Get ready to plant your own local food - River School organic gardening workshop

Tom Stille at the River School puts these organic gardening classes on every year and they're not to be missed if you want to learn to grow your own local food in this region.  This weekend he'll cover irrigation and water conservation.  RSVP, bring $20, and get ready for the planting workshop scheduled for May 22nd. And, if the weather prediction holds, Saturday will be a perfect day to be outside.

                                                                                     Saturday, May 8 at 9:00am to 12:00pm       Map


(Pic - April 2010, our organic heirloom tomato transplants)

Thanks to our contribution the NDOA Plant Industry escaped budget cuts -- for now

A huge "Good on ya!" to everyone who contacted their Nevada Senate and Assembly representatives and told them it is important to save the Nevada Department of Agriculture Plant Industry (read the original post). For now, this really important government service escaped full closure. Time to be happy!

However, it is also time to get ready for the next round. The last emergency legislative session was charged with addressing a 1 billion dollar deficit -- according to the word I hear from people closer to the process the next session will involve a 3 billion dollar shortfall. Hard decisions will have to made, so we'll all have another chance to step up.

Woo hoo! Go foodies!

Important! NV State Legislature will consider cutting an important NDOA program

This is so important -- to farmers, to the economy, and to us!  The Nevada Legislature will soon consider cutting a department that is vital to all  food  grown and sold in Nevada. It looks like the NDOA programs that our local farmers are affiliated with are once again in danger of being eliminated. Food grown and sold by local farmers is integrally tied to this program, and therefore also to anyone who values local food and a local economy.  Please read the entire post and take a few minutes to contact your assembly and senate representatives today.  We've heard they'll meet to discuss this on February 23rd.

We've included some important talking points to cut and past into emails, and contact info is included.

Nevada organic eggs - my bad!

Oops! Recently a friend reminded me to be very careful how I use the word organic on LFNN. The "organic" label requires farmers adhere to certain activities, pay hefty fees, and navigate administrative processes in order to call their product “organic”. I incorrectly wrote that River School had “organic” eggs. They didn’t tell me this, I just made the jump because I know they use organic practices so always think of their food as organic even though it’s not labeled organic.

As far as we know there are no “organic” egg producers in Nevada. Shoppers looking for a program that certifies sustainable practices might look for Certified Naturally Grown. Many farmers, including many in Nevada, produce food using practices equal to or more stringent than the federal organic regulations but they can't call their product organic. Certified Naturally Grown verifies sustainable practices through farmer and consumer inspections, rather than federal inspections.

Any inaccurate reference to organic eggs on this blog is my fault. The farmers I talk to don't say their eggs are organic, only that they use organic practices. It is my responsibility to convey the information correctly, which I didn't in this case. My bad!

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.

Act now! State of Nevada ready to cut the organic certification program

The State of Nevada is planning to cut our local organic certification program. The one remaining certifier for the State of Nevada, Steve Marty, was just notified that his position would be eliminated on June 30, 2009.

The USDA authorizes the State of Nevada to certify farmers as organic.
However, the state must fund the workers to complete the certification process. The program itself is only funded by the Federal Government if the state supports it. Here’s what Nevada consumer should know before allowing the government to eliminate this program, and why this is important to us and our community.

Organic certification is expensive, especially if the certifier must come from out of state. If the Nevada state certification program is eliminated our farmers will have to pay significantly higher fees and will likely experience delays while they wait to receive service from some other state’s program. This would be cost prohibitive for the farmer, increase the amount we pay for organics, and has the potential to drive committed farmers out of business.

Cutting this program will do very little to help the state meet the budget deficit. The program is almost self-sufficient and thus is not a significant line item that would improve the state's budget situation.

Organic certification is a huge marketing advantage for all organic farmers, and Nevada farmers are no exception. Should the government cut this program and make certification essentially unattainable, Nevada farmers who want to grow organically would have no way of differentiating their product from that grown using conventional, chemical based methods. This would reduce the incentive for organic farmers and our access to organic locally grown food.

Organic farmers do more than bring healthy food to our table. They employ practices that protect our environment, but they need organic friendly programs to maintain these practices. Our government should be doing all it can to support and defend our food, health, water, and land.

Local support provides farmers an incentive to grow real food consumed by humans. The government subsidizes and insures commodity crops like corn, wheat, rice, soybean, but farmers who grow vegetables, herbs, and fruit are pretty much on their own. Organic certification is one of the few supports available to the local farmer. They need it and so do we.

Contact your representatives today and tell them to continue to fund the Nevada Department of Agriculture's organic certification program. We are all passionate about food, especially local and organic food. Let’s work together to let our state government representatives know we expect them to act in our support of local food, organic farmers, and a clean environment.

Contact your assembly and senate members now...they'll be making this cut in February. If you'd like to send a paper letter here's one for your use. And, if you'd like to be included in other support initiatives contact Local Food Network.

You-pick apple post correction

Oops! The Apple Basket you-pick start date is September 20th, not the 21st.

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!

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.