Being a Nevada Locavore presentation and resources

I had a great day yesterday! Why? Because Leslie and I put on an informal Being a Nevada Locavore presentation at Moana Nursery and the house was packed with people interested in learning more about the local food scene. Rick Lattin and the Mushroom Guy were in the room and answered some of the really great questions Leslie and I couldn’t. This post is long but I hope worth the read. So much information and enthusiasm flew around that room that I can’t help but put it all here!

Leonard Joy, Rick Lattin, and the Mushroom Guy were in the nursery selling and talking about their products -- honey, purple asparagus and greens, and mushroom kits.

We talked about much of what you’ve already read on this blog so I won’t repeat it, but also a lot about the ultimate in local food -- what is grown in backyards and local communities.

Here’s some of what I learned.


We will soon have access to locally grown mushrooms. I won’t put any contact or product information here just yet because the “Mushroom Guy”, as we lovingly call him, needs a few more weeks before he is ready for distribution. I’ll post it as soon as he’s ready.

What about fruit? This is a tough one for Nevadans.

Nevada-grown stone fruit is hard to come by. We have the trees, the necessary chill hours, and the desire, but we also have a yearly late frost which very often kills the blossoms. Many people have perfectly suited micro climates in their yards which make it possible to have a productive apricot or peach tree, but entire orchards are a different story. If you are one of those lucky people who have a productive tree, or are at the right place at the right time and can purchase Nevada tree fruit, rejoice! Or if you have a neighbor that has a tree but is less interested in the pruning and harvesting, ask them to let you do it and split the bounty. If you want to grow your own but don’t have any experience with fruit trees, contact the UNR Cooperative Extension for advice on fruit trees in Nevada.

Michael Janik at Michael’s Apples is also a great resource if you want to grow your own. He sells Nevada-raised trees and puts out a great monthly newsletter with time-sensitive growing tips.

Melons grow well in Nevada where the weather is warmer, and Lattin Farm grows a beauty called “Heart of Gold”. If you get a chance to get your hands on one of these, take it home and eat it! The season is short and luscious.

We can grow cane fruits like raspberries, and one lady-farmer at the presentation is growing sunberries, apparently with huge success. We hope to see her produce available soon.

Leslie and I, and I’m sure many other backyard farmers we’ve not yet met, are growing or experimenting with fruit in backyards. Between Leslie and I we’re growing table grapes, three or four different melons, containerized figs and Meyer Lemons, Aunt Molly’s ground cherries (a Slow Food Ark of Taste fruit), and mini dwarf-orchards. All on urban lots!

Someone asked about buying fruit from those trucks you see in parking lots and along roadways. They look sort of local, don’t they? Anyway, the answer is, before buying ask about their enterprise and produce. Where does it come from? How is it grown? Ask to see their business license. Some of these folks are legitimate businesses; others are what are called “gunny sackers”, people who go into someone else’s field in the middle of the night and fill up gunny sacks (or some other container) with pilfered goods.

Does Butcher Boy sell locally produced meat or not? The answer seems to be yes, but the room was filled with differing opinions. I’ll call today!

Are there any community gardens in the Reno/Sparks area? Yes, there is one at Paradise Park. Community gardens are about supply and demand. Many cities are willing to set aside land if enough residents say they want one. Perhaps the Cities of Reno and Sparks would be willing to do the same. Ask! Better yet, find a group of interested folks and ask en-masse.

A great many of the questions Leslie and I answered were about our yards, which we use primarily to grow food and create wildlife habitat. We met so many people who are looking to grow a little or a lot of something in their backyards there just isn’t enough room here to talk about all of it. But if you and your family want to eat the ultimate in local food there are people out there to help.

The River School regularly offers classes on growing organically in Nevada. Here’s a chance to meet some really successful organic growers and perhaps learn to be one yourself. You can also buy eggs there!

UNR Cooperative Extension’s Master Gardeners program is a great resource for people who want to advice on how to work with the Nevada growing environment. They can help you identify mystery plants and pests, crops that are suitable for Nevada, and much, much more. Information seeker beware though, Master Gardeners will give you both organic and/or conventional growing advice (read pesticides and petroleum-based fertilizers) depending on your needs, so be sure to ask for the organic advice. And yes, this is a shameless plug for my own growing philosophy!

We didn't talk specifically about this group but if you want to learn to garden using sustainable practices that model the way things grow in a natural environment join the Truckee Meadows Permaculture Guild. This is a new group made up of people who are learning as they go, with the help of knowledgeable and generous mentors, to develop wildlife friendly, locate local resources, and create self sustaining urban lots that produce food.


Ask around your community. Most people who love to grow food also love to help others grow their own. Find the backyard gardeners/farmers or container gardeners in your neighborhood or sphere of friends or acquaintances and ask them for help. Who knows…you might find yourself the proud owner (or renter) of a foodie-backyard and some new friends.

If you’ve not had an opportunity to attend one of Leslie Allen’s presentations you may not know what you’re missing. She is highly knowledgeable, thrilled to share, walks the talk, and is a great public speaker. She loves food, people, and community, and fosters a belief that everyone has something of value to bring to the community-food discussion and table (yes, this a pun!). Another Nevada Locavore discussion may be planned for later in the year. Contact Moana Nursery on Moana Land and tell them you’re interested. Every little bit helps.

A huge Thanks to Moana Nursery for hosting this event; Reno Gazette Journal for including a timely and informative blurb in the Saturday paper (many attended after reading it while drinking their AM java); the Nevada producers for their great food and advice; and to everyone who came, asked questions, and hopefully went home inspired. Life is good!

Gotta go! My “backyard farm” is calling!