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:

It's Northern Nevada - snowed last week, tomato plants next week

I know it snowed earlier this week but still, in Northern Nevada it’s time to get ready to plant those heat loving vegetable plants. Plant when the snow is off Peavine, on or after Memorial Day, or after June 10th -- pick the tradition that works for you.

If you don’t grow your own transplants then you probably buy them. And likely from a big-box store - but we have better options.

Great Basin Community Food Co-op event

Here’s a great opportunity to meet like minded people, and pick up some seedlings for your winter garden while you’re at it. In case you care, I won't be there because I work Sundays.

From my mailbox to you…


Fall has arrived and the Great Basin Communiyt Food Co-op + Transition Town Reno are kicking off the season with an event you don't want to miss, the first annual LOCAL FOOD AND FUN FEST!! -- Celebrating local farmers, our community, and our local future. The event will be held on October 4th from 9 am-4 pm at the Co-op on 542 1/2 Plumas Street. Featuring a winter seedling sale in the morning, the Hub's stellar with coffee, Great Basin Brewing starting at 11 am, music, free solar cooking demos, food, fun & good conversation about the future of our community!

Garden seeds locally grown in Northern Nevada by Mewaldt Organics

Yes! You can grow your own food in Northern Nevada. Bill and Korena Mewaldt have been growing vegetables and herbs in Nevada for many years, and they’ve been saving the seed of the varieties that do well on their place in Fallon. These seeds produce well in our climate and microclimates and are especially successful because they’re the product of plants that have thrived here. (Microclimates are small spaces within your landscape that experience differences in temperature, soil moisture retention, wind speed, etc. due to topography and the placement of urban/suburban structures. So, that little 6x6 space back by the fence where the snow stays longer may be too cold for tomatoes but might be great for lettuces.) These seeds are available to us!

The Mewaldts have been farming in Northern Nevada for years and have experience in many aspects of growing and selling local food -- farmers markets, restaurant sales, CSA, and lucky for us, garden seeds. The garlic they grow and save every year was originally purchased at Raley’s in the 1970s. I love that!

Below is a partial list of varieties you can buy at the Great Basin Community Food Co-op. The list changes so check back often. And, if you’re new to growing your own here's a tip -- start buying your seed now because the good stuff goes fast.

TOMATOES
Ananna’s Noir, Big Rainbow, Big Zebra, Boxcar Willie, Cherokee Purple, Copia, Dixie, Golden Giant, Green Giant, Green Zebra, Homesweet, Korena’s Roma, Yellow Pear II, Yellow Plumb, Orange Queen, White Queen, Black Plumb, Cherry Tomato, Black Cherry, Cuban Yellow, Grape, Green Grape, Red Cherry, Snow White

SWEET PEPPERS
California Wonder, Giant Aconcagua, Szegedi, Super Red Pimento, Pimento L,

CHILI (HOT PEPPERS)
Serrano, Cherry Bomb, Caribbean Red

MISC.
Asian Baby Eggplant, Chioggia Beet, Red Beet, Rainbow Carrot collection, Sweet Chen Basil, Cilantro, Garlic Chives, Italian Flat Parsley, Tat Soi, Parsnip, Dill, Chard (mixed colors)

Watch here for more resources. I'll post info as I learn about it.

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.

Suntara Farms - readily available Northern Nevada eggs are no more

We love her eggs but now she's moved on. Michelle of Suntara Farms has moved due to a transfer at her other day job. Such is the life of farmer/growers who must rely on a second job to make a living if they want to stay on the farm. People in the community have adopted her chickens but their eggs will not be available to us in the immediate future. Now where do we get eggs?

Hopefully, the local food network will be able to find someone else with local chickens so we can again eat really fresh eggs. In the meantime we'll be making due with organic eggs from the Co-op.