Dec 22, 2008

The CC & R Farm suburban hoop house

For those of you who listened in to the KUNR Nevada Newsline last Friday and were interested in the suburban hoop house I mentioned, here are the pictures and some basic instructions.

We’ve used this structure for a couple of years, covering it with bird netting from spring through fall. This is our first year using it for harvest extension, and it has been pretty successful. We harvested parsley, sage, arugula, radishes, and carrots, really just about everything I’d planted correctly, until about the first week in December. There’s still stuff in it but mostly what we’ve learned we don’t really like, chicory for one.

I’ll plant more cool weather crops into the hoop house starting late February-early March to see what we can get at the beginning of the growing season.

Using technology to extend the growing season is a great way to increase the amount of food you grow in your own yard, and Nevada farmers are using this technology to bring local food to us for much of the year. Watch here for really exciting growing/farming classes planned for this area, geared toward farmers and backyard farmers.

Please contact me if you need additional help.



Our raised beds are about 20 inches high. Drill holes large enough to sink a one-foot rebar rod so that it stands vertically and deep enough so the rebar will not pop out under pressure. The rebar should be placed intermittently along the length of the bed, about 2 to 2 1/2 feet apart, down both sides and directly across from each other. Take a piece of PVC and slip it over a rebar rod, then bend it and slip it over a rebar rod directly on the other side of the bed. You should have an arch over the width of the bed. Determine how tall you want your hoop house to be, then cut each piece of PVC to the needed size.


Install these clips, using screws, every foot or so around the entire bed, about 4-6 inches below the top of the raised bed wall, and spaced about 1 to 1 ½ feet apart. These clips are available at Home Depot in the safety section for about 27 cents a piece, so buy lots just in case. You should leave enough space between the top of the bed and the clip so that when the sheeting is installed it hangs down below the top of the bed.

When you have all of the hoop supports up and the clips installed, cover the entire structure with agricultural grade plastic sheeting. It should be long enough to hang well below the clips, all the way around. We bought sheeting from Peaceful Valley because that’s the only place we knew of at the time, but if we find we need to buy again we’ll try to find someplace local. These products are agricultural so not available at the average nursery. You can see the structure in this picture.


Cut the sheeting to size, leaving enough sheeting hanging past the clips so that it is necessary to role the edges up to the height of the clips. This is really important because the clips will not hold onto the plastic when it’s windy unless there is a rolled edge for it to hang onto.

Once the size is correct, roll up the bottom edge of the sheeting and insert it into the clip. The green plastic tips must touch through just the single layer of sheeting, rather than holding on to the roll.

Make sure the sheeting fits snugly all the way around. Cut a couple vents in the upper ½ of the sheeting for ventilation and to allow the wind to pass through. Use these huge standard office supply document clips to secure the sheeting to the PVC – use as many as you feel is necessary. Be careful with these because they can rip holes in the sheeting.


Check your hoop house frequently to make sure everything is still in place, especially when weather is expected. We’ve lost the sheeting only once, when I didn’t clip the plastic in correctly after harvesting some arugula.

Dec 16, 2008

Cowpool 2009 (order grass-finished beef in bulk)

Tis the season to cowpool! If you haven’t tried eating local grass-finished beef, I personally know about ten families who highly recommend it.

We get our beef from the Smith family. They have twelve beefs ready to go right now, and we expect to pay about $7.00 a pound for ours. There are a few other grass-fed ranchers in the area who might also appreciate more cowpooling activity. If you know one, get your own group together and work with that rancher. The more the merrier.

If you want to join us this year, or learn more before committing, contact me by Monday December 29th. Use the contact button located in the right sidebar.

Or even better, if you enjoy organizing/sharing and want to start your own cowpool contact me – I’m happy to share what we’ve learned and how we work ours, and I’ll even share my very simple tracking/administrative forms. Again, use the contact button located in the right sidebar to contact me.

This will be our third year cowpooling and it has been a great experience. For those of you who haven’t tried it yet here’s a quick rundown on the joys and challenges.


• Great tasting, grass-finished beef – according to our cowpoolers their dinner guests can’t believe how tasty it is and our experience is the same

• Cowpooling , purchasing through CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) and in bulk from producers like Sod Busters (chicken) insulates family food costs from petroleum price swings – approximately 70% of our 2008 food budget was shielded from price increases associated with petroleum

• The Smith’s grass-finished beef is free of unnecessary hormones and antibiotics, and the cows live happy cow lives

• Cowpooling supports a local farm that provides local jobs

• Buying locally and in bulk means your family can have month’s worth of food on hand

• Cowpoolers and farm families know each other and are interdependent on their local communities

• Cowpoolers learn to cook all the cuts that come from an entire beef-- really delicious cuts that get no love at the supermarket

• Learning to prepare cuts you’ve never cooked with can be scary, but you can learn and it's very rewarding – every one is happy to share what they’ve learned

• Cowpooling can require financial planning because your family pays for an entire year’s worth in one payment (okay two, nominal deposit then full amount just prior to delivery) – our families buy an average of 10 – 40 pounds each, costing something like $70 to $280 for the entire year.

Hope to hear from you, one way or another!

Dec 11, 2008

We're being interviewed..listen in!

Where have I been?! Advocating, outreaching, and organizing...and eating!

This is a consumer based blog...when I first started it the intent was to create an online presence so that anyone living in the Reno/Sparks area looking to purchase local food could find a resource using a keyword search. But it is getting difficult for me to keep the consumer needs separate from the need to help build the necessary infrastructure. So I'm feeling inclined to put community info here, as well as family activity and consumer.

Learning about and eating local food, combined with a tendency to ignore my fear-based impulses and an interest in working with groups to make things happen has naturally led me to local food advocacy. Right now there is a lot of national energy geared towards serious change and that energy exists in Nevada, too. So I'm taking this opportunity to get involved.

My friend Leslie and I have a lot of things in common; really great/supportive husbands and local-food-love are among them. We're doing a live interview with KUNR...we'd love it you'd listen in to hear what the local food movement is up to...and tell your friends and family!


Media blurb:
"Local Food in Nevada -- Consumers and family farmers everywhere are making locally grown food a reality and it is happening in Nevada, too. Join Shelley Brant and Leslie Allen from the Local Food Network for a conversation with Dan Erwine about what it is like to eat locally in Nevada, why it is important, and how you can bring farm fresh, locally grown food to your family table. Call ins welcome!

Friday, December 19th, 9am to 10am with Dan Erwine on Nevada Newsline, KUNR.

Streamlining at KUNR.ORG or listen in at 88.7"

Dec 1, 2008

Local honey at Whole Foods

Woo hoo! We Nevada honey at Whole Foods. Look for Al Bees Nevada Honey the next time you do your shopping.

We picked up a bottle of Al Bees honey earlier this year at the Apple Basket u-pick orchard, which was made by the same bees that pollinated the apple trees. It was delicious (Yep...ate it already!).

Nevada honey is also available at the Great Basin Community Food Co-op. Look for Hidden Valley Honey or Joy's Honey.

If you haven't tried it yet, honey is an excellent replacement for sugar in your coffee. If you're looking for another way to avoid the GMO sugar (unmarked, of course) that is hitting the supermarket shelf even as I type, this is a great alternative.

Nov 23, 2008

Slow Food Lake Tahoe Dine Around Truckee

From my inbox to you:

Slow Foods Lake Tahoe presents "Dine-Around"

Pick up your ticket and visit all five of our participating host restaurants / wine houses for an evening of "Dining Around" downtown Truckee.

You will find a different taste of local and seasonal foods at each location paired with a nice wine to compliment each dish. Tastes happen at Dragonfly, Pianetta, Pacific Crest, Moody's Bistro and The Pour House.

Thursday, December 4th 6pm - 9pm
Tickets go on sale at The Pour House (10075 Jiboom St. , Truckee) starting November 19th thru Dec. 4th.

Slow Food Member Price: $70
Non Slow Food Member Price: $80
One ticket is good at all five stops for five appetizers and five paired glasses of wine

Nov 19, 2008

Lattin Farms Cornucopia of Corn

Here's a great family event! From my inbox to you:

Another harvest season has passed and the Lattin Farms Corn Maze is done for the year. Now, what will Farmer Rick do with all that corn? Give it away! Join us for corn picking & corn milling (on an antique corn mill) so you can take home as much corn meal as you can carry!

When: Saturday, December 13th from 10-3 pm
Where: Lattin Farms, 1955 McLean Rd, Fallon, NV 89406
For information, call 775.747.3910 or contact the River School.

Bring gloves and bags!

Nov 15, 2008

Custom Gardens Farm Holiday Open House at the Farm

Ray and Virginia at Custom Gardens are offering opportunities to come out to their place this holiday season. Learn something, buy something, or get a peek at the farm this very popular CSA program comes from. From my inbox to you:


HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE AT THE FARM scheduled.
Silver Springs:

Custom Gardens Farm owners, Ray and Virginia Johnson are planning to greet weekend (Saturday and Sunday) shoppers, starting Saturday November 22 and ending on Sunday, December 21. Open House at the farm is scheduled from 10 AM to 2 PM. The Organic Produce farm is located at 3701 Elm Street in Silver Springs.

The Holiday Open House, at the farm, is to show and teach visitors hoop house production, what will grow in North-Western Nevada during off-season, and to show the various ways people can be involved with a local farm, not just during the summer months, but also from fall through winter and spring.

Featured and available for sale -- for the 5 weekends, (from pre-Thanksgiving to the Dec. 21 winter solstice) will be; a large variety of hoop-house grown Greens and “Roots”, (for salads, soups, stews and stir-fries) living herbs, Kamut wheat grass, micro-greens pots and trays, other edible treats for people and pets plus floral gift ideas, from the farm’s nursery.

To benefit a local food program, visitors, and shoppers are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items or make a cash donation in the farm’s “food-bank” - to be given to a community food program for holiday meal baskets.

For more information, please call the farmers, Ray or Virginia Johnson at: 775-577-2069. Information on the farm’s various programs, including CSA membership for 2009, is also available via snail mail or Email, upon request.

Nov 13, 2008

Find out what Nevada farmers and local food advocates are up to!

Nevada farmers, community members, and advocate groups have been working diligently to rebuild Nevada’s food production infrastructure. NCFMA, NevadaGrown, and groups like the Local Food Network are among those leading the way. Here’s an opportunity to learn what some of our most dedicated local food advocates have been up to.

Whether you’re a farmer, a wanna-be micro-farmer, or one of many who want access to tasty, fresh, local food, join us at the annual NCFMA meeting. Listen and learn, or join Local Food Network or NCFMA to help make abundant local food part of our Nevada lifestyle. See the full tentative agenda below.


FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2008
Lattin Farms, 1955 McLean Rd, Fallon
(775) 867-3750 for directions

Attend the annual meetings for the Nevada Certified Farmers Market Association
(NCFMA) & NevadaGrown Farmers Association and discover what we can do
for you. Enjoy a complimentary lunch made fresh at Lattin Farms, meet your
peers and take advantage of great networking opportunities.

RSVP (775) 351-2551 or
markets@nevadagrown.com
NCFMA & NevadaGrown annual membership meetings & luncheon

10:30-noon NCFMA annual membership meeting *
Noon-1:00 Complimentary lunch with presentation by Rick Lattin,
NevadaGrown & Shelli Fine, Reno Redevelopment Agency
1:00 - 2:30 NevadaGrown annual membership
Join us at the farm
TENTATIVE AGENDA - Nevada Certified Farmers’ Market Association
10:30 a.m. - noon
Call to Order
Approval of minutes for 2007 annual meeting
Treasurer’s Report

Old Business:
• Update on Charles Schwab grant and West Street Market
• Status of vendor fees from Nevada state health department
• NevadaGrown website

New Business
• Election of board of directors for 2009/2010 term
• NV Dept of Agriculture update – Peggy McKie
• Updates from market managers on new & existing markets
• New policy for farmers markets managed by NCFMA, i.e., 2007 downtown Reno, 2008 Whole Foods
• Suggestions for consumer education projects
• Upcoming conferences & workshops (NAFDMA Feb 1-7, Savannah, GA)
• SFMNP & St. Mary’s WIC coupon programs – 2009 update
• Earth Day 2009 & other events – NCFMA participation
• Specialty Crop Institute educational workshops
• Other business


TENTATIVE AGENDA - NevadaGrown
November 21, 2008, 1:00 -2:30pm
Call to Order
Treasurer’s Report
New Business
• Update on NevadaGrown – changes & nonprofit status
• Appointment of bylaw committee
• Announcement of grant for Specialty Crop Institute agricultural workshops
• Suggestions for use of NevadaGrown marketing grant from Nevada Dept of
Agriculture
• Website updates
• Events – Earth Day, Women’s Expo, others?

Other business
Adjourn meeting
• Adjourn meeting

Nov 3, 2008

Order now for January 2009 chickens from Rise and Shine Farms


Rise and Shine Farms in Fallon is taking orders now for chickens to be delivered in January. Now's your chance to get the first local chickens of 2009.

Contact Rise and Shine Farms by November 15, 2008 to get your order in. Make sure you let them know whether you want broilers or game hens.

Mike says it is not necessary to pay right now; just drop an email and let them know how many you want. You'll be invoiced a week before delivery.

If you'd like to order and pay with your ATM/credit card right now go here.

Or, you can send a check payable to Rise and Shine Farms and mail it to:

Rise and Shine Farms
6166 Lakeview Dr
Fallon, NV 89406

For more information visit their poultry page. And bonus! Rise and Shine Farms delivers to the Reno/Sparks area.

Oct 27, 2008

Eggs - fall/winter 2009

If you’re still in the market for eggs Rise and Shine Farms hens are still producing about 8 dozen each day and they expect to have eggs through the winter. Egg subscribers get the first shot at them but the remaining can be had by non-subscribers.

The cost is $4 per dozen and in-town deliveries happen on Tuesday and Friday, depending on your location. Contact Rise and Shine Farms for more information.

Nevada Wine & Grape seminar

From my inbox to you:

Nevada Department of Agriculture
in association with Western Nevada College presents:

Nevada Wine & Grape Seminar

World renowned winemaker and grape grower John Caldwell of
Caldwell Vineyards, as part of his tour of Nevada’s vineyards, will
discuss the Silver State’s climate, soil and water in relation to
growing grapes.

The Caldwell family has been in the California wine country
for 120 years. A viticulture legend, John Caldwell was the first in
Napa Valley to use the innovative technique of whole-berry,
direct-barrel fermentation for his red wines. He traveled in Europe
where he learned about a new wave of viticulture focused on
rootstocks and clones. Twenty-five years later, his vineyard has
grown to 123 acres, 70 of which are planted to vine.

Friday, November 7th, 10 am to 2 pm $25 (includes lunch)
$20 if you register before November 4th

Information/Registration@
Ginny Dugan . . . 775-423-7565 ext. 2230
dugan@wnc.edu.
Western Nevada College Fallon Campus
160 Campus Way Fallon, NV

Oct 21, 2008

Girl Farm is now Grow for Me Sustainable Farm and Teaching Center

Grow for Me Sustainable Farm and Teaching Center (previously known as Girl Farm) is now taking subscriptions for the 2009 season. This is a really great CSA program for quite a few reasons. First, they’re on a mission to train future farmers. Second, if Mother Nature is cooperative the share includes veggies, fruits and nuts. Third, program subscribers can also purchase dairy shares. And finally, they offer a range of basket sizes for all and special deals for students.

See the excerpt from an my mailbox below and go to GFMSFATC for more information.


"Hi all - as you may or may not know we are in transition from being a for profit farming operation to a nonprofit sustainable teaching farm and retreat. Currently we have placement for 25 new members for the 2009 season - memberships seem to go quickly especially the full season as our current members are still receiving fresh produce (cool weather crops, winter squash and root vegetables, and lots of greens) and of course the apples and berries were delicious this year - which is quite appealing considering the cost of food currently.

We look forward to another healthful season of bringing local fresh fruits and vegetables to your table. For those of you unfamiliar with a CSA and why it is a prepay program your dollars are directly used to add new crops (seeds, starts, and fruit, nut, and berries) to coordinate the largest variety and best and earliest and extended harvest your relationship to the farm purchased by your share allows us to organize and be prepared for the season.


Farmers rarely rest in fact planning is what has made us so successful and what we believe will be a promise to the future for generations. Won't you consider joining us?"

Oct 8, 2008

Girl Farm CSA is in a state of transition

Girl Farm has expanded their mission, and changed locations and name! Current Girl Farm CSA subscribers will likely get the updated information from Wendy, but for those of you who were thinking you might go to Girl Farm for the first time in 2009, you read it here first.

Girl Farm has been removed from the grower list. Hopefully the new program will be ready in time for the next CSA season. As soon as the information is available I'll get it posted.

Sep 22, 2008

Fallon Centennial Maze to open at Lattin Farms

Lattin Farms is celebrating agriculture and history with the opening of the Fallon Centennial Maze. This is the tenth year for the corn maze which attracts thousands of visitors each fall. On Saturday, September 27, and Fridays and Saturdays throughout October, visitors can enjoy the maze and other family attractions at Lattin Farms. Appointments may be made to visit the maze during other days of the week. Located at 1955 McLean Road in Fallon, a fall festival, pumpkin patch, scarecrow factory and hay rides are just a few more of the fall harvest festivities.


The field in which the maze is built consists of 12 acres of corn and more than a mile of twisting trails. The corn stalks will peak at a height of over 10 feet. “Fallon is celebrating its 100th birthday in 2008 and we’re joining the party,” says Rick Lattin, owner of the family farm. “This year’s maze theme will reflect the history of this great city.” Visitors can try their luck at getting through the maze by moonlight Friday and Saturday evenings in mid-October during the full moon.

A fifth generation farm, the Lattins have been farming in the Lahontan Valley since the 1860’s. In the late 1970’s, Rick and BAnn Lattin opened their farm to the general public to share their farm experiences and traditions. The farm features pick-your-own produce, children’s play area including Critterville, a roadside stand, and educational tours. For more information, call 1.866.638-6293 or visit www.lattinfarms.com.

LATTIN FARMS CENTENNIAL MAZE

What: Centennial Maze, a three-acre, living crop corn maze

Where: Lattin Farms, 1955 McLean Rd., Fallon, NV

When: Saturday, Sep 27 ~ 10am-8pm
Fridays in October ~ 5-8pm
Saturdays in October ~ 10am-8pm
By appointment Monday thru Thursday
Special Moonlight Mazes in mid-October
Closed on Sundays

Phone: 1.775.867-3750 or 1.866.638-6293
Website: www.lattinfarms.com
E-mail: mail@lattinfarms.com

Cost: Adults - $7
Children 14 and under - $5
Under 4 - free
Group rates available (call for price)

Other Attractions at Lattin Farms:
Children’s play area including Critterville
Hayrides & Cow Train
Lattin’s Country Kitchen
Pumpkin Tower (Saturday, October 18)
Old fashioned roadside produce stand
Open picnic area and sheltered area for group/company events

Pick-your-own raspberries & produce
Educational tours
Group parties and company events!

Special Events:
Goat Days -September 27
Fall Festival with Scarecrow Factory, hayrides and more – various dates
Pumpkin Tower & lighting - October 18
Craft fair – Saturdays, September 27 - October 25

Sep 18, 2008

Goat Days 2008 at Lattin Farms in Fallon

Celebrate everything goat at the 3rd annual Goat Days at Lattin Farms in Fallon. Highlighting the event will be a contest including ugliest, prettiest, best-dressed and stinkiest goat. Goat owners are encouraged to enter their animals in the free competition. In addition to the contests, there will be a goat obstacle course, a pack goat demonstration, goat meat samples and recipes. The celebration will be held on Saturday, September 27, from 10 am to 6 pm at Lattin Farms, 1955 Mclean Road. Goat Days is also grand opening day for the Fall Festival at the farm. Every Saturday through October 25, the farm will host a cornucopia of family activities including the Magical Corn Maze, hayrides, a pumpkin patch, the cow train, a scarecrow factory, and pick-your-own produce. A fifth generation farm, the Lattins have been farming in the Lahontan Valley since the 1860’s. In the late 1970’s, Rick and BAnn Lattin began selling produce and opened their farm to the general public to share their farm experiences and traditions. For more information, call (775) 867-3750 or visit www.lattinfarms.com

Sep 17, 2008

Freezing our CSA eggs

This post is a little late in the season, for which I apologize. Our CSA egg season is over so these instructions come "after the chicken coop door is closed", but perhaps you can use them next year.

I like to have eggs on hand year-round. Since chickens don't naturally lay year round (at least that's what I've been told by my chicken-friends) I freeze a supply for those inevitable cold season ice cream cravings. Here are the instructions I use.

And to Lauren at Prism Magic....Thanks for asking!


Sep 15, 2008

Want to learn what it takes to create or manage a cow/goat share program?

I'd desperately love to have a cow-share program in our area, but I also know it's not an easy thing for a producer to make happen. It involves legal issues and complications I can't even imagine, let alone understand. But now there's a way for consumers and producers to learn more about what is necessary to make these programs work. If you want to learn more it won't cost you anything but time.

A few weeks ago Bari, the local Weston Price rep, sent out information about an upcoming teleconference called Cow Share College and Goat Share University (I love the names). See the Cow-Share College flyer for more info.

I MUST GO! This is a series of three teleconferences; beginning, intermediate, and advanced. Each goes from 1:00 to 2:30 on consecutive Thursdays. The beginner class is on October 2nd, the intermediate class is on Oct 9th, and the advanced class is on October 16th. The classes have already been paid for and I can arrange space for up to 6 people to listen in and ask questions. If YOU FEEL YOU MUST GO, IT'S FREE.

If you want to get in on this great opportunity, contact me.

What are we going to do with all those green tomatoes!

My yard will experience below freezing temperatures sometime late this week so I’ll have lots of green tomatoes this year. I’ve been told that if you uproot your tomato plants and hang them in a room or garage the tomatoes will continue to ripen. We’re going to try this method with our Brandywines, which have just now started ripening en masse. Even with this I’m pretty sure we’re going to have plenty of green tomatoes to use in other dishes. We made this recipe, Green Tomato Dip, earlier this year and we thought it was great; friends tell us the same. It’s good on sandwiches, mixed with egg salad, spread on crostini, and used in any number of other ways we haven’t even thought of yet.

Happy eating!

Sep 14, 2008

Two recipes

For all those who came to Being a Nevada Locavore at Moana yesterday, here are the two recipes I promised.

Strawberry Sundried Jam

Zuni Cafe Zucchini Pickles

Happy eating!

Sep 11, 2008

West Street Market urban garden harvest party -- all are welcome!

Early in 2008 we started hearing about the West Street Market plans and the urban garden, which is planted smack in the middle of West Street. Over the last few months the garden has flourished under the care of the groups involved in the planning and planting, and the attention of downtown residents who have adopted it as their own.

Now it's time to harvest! So please join us Friday, September 12th at 5:00 pm to harvest whatever is ready. We'll be there to talk about how to tell what's ready to eat, what we'll do to get the garden ready for fall crops and winter cover cropping, and answer any questions.

Hope to see you there!

Being a Nevada Locavore presentations in September

The warm crop growing season is coming to and end and we're planting cool weather crops. It's this time of year that gardeners and food producers evaluate the food coming out of our yards and fields and think about what we could do better next year. It's also a great time to ponder what it means to eat locally.

In September Leslie Allen and Shelley Brant will host three Being a Nevada Locavore presentations, which are open to all. The discussion will include images and descriptions, resources to help those who want to include a little, or a lot, of local food in their life, and some Q and A time.

Saturday September 13th, 10:00 to 11:00 am at Moana Nursery in the new building located at the west end of the parking lot. Free.

Saturday September 13th , 12:00 to 1:00 pm at Moana Nursery in the new building located at the west end of the parking lot. Free.

Sunday September 14th, 11:00 to 11:45 am at The Sustainable Living and Renewable Energy Roundup at Lampe Park in Gardnerville – directions. The presentation is part of a larger program so attend the entire weekend or call Steve Lewis at 775-782-9968 for more information about possible attending specific presentations.

Sep 8, 2008

Sep 5, 2008

Nevada you-pick apples 2008


Organic Nevada-grown apples are ready to pick!

A couple of days ago we visited The Apple Basket at Agape Organics in Washoe Valley where Delane showed us around the orchard. For four years she and her husband have been caring for the 190 dwarf apple trees on their property, and this year the harvest is good.


Delane and Al use organic practices to grow and maintain their apple trees; we learned a little about what that looks like in an orchard and some of the tools they use. My favorite of their organic “tools” is the flock of chickens; 6-8 of them following everyone around doing that really soothing clucking thing, eating bugs, laying down really great fertilizer, and then scratching it into the soil. From each tree hangs a coddling moth trap filled with home brewed bug juice. Delane generously shared the recipe so I’ll be making some to counter moth infestation on my neighbor’s tree next year. Toads hide during the day, patrolling and eating bugs at night. Daily maintenance consists of picking up windfalls to ward off coddling moths and other orchard issues. No conventional chemical pesticides or fertilizers are used!

Apple Basket is a you-pick operation. So, starting September 20th, each Saturday from 8-5 anyone can visit the orchard, pick and pay for apples in the really cute gift shop, and have a bring-your-own snack at the newly installed picnic table.

And bonus, this year my husband and I will be canning Nevada applesauce!

Aug 19, 2008

Visit Creamcup Minature LaMancha Dairy Goats near Reno/Sparks


You could be visiting this beautiful baby soon!


From my inbox to you:

Visit local Creamcup Minature LaMancha Goats! Sat, Aug.23 at 2:00 pm

Have you ever thought about moving out of the city, becoming more self-sufficent, maybe even getting some milk goats? Even if you don't plan to get your own, this will be a fun and fascinating farm visit!

Miniature LaMancha dairy goats are the perfect family milk goat - small enough to be handled by children or older adults, large enough to give just the right amount of creamy, delicious milk for the small family, and with an udder size and capacity to make hand milking easy!

* Because of its high butterfat MiniMancha milk makes the BEST kefir, cheese, and soap.

* Because of their small size, MiniManchas do not require the space for housing and other accommodations that standard goats do.

* Because of their colors and cute tiny ears, they make wonderful pets even if you don't want to milk them!

Your children are welcome - (children must be under your direct supervision at all times!) Farm is approx 30 miles north of Reno - we will organize carpools. Feel free to invite some friends! RSVP REQUIRED - Please RSVP to Bari Caine at 775-851-8590, or by email at greenleaf@lycos.com.

Aug 9, 2008

Nevada locavore shopping

Again, I’ve broken one of the cardinal rules of blogging. I’ve allowed time to pass without posting anything. But my reason is a good one; I’ve hit a local-food ceiling.

I started this blog for people who wanted to eat locally to whatever extent works for their family. The point was to compile convenient local food resources that fit into busy lives with some minor changes in the way we acquire our food. According to reader comments the blog has done that. So, since I don't have a lead on a new resource just yet, thought I'd show you how this Nevada locavore's food shopping routine goes.

After two years of learning to be locavore in Nevada I’m comfortable with how my shopping method has evolved to take full advantage of the local food that is available in our area. We get our local food from the places every Reno/Sparks resident has access to. When it comes to the ultimate local food, that is whatever people grow themselves, we are perhaps less lucky than others because we live in a neighborhood with pretty strict home owners association rules. Still, local food is always in the house.


Here’s how my shopping thought process and strategy goes.

First--the ultimate local food. Each year we plant a vegetable garden. Last year we removed our backyard lawn and replaced it with a food garden and wildlife habitat. Next year we’ll plant the food forest, which hopefully will produce that hard to-get-fruit and improve the wildlife space. And bonus, we spend many hours in the backyard experiencing the peace of working in the garden, eating our own food with friends and family, drinking wine in our pajamas and watching the wildlife that now lives in our backyard.

Every year we subscribe to a CSA. This gives us a steady flow of fresh, tasty vegetables much of the year and is the most stable form of support for local farmers. We often share it with friends.

Each year we buy local beef and chicken in bulk, and a Thanksgiving turkey directly from the farm; this year the turkey will come from Nevada. On the rare occasion we buy pork, we go to Butcher Boy’s because it's a local business and closer to our house.

During the farmers market season our first stop is always a Nevada Certified Farmers Market Association (NCFMA) market because the produce comes from Nevada farms and some California farms that are located within my defined region, about 150 miles. If what I need or want is available from a Nevada grower, I always buy Nevada first.

Next, all other farmer’s markets for fruit and other veggies.

During the season we preserve our favorite foods for off-season eating. I keep in contact with local farmers (see the list at Nevada Grown or ask while you're at a NCFMA market) and buy in bulk when harvesting is at its peak. Then we get a couple of our friends together for a day of eating, talking, and canning.

The bread we eat comes from the Truckee Sourdough Company (conveniently available at just about every place that sells food), is baked at home, or occasionally, purchased from a locally owned bread shop.

Great Basin Coop next if I can get there. My workday conflicts with the store schedule but I do my best to get there because it’s a great way to get some Nevada grown veggies in a market environment, even during cooler weather.

And finally, everything else we get at the supermarket. Whole Foods at this point because they support local farmers, have a large organic selection, and the Nevada farmer’s market is conveniently located in their parking lot. It’s hell-and-gone from my house so we arrange our errands so that the drive makes more sense.

Here’s my local-food wish list:

Good local cheese; organic would be nice but not necessary. I’ll never willingly give up cheese so until there’s a local option I’ll continue to spend far too much money in the Whole Foods cheese department buying California cheese, my nod to local food support.

Local, organic, direct-from-the-farm raw milk, butter, and cream.

Herbs. It’s just plain hard to find these in quantity anyplace but big box supermarkets. I can grow the easy stuff, like basil and sage, in my backyard, but have zero success with herbs like cilantro, rosemary, thyme, and dill. I would be very happy and financially supportive if someone would grow and sell herbs that I could dry and save in amounts that will get me through the winter and use in my favorite pickle recipe. On the upside, Nanadew Farms is now selling potted herbs at the NCFMA markets so at least I can get some starts there.

Bread and bakery goods made with locally grown wheat.

Eggs that are consistently available. I have no idea how this would happen because, duh, chickens don’t lay eggs all the time; they’re on a natural cycle. Who knew!? In the meantime, I've learned to buy eggs from the CSA and the Co-op, and eagerly accept the eggs my few chicken-raising friends offer. If you have a neighbor who has or wants chickens in their backyard, rejoice, because they often have more eggs than they can eat and many are generous with the bounty. And be supportive...backyard chickens and eggs can be a wonderful experience!

And lastly, more Nevada farmers. The farmers I’ve met are wonderful, generous hardworking, passionate people who grow fabulous food; there just aren’t enough of them. As a native Nevadan I often wish Nevada were in middle of the number-of-farmers-per-state list rather than at the bottom, especially since there is good farm land in Nevada. Perhaps with local demand will come support and training programs that will draw potential future farmers.

My two cents worth!

Jul 14, 2008

West Street Market demo garden - after pictures




If you haven't had a chance to get to downtown Reno and take a look at the new West Street Market demo garden here are some pics of the beds at the end of planting day. It's been a couple of weeks since the beds were planted out and, a few plant loses aside, the beds are in great shape filled with crops and plants that grow well in Nevada. Local residents love "their" new garden and look forward to harvesting some seriously local food. The Karen Craig with the City of Reno and Leslie Allen of the Nevada Cooperative Extension were the guiding forces behind the garden. And a big "Wow!" to the TMPermaculture group, Local Food System Network, EnAct (UNR student group), Master Gardeners, area residents who dropped by to help out, Downtown Market and Silver Peak who fed the hungry and thristy group, Ross Manor for encouragement and access to a water hose, and everyone else who contributed to this fantastic project.
Life is good!

"Work on the Farm" family event

Gary Romano & Son
A view from the farm June 2008

Event information from my mailbox to you:

On Sunday July 20th, Slow Food Lake Tahoe is holding a "Work on the Farm" event at Sierra Valley Farms, followed by a potluck picnic at the farm. Sierra Valley Farms grow vegetables, supply local restaurants, and operate a booth at the Truckee Farmers market as well as hosting their own Farmers Markets on Fridays. We will help with weeding, picking... whatever Gary and Kim Romano need help with. This is a kid-friendly event, we'd love to see families joining in - we plan to have fun while we work and learn in the fields. Let's enliven those vegetables lives by entertaining them with great conversations!

Work time is 7:00 am-11:30 am, with the potluck picnic starting at noon.

Wear clothes and shoes that don't mind getting dirt on them, and bring garden gloves, hats, suntan lotion, (insect repellent), plenty of water, and, of course, food and drink to share at the picnic.

If you plan to join us, please RSVP to me so that we know approximately how many people to expect.

Slow down and participate in all aspects of life!
Have a slow day,

Jul 10, 2008

Farmer's market in Somersett Town Square

A friend told me yesterday about another farmer's market in town. This one happens each Wednesday afternoon, from 4-8pm at Somersett Town Square. I recognize a couple of the local growers, like Lattin Farms and NanaDew Herb Farm, and also some of the names we see at the Sparks Tuesday and Reno/Saturday FMs. Here's some of what this market offers (excerpt from an email forwarded to me):

New this week:
Back by popular demand - The Beat Freaks!

Campie's Lavender Patch - live lavender plants, sachets, lavender mist and essentail oil, lavender soaps and shampoos, live and dried bouquets, lavender lotion.

Early Bird Senior (Ages 55+) Meal pricing will be $1 off grilled selections from 4-5:30 pm. Just show your ID!

Chuck's Farm - blackberries, green beans, onions, cucumbers, eggplant, squash, cherry tomatoes.

Fruit Factory - citrus, peaches, plums, pluots, persimmons, apricots, tomatoes, grapes, almonds, walnuts.

Lattin Farms - baked goods, jams, jellies, pastas, sauces, honey, lettuce, spinach, garlic, green onions.

NanaDew Herb Farm - basil, bee balm, borage, cilantro, dill, epazote.

Minton Family Farms - canteloupe, watermelon, corn, peaches, nectarines, plums, aprictos, pluots, apriums, nuts, cherries.

Rodriguez Ranch - strawberries, raspberries, broccoli, cauliflower, potatoes, carrots, beets.

Bistro Blends - 16 flavors of vinegars, olive oils, marinades, grilling sauces.

Nature's Select Pet Food Delivery - pet food samples, supplements, treats and accessories.

Pasta Queen - dried pastas infused with flavor, big & short pasta, frozen raviolis, pestos, pasta sauces.

R & C Pastry and Bread - cream puffs, cinnamon rolls, banana bread, tea cookies, sugar cookies, key lime pie, whole wheat bread, raisin-cinnamon bread, French baguette bread, jalapeno-cheddar bread, home-style white bread.

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory - caramel apples, dipped bananas, cheesecake, dipped strawberries.

Roundabout Market - gourmet cheeses and meats.

Living Springs - fresh cut flowers.

Top Thai Trader - shawls, silks, purses, jewelry.

A-1 Entertainment - face painting and balloon art.

Erik Holland - caricatures.

Magnificent Massage - chair and table massages.

More about our food and drink specials:

Roundabout Market - Grilled Tri-Tip Torta $8. Shrimp Tacos $8. Foccacia Bread $4 - Oregano and Olive Oil, Sea Salt and Pepperoni or Tomato Basil.

Whispering Vine will have their usual selections plus flavored Mojitos and specialty Margaritas for $6.75. They will also feature their Wednesday Wine Tasting for $15.

Jul 9, 2008

Looking for something to do with those fresh strawberries?

Great! You purchased fresh, organic strawberries either through your Northern Nevada CSA subscription or from the farmer's market. You know you have about 12-24 hours to do something with them before they get icky and become worm food. Here's one of my favorite ways to turn those strawberries into something that will last, and it only takes about 20 minutes. That's right....Strawberry Sun Dried Jam.

This recipe comes from one of the cookbooks, named Chez Panisse Fruit, that I purchased a couple of years ago when I was trying to find ways to eat fruit in more creative ways than out-of-hand. I've also used the fruit variety information to find non-commercial fruit varieties to grow in my garden. Many of the recipes are easy and flexible, and this recipe is particularly yummy. Great book all around!

I don't bother to water-bath the jars because, really, it doesn't stay in the house long enough to make in necessary. It can be stored in the fridge for about a month but it rarely lasts that long in our house. We eat it on toast, mix it with yogurt, blend it up and make it into strawberry ice cream, or pour it over vanilla ice cream. The possibilities are endless.

Enjoy!

Here's a chance to meet local growers who serve Northern Nevada

Just received these dates from Jana at the GRCF Co-op. Here's a chance to meet the people who grow our food!

We're pleased to announce the dates for the Great Basin Community Food Coop's first annual Local Farm Tour dates. Please rsvp up to 3 days before each trip by emailing or calling Jana: jvanderh@mac.com or 412-8771. Each tour is limited to 20 people max. Schedule is subject to change: individual registrants will be notified of details on carpooling and what to bring, etc.

Saturday, July 12th: Early morning tour of Hanco and Sodbuster Farms. We will meet at the Coop at 7 am and carpool from there to the North valleys. First stop: Hanco Farm: we'll tour Hank Schendel's green houses, grapes, and more. Hank has been providing the Coop with affordable fresh produce all winter and spring! Next stop: Sudbuster Farm, where Clufford and Deborah Sherreck have been raising chickens and providing our members with special order poultry for a few years now. They are also dedicated growers for the Great Basin Basket CSA and supply the Coop with garlic, peas, radishes, and more. We will return to the Coop around 1 pm.

Saturday, August 9th: Morning tour of Heavenly Organics. We will meet at 9 am at the house of John and Jane Stoker, famous for their elm-oyster mushrooms and lavenders! John will have the distiller out to demonstrate lavender oil production. Tour will end before noon.

Saturday, September 6th: All-day tour of Mewaldt Organics and Nanadew Herb Farms. Meet at 7 am at the Coop for carpooling. Bring a sack lunch, $ and containers for U-pick tomatoes! Contact Jana for more details.

Jun 18, 2008

Northern Nevada apples in 2008

Apples grown in Northern Nevada are in our future! Delane Pennington of Agape Organics-The Apple Basket report that their apple tree blossoms survived the very erratic 2008 spring weather and they’ll have apples and pumpkins for us this year.

They grow Golden Delicious, Cameo, Gala, and Braeburn apples in a you-pick orchard located in Washoe Valley. When it is time to harvest they send out postcards to let their customers know the orchard is open for business. If you and your family and friends want to experience Northern Nevada apples email Agape Organics at delane@agapeorganics.com or call Delane at 775-885-1988 to get on the mailing list.

Life is good!

Jun 14, 2008

Northern Nevada Goat farm rumored for sale

To Ginger (and anyone else who's interested),

Thanks for posting your possible interest in this property. The only contact information I could track down is this:

Oasis Farmstead Dairy at 3970 Edwards Lane, Fallon. The listed farmers are David and Joyce Nusz, and Steve and Mona Miller @ (775) 867-4683. Don't know if the phone number is still good.

I have a call into the guy who originally told me it is still for sale and will post any updates when he gets back to me.

Jun 7, 2008

Farmer's market - new Whole Foods location press release

Press release from my mailbox to you:

CONTACT: Ann Louhela
Nevada Certified Farmers Market Association
(775) 351-2551


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE PLEASE
Fresh Mex is cooking fresh at new Reno farmers market

Jesus Gutierrez of Fresh Mex, a Reno-based restaurant, is excited about the new farmers market opening in the parking lot next to Whole Foods Market this summer. Gutierrez will be serving breakfast and lunch to customers made with produce obtained fresh at the market. Breakfast burritos and cactus salads are a few of the items on his menu. The farmers market located at 6139 S. Virginia Street will be open from 8am-1pm, June 21 through October 4.

Fresh Mex will be one of several new vendors featured at the market which is managed by the Nevada Certified Farmers Market Association. Some of the vendors to be featured at the farmers market include:
* Nanadew Herb Farm, Fallon, NV – herb plants and fresh organic herbs and produce
* Nevada’s Own Perennials, Smith Valley, NV – unique perennials for home landscaping, “grown in Nevada for Nevada”
* Twin Peaks Orchards, Newcastle, CA – fresh peaches, nectarines, pluots, apples & other fruit; dried fruit, pies and preserves from their on-farm bakery
* Lattin Farms, Fallon, NV – fresh produce, Hearts ‘O Gold melons, berries; breads, jams & jellies from their on-farm bakery
* Home Grown Nevada, Smith Valley, NV – organic produce and grass fed beef
* Hidden Valley Honey, Hidden Valley, NV – honey and honey bi-products
* Lavender Ridge – lavender plants and lavender products

“This market has something for everyone” says Ann Louhela, market manager. “Cooking demonstrations in the state-of-the-art Culinary Center inside Whole Foods Market, children’s activities, and arts & crafts. We have vendors bringing unique nursery stock for home landscaping and gardening that you won’t find at any store, and of course, lots of farm-fresh produce.”

For more information about this market and other local farmers markets, visit www.NevadaGrown.com or call (775) 351-2551.

Jun 5, 2008

Supper in the Barn



Gary & Kim Romano of Sierra Valley Farms, and Mark Estees of Moody’s have put together a series of dinners called Supper in the Barn. The meals are prepared and served by Moody’s and served in the Romano barn. They've held a couple of them already, which they report have been really successful. We thought so too!


We drove out to the farm Sunday night for the special Slow Food dinner, where we ate a fantastic meal with good wine and good company, toured the farm, and learned the Romano-farm story. Did you know that Sierra Valley Farms holds the only on-the-farm farmer’s market in California? And, each week different local chefs hold demonstrations right there in the market. Checkout the LFNN calendar for dates.

The Romano family and Mark are among a growing number of people who are developing mutually beneficial restaurant/grower relationships that result in local, earth-friendly, and delicious food for those who seek them out. For example Romano’s are transitioning some of their 65 acres to crops their customers are asking for, some that are in line with the permaculture principle like perennial asparagus and strawberries (both organic). And they’re growing wasabe! Mark is working with a local farmer who will raise pigs for the pork dishes you’ll find at Moody’s later on in the year.

If you're looking for a way to spend a really great afternoon, eating great food in an unusual and beautiful spot with the people who grow and cook your food, I highly recommend Supper in the Barn.

Jun 3, 2008

A demo garden at the West Street Market


Imagine what this might look like planted out with Nevada-friendly food crops....

It could happen!

By now many of us know about the West Street Market project planned for downtown Reno, Nevada. I’ve been waiting for my chance to contribute to this local-food concept and now the time has come! Leslie Allen of the UNR Cooperative Extension is putting together a demonstration food garden plan to redesign the median in front of the market. She has a plan, financial support, and the skill…all that’s needed now is us.


This project is important in many ways but two aspects stick with me and will have me asking my supervisor for time off these two days so that I can contribute.

First, the people working to develop this project are totally committed to creating a market that connects local food lovers (us) with local growers, cheese makers, bakers, and restaurateurs. When this market is fully developed as planned it will be exactly what a local food lover needs – a one-stop location to pick up a variety of tasty, locally grown and/or locally prepared foods.

Second, a great urban market is a key component of a successful and vibrant downtown atmosphere. The West Street Market location is right in the middle of the area local merchants and city officials have been working to improve for a long time now. Things are really looking good downtown and I think this garden will be another great addition to the increasingly inviting feel.

Is there anything more inviting than a garden? So...why not a demo-garden?

The ultimate local food is that which is grown right outside your front or back door. As it turns out the West Street Market will have a “front door” conveniently located near some growing space, perfect for a demonstration food garden. Leslie, the City of Reno, and the UNR Cooperative Extension would love to show us what can be happen when a locally driven project, supported by local people who plant and care for a garden, is put in place to demonstrate to local consumers, kids, and visitors, the beauty of food grown in Nevada's nooks and crannies.

Are you, or perhaps someone else in your circle, looking for an opportunity to volunteer for a day, or two, or more? How about now? Planting days are tentatively scheduled for June 19th & 20th (Thursday and Friday). If you’d like to be involved with this project click on the comment field and let me know..I'll pass it on to Leslie. Hope to see you there!


Jun 1, 2008

Nancy at Dish Cafe is Dishing Up!

Nancy at the wonderful Dish Cafe has a new blog, called dishing up. Take a look....insight into a great food life, including the great recipes (with pictures...I love pictures) she's developed and prepared for her friends and family. Great!

Have you tried her food yet? Fantastic! Her food is fresh, innovative and tasty, and you can experience it at her place or yours because she also caters. Bonus...she is totally committed to the local food scene.

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!


May 20, 2008

Local turkey


Yes! If you live in the Reno/Sparks area, or anywhere within a reasonable driving distance from Gardnerville, there may be local turkey in your future. Shannon, her father, sister, and brother-in-law raise turkeys in Gardnerville and have been for about six years. We learned last year that someone was raising turkeys in Nevada but we couldn’t track them down. Now we know!

These turkeys are organically raised Broad-Breasted Whites, the breed typically found on American Thanksgiving tables. It sounds like the family wanted to raise them range-free but it didn’t work out. Apparently living a range-free turkey life requires a certain level of bird-IQ and this breed doesn’t have it. After numerous tries at creating a set-up that would allow these turkeys to roam free they had to start keeping them enclosed. Even so, I don’t imagine these “enclosures” are anything like the gruesome conditions industrially raised turkeys endure. Shannon’s family raises turkeys for 140 families right now and has capacity for more…. hardly an industrial farm.

It’s about the time of year they start ordering poults to be ready for Thanksgiving. Shannon doesn’t usually require advance notice if a family is going to order one turkey. But if you’ll be putting together a bulk order with your family and friends or every one of the people you tell say they’ll be switching to local turkey this year, email her at shannon@graytv.com to make sure there will be plenty available in November. She orders enough to meet the average demand but my hope is this post will help her exceed the usual demand. Woo hoo!

May 17, 2008

Age your Sod Buster Farm chicken

Last weekend, we had an opportunity to spend some time with Debra and Clifford Shirk of Sod Buster Farm. We walked around the farm, learned about what they’re focused on this time of year, like seedlings and protecting the chickens from the cold, and what they’re planning for the future. We had a great time and I learned a few new things about gardening and chickens.

I’ve known for a long time that good beef is typically aged before it is served, but I didn’t know that chicken should also be aged to improve the flavor of the meat.

The Shirks told us that when we pick up our Spring 2008 order we should take it home, put it in the fridge for three or four days, then eat it or put it in the freezer. Who knew!?

We loved the taste of these chickens last year…can’t imagine how good they’ll be if aging really does improved the flavor.

May 14, 2008

Slow Food Lake Tahoe Supper in the Barn events

This sounds like fun! Sierra Valley Farms and Moody's Bistro and Lounge are teaming up to present a series of Slow Food Lake Tahoe, Supper in the Barn events. Here's a chance to eat great food on the land it was grown on, Sierra Valley Farms.

If you visit the Saturday farmers market on California street you've seen or met Gary. He's the guy with the organic greens, carrots, and drink mixes. This event info is on the calendar but I thought I'd get it out on a post because this type of event is what Slow Food is really all about. Knowing the people who grow your food, eating, talking, and enjoying who and what is at your table.

The first event will be open to Slow Food members and their guests (join Slow Food now and then join us for the first dinner!), and future events will be for everyone.

The member event is on Sunday, June 1st from 4pm to ? at Sierra Valley Farms. Farm tour from 4:00 - 5:00; 3 Course meal served family style, using all produce from the farm; live music.

The other events, open to everyone, cost $70 + tax and tip; BYOB; and will happen on:

Saturday May 31st at 4pm
Sunday July 13th at 4pm
Sunday September 21st at 4pm

Please call Moody's to reserve: Moody's Bistro & Lounge 530-587-5911.

Location:

Directions from Truckee :(About 45 minutes)

Take Hwy 89 North to Sierraville. At the only Stop sign turn left on 89, go 4 miles until you see Beckwourth/Portola A23 sign turn right (at the Sattley Cash Store) proceed 14 miles to Sierra Valley Farms on your right. Gary & Kim Romano: 530-832-0114. www.sierravalleyfarms.com

May 5, 2008

Local food producers improve online resources in 2008

Local food producers made huge improvements in 2008 to their online resources making many of the LFNN links redundant so I've updated this site a bit. Nevada Grown's website now lists many local growers, so I've removed many from the first page.

As local food enthusiasts and producers get more organized and interactive better, more current information is becoming available. Local Food System Network, along with all their community partners, has been working to centralize this information for a couple of years, and have compiled it in the Buy Local Guide. LFNN has been updated to include these resources, including a new-to-me CSA program.

May 2, 2008

Dairy products in Northern Nevada

Yes, it’s true! It’s been a few weeks since my last post. Why? Essentially, it’s because I got a bit stubborn. I refused to pursue any other unknown-to-me food source until I found a local resource for my favorite food group, diary. I was determined to write about local, sustainable milk, butter, and cheese available direct from a Nevada dairy to Nevada families. After months of searching I have to face it...there is no such thing in Northern Nevada.

In many places communities have found ways to develop programs that give consumers a fresh, local, farm-direct option for acquiring milk. Farm direct cheese, butter, yogurt, sour cream, and ice cream off-the-farm is less common, but milk happens all over the country. I figured there had to be something like this going on in Nevada...right? Nope!

Here are some of the things I learned over the last few months in discussions with people from the Nevada State Dairy Commission, Model Dairy personnel, and occasionally, people who live the Nevada ag-life:

Read NRS 584 to see the serious regulations that control diary production. Wow!

Cow-share programs must meet the same requirements as any industrial dairy that wishes to sell, trade or distribute raw milk. The law allows for the sale of raw milk if certain requirements are met, but no dairyman has met them because consumer demand is not enough to help fund the cost associated with requirement compliance.

Model Diary is sort of local because the plant is located in Reno, they obtain some of the dairy products from local dairies, which are available all over the Truckee Meadows, but the company is no longer locally owned. This could be an option.

Model Diary sells drinking milk grown on local dairies located in Gardnerville, Yerington and Fallon, which is then processed here in Reno. Look for the Model Dairy label or code 32-01 on the carton if you want to buy Nevada milk.

Horizon organic milk is a Model Dairy product but it comes from diaries located in other states.

Model Dairy drinking milk is from local cows. MD butter, cottage, ice cream, etc. is made from dairy that comes from other states.

Most of the milk we have access to usually comes from two breeds - Holstein and Jersey. Drinking milk typically comes from Holstein cows; cheese makers prefer Jersey for the high-fat content that contributes to cheesey lusciousness.

Some Nevada dairymen produce Jersey milk but it is shipped to California for yogurt production. If you want to make your own cheese try using Strauss Family Creamery milk, which still has the cream on top so makes a creamier cheese. My cheese-making friends say it works fairly well.

We lost our last goat cheese makers within the last couple of years. Is anyone out there looking for a new cheese-making life? I understand the facility is still up for sale.

At this point it seems the only way my family will be able to get fresh, unprocessed, all-the-fat diary is if we get our own cow. Pretty sure the HOA won’t go for that!

Apr 15, 2008

Recipes for your Nevada-grown local beef - pt. 2

My mom emailed me yesterday about the grillades recipe linked from the last email. Essentially she questioned using veal in a beef recipe sent out to people who are intentionally buying beef outside the conventional system so they can get, among other good things, humanely raised beef. Good point! I should have mentioned that we substituted more beef for the veal. I’ll make a note of that in the recipe. Thanks mom!

Apr 13, 2008

Recipes for your Nevada-grown local beef

We held our second annual grass-finished-beef distribution get together last week. Ten families went in on the purchase of a whole beef and met at our house to divide it up and mingle a bit.

The beef comes in various cuts, as you would expect when purchasing the entire animal. Last year we learned that we’d wanted less ground beef and more stew meat, fajita meat, etc. in the 2008 order, so asked for some modifications from the butcher. We got what we asked for and now embark on another year of learning. Here’s some information I hope will help those who are just starting to cook with all types of beef cuts.


Over the last year we’ve met an increasing group of people who want to know where their food comes from and how it is produced. As the local food community continues to expand, access and convenience are increasing so more families are including local food in their routine and learning about food in a whole new way.

This brings me to my real point. When we started eating locally we’d reach in the freezer and pull out a beef-cut we’d never cooked before. Naturally this sent us searching for recipes and techniques. We’ve saved the recipes we liked and want to put them here for others to try.

Pot au Feu for cross shanks, knuckle bones, etc. (Intense recipe but oh-so-worth-it)

Marinated flank steak with horseradish sauce – flank steak or tri-tip

Meatball sliders – these are heavenly! The recipe calls for ground beef, and also ground pork and veal (try UNR Meats for these). Make the rolls yourself or call House of Bread and ask them to make you an order of slider rolls. We make a double batch and freeze the leftovers into meal sized portions.

Hunter-style grillades
– for round (or any other large cut suited for braising) and veal. Again, this recipe calls for a second kind of meat so may require a bit more than “reach into the freezer” but the meal is seriously yummy!

Happy eating!

Mar 26, 2008

Second northern Nevada local-food year - what we've learned

It's March and local food is scarcer, but some is still available. We ate our one remaining chicken last week with friends and are down to about seven packages of beef. The freezer still holds frozen veggies, nuts, and a turkey so we have plenty to eat through April, and fresh local food starts coming in this Sunday; old friends and new acquaintances will be at our house for the annual grass-finished beef “party”.

All the local food in the house is what’s left of the 2007 CSA and farmers markets fruits, vegetables and nuts we froze or canned last year. Our CSA basket delivery will start in May so I’m starting to think about what I might do differently next year. 2007 was the second local-food year and the first year we ate primarily local throughout the entire year so I really had no experience preparing for off-season. Here’s what we've learned.


Jam – I made way too much and discovered too late that traditional recipes use more sugar than I like. I’m on the hunt for a lower sugar recipe for 2008. The best jam I made? Hands down is strawberry sun-dried jam.

Frozen vegetables –I froze everything we didn’t eat, except the greens, which went into our backyard composter. I was worried we’d gone overboard but now that it’s March I’m really happy we did it. Ziplock bags worked okay but often emerged from the freezer with holes in them. Food-Saver bags worked much better because they’re sturdier.

Canned tomatoes –A friend and I canned about 60 pounds and it still wasn’t enough…. ran out in December. Our home canned tomatoes were delicious and since January I’ve missed what could have been. This year we’ll probably double that. “Yikes, 120 pounds!”, you say. Yes, that’s a lot of tomatoes and canning but not nearly as daunting as you might think. My husband, a friend and I spent about 4 hours canning tomatoes last year, our first year out. Grab a friend, put on some music, and make it an opportunity to spend some time together. We had a great time….really!

Storage - We need a much better cold storage system than a giant plastic bucket in the garage. Our apples were mush by December, though the squash was good until the end of February. My grandma used to have this really cool outbuilding where she kept the all things fruit and veggie, and where grandpa hung the venison. As kids we only appreciated it for its capacity as a haunted house, but now I can appreciate its other qualities; consistently cool temperatures, rack space, and darkness. Storage is one of those food subjects I knew absolutely nothing about before last year, but I found a great book at the library, Root cellaring: the simple no-processing way to store fruits and vegetables, by Nancy Bubel. Many of the storage methods can be adapted to the urban dweller and gardener. I hope to have better storage results in 2008.

Garlic – we’re down to the last of our second braid and it’s starting to sprout. If you didn’t know garlic is still really tasty even if it has sprouted. The only effect is that the shoot is milder than the rest of the garlic. We learned that from Jacques Pepin. If we run out before garlic is available at the Carroll’s farmers market stall we’ll pick some up at the coop.

Herbs – we made some into herb-ice cubes and dried some. The frozen herbs are best for soups and stews. Dried for everything else.

Our family’s local range is defined as 150-200 miles from Sparks in any direction and this changed our off-season shopping habits a bit. We try to make our first stop the Great Basin Coop but could wish for earlier hours as my husband does the shopping and gets out early to beat the rush. Yes, throughout the year we still shop at Trader Joe’s and Raleys for food that isn’t produced locally and we wouldn’t choose to live without, like all things dairy, cured meats, and winter fruit. Even then, we purchased only what was produced in California, Washington, and Oregon. Kats Coffee and Wood Fire Roasted coffee for the tea, coffee, and social fix. We still frequent our favorite locally owned restaurants and coffee houses, and we happily eat whatever our gracious host makes for dinner, no matter where it comes from.

What do I miss? Tropical fruit, but there other options so I don’t miss them as much as I’d feared, and it tastes that much sweeter when we eat it while on vacation. And, on the rare occasion when we crave nachos we eat nachos, even though not a single ingredient is local. Life without nachos and beer? Never!

Mar 23, 2008

Nevada Certified Farmers Market Assoc market calendar is now available

The Nevada Certified Farmers Market Association has been busy. Reno now has five new farmers market time slots, and of course, the markets we’ve shopped at for the last few years. The LFNN calendar has been updated with the latest information, check it out! Northern Nevada farmers markets start opening in May so you’ll need to change the calendar view to see the dates for Dayton, Elko, Fallon, Fernley, Gardnerville, Hawthorne, Reno, Sparks, Tonopah, and Winnemucca. Carson City wasn't added because the market is still tentative. If you want to find out more about it call Ann at 775-351-2551.

2008 Northern Nevada CSAs - now is the time to subscribe

Have you considered buying your family’s produce directly from the people who grow it and live in your community? If you live in northern Nevada now is the time to get your subscription in. The 2008 Great Basin Basket ordering season is now open. There are also other great CSA programs available, like Custom Gardens, that may also suite your needs.

If you already love CSAs and are ready to subscribe contact Great Basin Basket soon because the Early Bird deadline is approaching fast (the form is in Acrobat format, which Blogger doesn’t support, so I couldn’t include it here). If you prefer, go to the new website.

If you need to know a little more, read on.


The good people who grow for and manage the Great Basin Basket CSA have expanded the program this year and made it flexible to suite a variety of needs. Families can sign up for up for a single season or the full program for 32 weeks, May through the second week in December. You can even buy a weekly delivery of flowers! This year CSA subscribers will also received other food products produced right there on the farms we partner with.

Why subscribe to a CSA? There are the obvious reasons. CSA produce is tasty and fresh because it is harvested and delivered to you within a day or two, and the growers choose and grow varieties for taste rather than uniformity and ability to handle the rigors of shipping.

Then there are the more “fuzzy” reasons. CSAs are a partnership between the people who grow the food and those who eat it; we all take part in the bounty and the risk. It is a healthy, fulfilling partnership that creates a sense of community possible only when the consumer knows the producer. Whether you need a dinner out, coffee, or veggies there is a feeling beyond consuming when you get to talk the people who have a personal interest in your experience. I know that my family’s life is richer because the people we’ve met and the amazing food that comes in our box each week.

And finally, let’s talk about the doubts. Buying by the season means paying all at once and the price often triggers an initial “ouch!” response. But when you break that figure down to the weekly cost the price is actually very reasonable, and it accurately reflects what it really costs to grow quality food. You might be concerned you’ll get too much food, so you might split your basket with a friend or coworker. My family uses most of what comes in the basket, but this year we’ll be searching for a second-harvest program for our extras.

One final bonus. As the season progresses the price of food will continue to increase due to the huge amount of petroleum it takes to get the produce to the supermarket (chemical fertilizers, storage facilities, transportation), etc. Great Basin Basket prices are fixed at the beginning of the season so subscribers will not likely experience a price increase during the 2008 growing season.