets and would buy local food if it were easier to get. The market says that where there is demand new sources will develop, so it seems logical that if more Nevadans are eating locally we would eventually see more people farming, an increased number of access points, and new products.

All over the world new farmers are taking over abandoned farmlands and converting them to organic farms. Some farmers who’ve managed to avoid or get out of the Monsanto-cycle that often results in financial ruin are converting to alternative practices. So, I need to know…is Nevada part of this trend?

Earlier this year 25 local farmers responded to an informal survey I threw together using my highly inadequate survey development skills. Here’s what they told me…

In terms of access points 47.8% sell their products through CSAs, 47.8% to restaurants, 34.8% sell meat and poultry directly to consumers, 30.4% sell through the Great Basin Basket Community Food Co-op, 26.1% through farm stands, 17.4% sell through small locally owned markets, 17.4 % through Whole Foods, 17.4% through supermarket or big- box stores, and 8.7% are u-pick.

BTW, I stupidly left farmers markets off the list of options so I have no figures for this option. Lattin Farm is at the two markets I frequent all season, and later in the season Workman Farms is present at the California Street market.

How will farmers respond to customer demands and requests in 2010? 63.2% will grow a wider variety of vegetables, 47.4% will grow more unusual varieties, 42.1 will grow fruit, 31.6% offer eggs, 26.3% will include value added products to their offerings, 15.8% are offering Broad Breasted White turkey (one of them produces organically), 5.3% will raise beef, chicken, and/or heritage turkey.

84% expanded their product line adding more variety to our options. In 2010 our farmers will add meat (beef, pork, chicken, duck, and turkey), honey, eggs, Ginger Sweet potatoes, heirloom tomatoes, beets, pumpkins, various and more greens, herbs, sprouts, mushrooms, lavender and flowers, and olive oil.

Early in the year at Lattin Farms had asparagus and baby turnips at the farmers market, which I’d not before. Nevada farmers are expanding beyond tomatoes and squash into fava beans and ginger, demonstrating that it can be done. BTW, if unpleasant childhood memories make you pass by turnips try the baby turnips. They are tender and slightly peppery, nothing like the big purple shouldered variety I toss into stew or roasted winter vegetables.

Are more Nevadans buying food raised by Nevada farmers? Between 2008 and 2009 69.6% gained customers, while 26.1% maintained a stable customer base. Two of the respondents just started their business in 2008 or 2009, which is good news all by itself.

What are their growing practices? 40% use organic practices but forego the fees and administrative processes that come with federal certification. 32% grow conventionally, meaning they utilize herbicides, pesticides, and synthetic fertilizers. 24% are certified organic, meaning they grow using organic practices and adhere to the federal program administrative fees and paperwork, in exchange for the certification that ensures customers know they’re buying organic. 8% are Certified Naturally Grown, which means they use organic practices and their operational integrity is verified through an inspection process conducted by other organic farmers and consumers.

If more people return to the farm, that is another indicator of improvement. Bill McKibben reports in his new book, Eaarth, that the US gained 300,000 new farms, most organic or alternative, in the last decade -- a heartening sign after decades of decline. Is it happening in Nevada? Western Nevada College has been offering classes to help existing or wanna-be farmers learn about agricultural practices that work in Nevada. Ann Louhela, who helps coordinate these classes, tells me that at the outset they hoped for 20-30 participants in each class…60-90 actually turned out! Many of these folks are new to farming and seem to gravitate to farming organically on 2-100 acres. Some of them are younger and believe land stewardship is important.

There are many exciting things happening in the Nevada food scene, and I hear of more advances than set-backs. So, as a glass-half-full gal I choose to believe the Nevada is indeed learning to value food grown by people in Nevada.

Woo hoo!

Nevada grown fruit? Wouldn't that be great!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:53:00 +0000

I love fruit, which is why I spend a big portion of our food budget at the farmers markets this time of year. Each year I fill our pantry and freezer with fruits grown for taste and harvested when they're ripe. Ahh...if only some of them were grown in Nevada. Yep, Nevada grown fruit is scarce but here's an opportunity to help fix that. Learn more about growing fruit on a farm or in your yard. From my mailbox to you...

WNC Specialty Crop Institute Small Farm Orchard & Berry Production Workshop

A harvest-time workshop on orchard and berry production could bear fruit for those interested in becoming commercial small farmers, or improving their current farming processes.

Western Nevada College Specialty Crop Institute announces an orchard and berry production workshop on Friday, Sept. 10, 9 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., at WNC Carson City campus, 2201 West College Parkway. Cost is $35 if registered by Monday, Aug. 31, or $45 after August 31. Lunch is included in registration; seating is limited.

Participants will learn about orchard and berry production for the small farm including best varieties to grow in northern Nevada's climate and soils; site selection and planting, fertilization, pruning, pest management, and more. The workshop is intended for experienced and new farmers interested in small-scale commercial production and sales. It includes classroom training and an on-farm tour of Agape Organics, a certified organic apple orchard in Washoe Valley.

Featured speaker is local expert Michael Janik, who has grown and experimented with orchard fruits and berries for more than a decade. He's grown more than 100 apple varieties, as well as currants, grapes, berries and more. Janik is a certified arborist and is accomplished at grafting.

Eat this! First baby squash summer of the season

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 01:54:00 +0000

We bought these beautiful baby summer squash from the California Street Lattin Farm booth this morning. They're perfect for a recipe we got out of the new Eating Local cookbook mentioned earlier...Summer Squash Carpaccio with Arugula, Pecorino, and Almonds. We've served it twice and everyone raved!

Summer activity - kids in the garden with art!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:55:00 +0000

Join the Riverschool and Urban Roots Garden Classrooms for a week of fun as we grow our own
food, make sculptures out of nature, harvest fruits and veggies, make fashion out of trash, find garden
critters, turn gourds into art, and MORE!

Who: 5-11 year old students

Where: The Riverschool
7777 White Fir St.
Reno, NV 89523

When: August 9-13 from 9am-3pm

Cost: $125 early bird registration by July 15,

$150 after July 15

Bring: Sack lunch (we provide daily salad), water bottle, sunscreen!

EcoArt + Gardening Day Camp. First come, first serve! Visit us online at http://www.urgc.org/ to secure your spot or contact Lynnae Fischbach at lynnae@urgc.org to register today!

Happy to be a CSA member 'cause the weather is making it tough all over

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:22:00 +0000

It's tough year for farming all over the world this year. Floods and tornados in the mid-west, cool weather and water wars in California, drought and political conflict throughout the world. (Wow...gloomy...shake it off)

Last year the weather was great in Nevada...we actually had an abundant fruit crop. This year it has been far too cold for far too long. The growth in my vegetable garden has come to a complete stop. The greens have gone milky and bitter because the daytime temps are higher, but the warm weather crops are dormant because the air temps have been abnormally low well into the traditional growing season so the soil temps remain too low. This is a picture of summer squash. The weather stayed warm long enough to encourage the plant to set blossoms, then a mid-June freeze killed the foliage.

I look into my backyard and get cranky because my hobby isn't going well and the lack of growth is messing with my dreams of donating huge quantities of fresh food this year. Then I remember that farmers deal with the same issues but on a huge scale....and their livelihoods rely on it. This year I feel really good about being a CSA member because I know that our family's support will help our farmers work through what looks to be a tough year for food. Not just in Nevada, but everywhere.

Farm update - Custom Gardens

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 13:09:00 +0000

Virginia at Custom Gardens periodically sends out an update about upcoming events and how the growing season is going..Below is the latest.
The Silver Springs On-Farm Green-Market farm stand opened on the 20th. 10 AM to 2 PM, for the season, although the selection and quantity will not be terrific until after July 4th.

Sunday visitors will have a lot to look at when visiting, as the hoop houses are looking great. (We have tomatoes set)! The public demonstration plot is looking good - the 2010 theme being Asian Vegetables and Herbs (last year it was Mediterranean).

Think good thoughts for better weather days, soon. Our soil temperature is still hovering at 63 degrees and we need both soil and air to be at least 70 degrees + less wind, please. Cool weather crops (germination and growth) are doing quite well, however. This was not a good tree fruit or table grapes year for us, due to late freezes and or high winds. Apples? YES! Of course we will have lots of melons of all types, and the strawberries will be fine, after they too recover from a late frost. (Jams this fall, of course.)

Nuts!

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 12:46:00 +0000

When I visit the California farmers market each Saturday I stop by Boggeri Farms to pick up a couple bags of nuts, and some fruit. Look what I found this time...Red walnuts! They come out of the shell like this...no Red Dye #5 is involved.

I had planned to use them in dish that would put the beautiful color on display so was thinking about adding them to a really great salad. Turns out I didn't have to think about at menu too long because we ate most of them right from the bag. Delicious!

Robert Boggeri tells me Natalie at 4th Street Bistro beat me to it and will be including these on her menu.

A really great cookbook for Nevada CSA fans

noreply@blogger.com (Shelley) — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 14:27:00 +0000

Here's a great cookbook for northern Nevada CSAers....Eating Local: the Cookbook Inspired by America's Farmers, by Janet Fletcher and Sur la Table. It's filled with recipes that work with many of the vegetables grown in Nevada, along with great pictures and farmer profiles. I'll be testing one of the recipes for my lunch today -- Summer Squash Carpaccio with Arugula, Pecorino, and Almonds. It's available at the library if you want to take a peek before buying.