Nevada Small Farm Conference - meet and mingle with the people who grow our local food

Wow! The 2010 Small Farm Conference  looks to be packed with great speakers.  Getting to know the people who make fresh local food happen is one of the best feel-good aspects of eating close to home.  The Small Farm Conference provides everyone (all are welcome) an opportunity to meet the farmers and the people who advocate for a local system.  The conference runs two days, March 12-13, and includes a line-up of sessions dealing with subjects ranging from seed production to marketing to hoop houses. There's something for everyone! Sign up by March 2nd to get the early-bird discount.

New local farmer interview from Lahonton Valley News

Here's some good news in more ways than one. Dawn Maxon represents hope for the future of local farms and food because she left a degreed job that made her unhappy to farm and create. Dawn is among a growing number of young professionals returning to the farm with their education, business savvy, and tech skills that helps navigate the tricky American agricultural system.

Dawn and I met a couple of years ago at a Small Farmers conference held at Western Nevada College in Fallon.  It was easy to tell even then that she would be successful in the pursuit of her dream.  She's passionate, smart, talented, and loves people.

Learn more about her in the Lahonton Valley News article below.

Slow Food Reno takes the next step

Last night we had the fourth Slow Food Reno meeting, graciously hosted by Nothing to It. It was another great evening filled with outstanding food, good conversation, and so much energy I almost didn’t know what to do with myself. Read on for details.

We heard from all the farmers present and learned a little more about them and their operations. Here’s a not necessarily thorough summary. There was so much going on I couldn’t write fast enough to get it all down.