My outspoken perspective on the MSFL issue

Here is an opportunity for me to be politically correct and play nice when talking about UNR and the Main Station Field Laboratory (MSFL)...but I think I'll pass this time and speak out instead.  There are many places to read the "can't we all get along" version of this situation, but stakeholder activists experienced a very different, less warm and fuzzy version of this well known local topic.  It's my blog so I'll tell you about it here. The subject is complex and this post is long...read on. 

 

GMO labeling in Nevada - AB330 (previously know as BDR 955) is on the table

Nevada has joined 22 other states that have put GMO labeling bills on the table in 2013.  If you read this blog it's likely you are already aware of the concerns surrounding GMO labeling so I won't get on my soapbox, but I will provide a link to Label GMO Nevada and encourage you to contact your lawmakers now and tell them you support BDR 955 (update - the bill has a final name and it is AB330).

Organizers and supports must act quickly on this bill because the timeline is short:

• March 18 – Bill must be assigned to a committee. Speaker, Marilyn Kirkpatrick does the     assigning.
• March 25 – Committee bills must be in.
• April 12 – Bill must be approved by the committee and sent to the Assembly for a vote.
• April 23 – Bill must be approved by the first house
• May 17 – Second house, bill must be approved by committee
• May 24 – Second house – bill must be approved
• June 3 – end of legislative session. Next one is 2015!

Volunteers are working hard to get the word out but funding must come from us.  Donate if you can!

We're all really busy so a click and support button would be a nice option but our lawmakers respond best to a brief, personally written encouragement to support.  Take a minute to find out who your lawmakers are (link also provided at Label GMO Nevada) and tell them you want them to support AB330. 

We've all seen the power of Monsanto and Friends, and the money they are willing to spend to defeat these initiatives - more than $35 million went into defeating Prop 37 in California. The good news is, post-election polls show that even those who voted "no" actually support labeling. The money bought votes but it didn't change values.

MAIN STATION FIELD LABORATORY - A COMMUNITY VIEW

The University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) has submitted to the Reno City Council (Council) a proposal to zone 104 acres of the Main Station Field Laboratory (MSFL) light industrial, in preparation for commercial sale. UNR and the Board of Regents (Regents) are pushing through with this proposal in spite of overwhelming opposition and ongoing concern about food security, due diligence, and the safety and cost issues associated with flood water storage capacity. Homeowners, businesses, planners, government agencies, farmers, ranchers, local food and business advocates, UNR students and the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources Advisory Board (CABNR) have been and continue to be in opposition to this proposal.

On March 27, 2013 the Council will again consider the UNR proposal. Go to the end of this post to RSVP for the meeting to show your support and help us demonstrate to the Council the level of community opposition to the proposal.

Here is what the Coalition to Preserve the UNR Farmland and Floodplain (Coalition) wants you to know about this issue.

Reprieve for 104 acres on Main Station Farm

Thanks to the huge community response, UNR has withdrawn the proposal to rezone Main Station Farm property.  The support for the Farm convinced Mr. Johnson that Nevadans value the last of our urban farmland and our agricultural heritage.  That land is still designated large residential so is still a candidate for sale for development, but this process has allowed the community to temporarily divert “the development train” and given us time to engage UNR in a discussion about a different future. Woo hoo!

Our numbers : 100-150 people attended the December Reno City Council meeting.  Jessica Sferrazza received about 3,800 emails.  As of today 11, 907 people have signed the petition to save the farm. Approximately 100 people attended UNR’s Community Forum re: the 104 acres.

What’s next? How about a 21^st century high-desert eco-agriculture program at UNR? There is significant interest in supporting young people who want to stay on the farm or go back to it.  A few months ago the Local Food Network conducted a workshop to help the community determine the next steps towards a healthy local food system.  Many people participated and the suggestions were numerous, but the one that dominated the top of the list is the need for new farmers and ranchers, and an educational system that teaches 21^st century practices.

 Just a few weeks ago someone I’ve known for years talked to me about his plan to partner with a couple of other people to grow a new farm in Nevada.  He is now on the hunt for a cutting edge farming education and assistance developing a business model.  Accessing the business component is fairly easy.  Finding a higher education farming program that teaches high-desert production techniques will be much more difficult.  This is where UNR’s comes in.

There is much to do and I hope that the UNR administration and the Board of Regents will call on the people who live and work here to help create a new future, one that includes Wolf Pack Meats and helps us further develop our growing local food system.

Main Station Farm community discussion continues on February 21st

At the request of the Reno City Council, UNR will hold a public forum regarding the Main Station Farm zoning proposal and the future of the farm. The meeting is scheduled for Tuesday February 21st, 5:30 -7:30 pm at Joe Crowley Student Union.  Doors open at 5:00 p.m.

Free parking will be available on the third and fourth floors of the Whalen Parking Garage and directional signage will be posted on North Virginia Street.

The immediate issue on the table is UNR's request to zone 104 acres of the most fertile land in Reno to light industrial. UNR's stated intent is to protect the property's monetary value for possible future sale to developers or for a proposed flood plain project.

Community stakeholders are floating a different idea. That is, use this invaluable property to enhance Nevada’s future and rebuild an agricultural education program to meet the needs of sophisticated college students and 21^st century challenges and opportunities.

This meeting is our opportunity to convey to UNR the level of community support for a new future and our collective opposition to the zoning proposal.

We know many are in favor of a different future for the Main Station Farm than the one currently in the UNR and Board of Regent plan, and all of us need to be at this meeting. We've heard from a broad spectrum of stakeholders. From those who live near the site to flood plain experts. From those dedicated to Nevada's long-term economic health to those who recognize Wolf Pack Meats as a key component of a healthy local food production system. From students who want to obtain their degree at UNR and put it to use in Nevada, to their parents who want to keep their educational dollars in Nevada. From established and emerging businesses that are creating food-system jobs and incomes, to the customers who buy from them. The list goes on.

UNR will likely return to the Reno City Council in March to continue the rezoning discussion. We hope to convince them to present a totally different proposal than the one on the table now. Join us and be at the meeting on Tuesday, February 21, 5:30 -7:30pm in the Joe Crowley Student Union to voice your support for a brighter future.

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

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

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.

Subscription Farming Workshop on December 17, 2011

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.  

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

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

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.

Kids and gardens at Urban Roots Garden Classrooms Summer Camp 2011

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

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!

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.

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?

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!

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.

Learn to grow food in Northern Nevada on a community scale

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:

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

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:

Local ginger is available now!

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!

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