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.

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!

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.

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!

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,

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!

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.

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

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.

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!

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!

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!

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!

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.

Sod-Buster Chicken ordering form

It's not too late! The first ordering deadline has passed but you can still order this year. The Sod Busters Chicken order form has recently been distributed in electronic form so I'm including it here, for your convenience.

Farmers, farm land, Farm Bill...now we know!

Do you ever wonder about the hidden mechanisms that control the most basic aspects of our lives, like food? I do! I drive my husband nuts when we go on vacation to Mexico and I find myself preoccupied with the question “How is the household garbage disposed of?” If I lived there it would be important to me so I want to know. The same curiosity drives me to wonder about the future of local food, how will our community meet the demand.

I’m thrilled and amazed by the incredible increase in interest for local food and often ponder what will need to happen if our community farmers are going to have what they need to keep up with production. Some of you must wonder about this too. If you do, read on for more insight.

What do we need more than anything else if local food is going to thrive…farmers! The great news is that more young people are going back to the land and taking up farming. Leaving Behind the Trucker Hat is a heartening article about young farmers and how some NGOs are working to support them.

My mom sent me this op-ed written by Jack Hedin, a farmer in Minnesota. His article, My Forbidden Fruits (and Vegetables), sheds some light on an aspect of the Farm Bill that stacks the deck against “real food” farmers and those of us who want local food.

Both are interesting and important facets of our food future!

A word of caution -- you may need to sign up as a NY Times member to read these but it's free.


Life is good!

Slow Food Truckee event - King Corn movie presentation

Slow Food Truckee is growing fast and picking up momentum. Their next event is on March 5th and is free to all. Take the beautiful drive to Truckee and join the community to watch King Corn.

In Defence of Food: an Eater's Manifesto

A couple of weeks ago I finished reading Michael Pollan's latest book, In Defense of Food: an Eater's Manifesto. The author discusses another facet of the western diet, that is, the role science plays in the American diet, how it came to be such a huge influence on the average America’s relationship with food, and helps explain how our current food system developed. The final portion of the book describes what we can do to improve our health , food supply and community. A highly recommended read (as usual available in book, audio book, or downloadable format from the public library). If you want to be surprised don’t read any further, but here are a couple of my favorite guidelines to live by.

Shake the hand of the person who feeds you. Eat only what your grandma would recognize as food (or great-grandma, depending on how old you are). You are what you eat eats (whatever your steak ate, you’re eating it too). Regulation is no substitute for accountability. Never eat alone. Always have a glass of wine with dinner.

Wolf Pack Meats

UNR sells meat! Who knew!? Diversity is the key to a sustainable local food system so anyone who produces locally raised food should get some attention, right? But universities engage in research and that makes me nervous when it comes to my dinner, so last week I called Mike Holcomb of Wolf Pack Meats to ask him about my concerns and some of my hopes.

Wolf Pack Meats website will answer many questions so I’ll blog only about those of particular interest to me and my friends and family.

Who makes the processed meats, for example, sausage? UNR livestock is used to produce things like sausage, ham and smoked bacon on-site. Mike is very involved in this area of production. Wolf Pack Meats also sells smoked turkeys. The turkeys are not local, but the smoking is.

Does Wolf Pack Meats sell any milk produced at the facility? No, and Mike does not personally know of anyone in Nevada who sells dairy. That’s scary! No Nevada cheese for us.

Does the livestock receive hormones or antibiotics? Wolf Pack Meats does not administer additional hormones or antibiotics.

Is the beef grass-fed or grass-finished? It is grass-finished.

What kind of research are these animals involved in? The animals sold for human consumption are used for agricultural research and education only. UNR agricultural staff and students engage in research activities that affect animal growth. They experiment with the everyday living conditions of the animals, for example, beef is fed a certain type of grass for a certain amount of time, and then they observe the results. According to Mike, no products sold through Wolf Pack have been involved in anything like GMO or science-lab-type research. Whew!

In my view, this type of agricultural program is very valuable to those of us who live in the Truckee Meadows and Northern Nevada. Why? Because if Nevada is going to continue to develop and sustain a strong local food system we need more future farmers and ranchers, and UNR educates future farmers. Mike tells me that during the summer there are about 20-25 young people at the facility, learning about food production. These students could play a significant part in Nevada’s food future.

It's Sod Buster Farm 2008 chicken ordering season

Sod Buster Farm chicken ordering season is now open and just in time, too. Late last summer we ordered six and right now we’re down to just one. We’ve been hoarding that very last chicken; delaying that final meal because we so enjoy looking forward to our next delish chicken dinner we didn’t want to spoil the fun. No need to delay any longer!

This is Sod Buster’s second season. From a consumer and foodie perspective, our friends and family who purchased last year thought their first season (2007) was a spectacular success, and we look forward to the expanded 2008 program. If your family wants to eat really delicious chicken, expand its local food horizons, and meet and support food producers in northern Nevada and the Truckee Meadows, this is a great way to do it.

Of course, raising chickens is seasonal and so is ordering. Call Sod Buster now at 775-475-0214 to take full advantage of the entire season. The first order deadline is February 29, 2008.

Northern Nevada will soon have a permanent urban market!

If you follow local food you probably already know about this but a local-food blog would not be complete without noting it. Yes! The urban market project has been approved!

Northern Nevada has made another move in a good direction. If the market develops as discussed it will give locals a place to go for a leisurely and social snack or lunch, and a place to connect with our local businesses and producers. Food and community in one place!

The City of Reno has this project on the fast track and hopes to have it up an running this year. Woo hoo!

A fantastic recipe for round steak!

Yes! It’s January and we’re still eating local meat and veggies. True, we are supplementing with supermarket veggies and staples, but not much. And bonus…it’s been especially nice to make fewer trips to the store in this bone-chilling weather. With meat and veggies in the freezer and root veggies in the garage we were able to stay inside and eat hot food.

We’re down to the last of the 2007 grass-finished beef (2008 is in process) so last week when it was time to think about putting together a dinner plan I opened the freezer only to find that my best option was a cut I’d been avoiding. The label said Swiss Steak, which I know zero about so naturally I was intimidated. After a little research I determined that it was probably actually round steak. And then I found this recipe…Hunter-Style Grillades. This made one of the best meals we’ve had all winter. We made it for a family-and-friends dinner, over boiled potatoes that night and then over rice for lunch a couple of days later. The ingredient list is long but most are staples. What we didn’t have we substituted with something else. Enjoy!

Produce available at Sparks and Reno 2007 farmers markets

I'm a meal planner and for years have relied on knowing that no matter what ingredients a recipe called for I could just pop down to the supermarket and pick it up. Didn't matter where it came from or how it tasted, only that I had it. A couple of years ago we made a concerted effort to changed our approach to life from a mentality that asks “What do I want?” to one that asks “What do I have?” This question is particularly life-changing when it comes to food and meal planning so in 2007 we started purchasing all our produce through local farmers markets and CSA’s. This posed something of a dilemma when it was time to plan weekend dinners and parties. I needed to know, at least approximately, what we could buy at the farmers market throughout the season. So we spent the 2007 FM season tracking what could be had.

Last winter I started compiling a list of all the veggies that might be out there, relying heavily on Chez Panisse Vegetables (excellent resource and cookbook for FM shoppers) and online wandering. Then, beginning in June, we’d visit the farmers markets and note what was in the stalls that day. We tracked only fruits and veggies; you can find nuts and homestead cheese, even popcorn, but I was interested only in the fruits and veggies because these items are the things we most often plan to shop for. The RESULTS are in no way scientific or comprehensive (sometimes we missed a day), but they could be helpful and are certainly interesting. We learned a lot about what we can expect seasonally, what is readily available, we discovered rare treats, and met a lot of great people! We’ll be using this information to plan our 2008 food garden around herbs, fruits and veggies we can’t get at the FM. Happy perusing!

Think the farm bill doesn't impact Northern Nevada? Learn more here....

The 2007 Farm Bill is currently being discussed in the Senate and could be voted on some time this week. It’s easy to think the farm bill doesn’t really impact what goes on in Nevada because farming isn’t what puts our state on the map…but the farm bill effects everyone who lives in the US and many people who don't. First of all, little in the farm bill is about actual farming as we imagine it. The farm bill is why real farmers are going bust, a huge portion of supermarket floor space is devoted to food products and a teenie portion to actual food, and why you’ll find soda, chicken nuggets, and tater tots in your kid’s school lunch before you’ll see fresh fruits, vegetables, and real meat. The farm bill is bizarre, disastrous…and complicated. Way too complicated for the average politician, let alone the average American with a really full life-plate. Here a couple of resources that help break down the barrier to understanding.

Food Fight: the Citizen’s Guide to a Food and Farm Bill, by Dan Imhoff is a concise, accessible description of the farm bill and how it works. The author explains the intent of original bill and how it developed into the current program, the problems with the program, the environmental and financial impact, national and global issues, and much more. But it’s a pretty quick read…finished it in a weekend. If you’re looking to learn more about where your food comes from and what you can do to fix what isn’t working, I highly recommend this book.

Environmental Working Group hosts website and a blog designed to track the farm bill, the subsidies, and ways the we can help influence change. Interesting reading, if a bit intense. Sort of the like the actual farm bill.

American Valley Growers products now available to Northern Nevadans

Just heard from a new area grower....American Valley Growers out of Quincy, CA. Check out their website. They are seriously local (82 miles from Quincy to Sparks).

The website is currently under construction but their "passion-statement" and lots of great photos are a good start.

Slow Food Truckee olive oil tasting

Arbequina olives


Friday night we went to Slow Food Truckee's latest event -- an olive oil tasting. It was really interesting! Never thought I'd voluntarily sip oil (the tasting techniques are just like those used to taste wine) but we did and really could taste the different characteristics. The Slow Food Truckee group is growing fast so I won't try to name all the players here but they're doing a fantastic job putting together events that highlight the food and wine produced here in our region.

We met at the Truckee River Winery, where the evening started with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc and with mingled with new and established Slow Food enthusiasts. Russ Jones talked to us a bit about the wines he and his wife produce at the Truckee River Winery. Then Mary Lou Banahan of California Olive Ranch spoke to us about olive oil production, tasting, local and global implications and points of interest. This is where we learned that olive oil has taste characteristics much like those of wine; apple, green banana, fresh artichoke, and others. It was fascinating! Next we moved on to a stupendous meal prepared by Betsy Taylor, a local nutritionist. From the feta with olive oil and bread, to halibut with an olive oil rich tepenade, and the finale of olive oil pound cake, it was delicious beginning to end. Some of her inspiration came from a book titled Olive Oil: From Tree to Table. Throughout the meal we drank wine paired to the dishes and marveled at the joy of learning, mingling, and food.Life is good!

As usual, I'm fixated on what we learned that night. I'll pass on a tiny bit here. Olive oil is harvested sometime in October; olio nuovo is the freshest version of olive oil is best eaten within 90 days (it is so delicious our two bottles won't last 3 weeks); new technologies can be used to produce the kind of olive oil humans have loved for thousands of years; and it is a versatile ingredient that has a place in every course. (Correction )A couple of weeks ago NPR did a report about the top money makers in the world and included on the list is the Italian mafia. One of their biggest profit makers is olive oil, which they dilute with other cheaper oils and sell as "extra virgin olive oil", so buyers beware. If you want to know that someone other than the federal government is watching out for the quality of the olive oil you eat and you want to buy as local as possible, look for the California Olive Oil Council seal of approval on the label.

Slow Food USA, Slow Food Truckee, and talented local growers/producers and restaurant owners are committed to giving us an opportunity to learn about all the marvelous locally produced foods and wines within our reach here in Northern Nevada. We've been eating locally for more than a year now and continue to be amazed at how it has enhanced our lives. It has been well worth the effort to modify our purchasing habits and seek out the exceptional food, wine and food-people we have come to know and love. I'll say it again...Life is good!

Our local, heritage Thanksgiving - Great Basin Basket and Wind Dancer Ranch

Usually, after Thanksgiving dinner is over and my thoughts turn to turkey sandwiches on white bread, I'm kind of relieved. We love to cook and have family and friends over, but it's a lot of work and requires the timing skills of a high wire acrobat. Whew! This year our dinner was more like an adventure thanks to Great Basin Basket, heritage turkeys from Wind Dancer Ranch, and our friends and family.

Check out what we received in the Thanksgiving CSA basket; easily enough for the big dinner and a few more. Look at all this!

All of it was delicious, fresh, and grown or made by people who live in our community.

The Brant family had a Royal Palm turkey ...



All the other families had Spanish Blacks...

(We took this picture the day we picked up our turkeys.)


Our 2007 Thanksgiving shopping was more like visiting friends than a chore. We met new people, all of them nice, outgoing, and committed to their land, the food they grow, and the people in their community. We spent two hours touring Wind Dancer Ranch, a working farm that had been abandoned for 17 years and after three years of hard work looks like paradise. "Shopping" doesn't get any better than this!

Links fixed - again!

Thanks Pauline, for letting me know the Great Basin Basket contents links weren't working. They've been fixed, AGAIN! If I didn’t love technology so much, I'd hate it!

Great Basin Baskets - summer and fall 2007 contents

Last night we picked up the last fall 2007 Great Basin Basket box. CSA living has given us a rewarding couple of seasons and an interesting experience, starting with our first summer basket on June 7, 2007, and ending (maybe) with the final fall basket on November 13th. For twenty three weeks we've eagerly anticipated visiting with all the wonderful people who make the CSA possible, rummaging through our box of fresh local produce, and reading the weekly installment of Down on the Farm.

Having had zero prior experience eating local Nevada produce I didn't know what to expect the first year out, which made the meal planner in me slightly uncomfortable. So, in preparation for the second year Mark and I kept track of everything that came in each 2007 box. Keep reading if you’re interested in the learning what we found.

Here are the unscientific, yet interesting Fall and Summer Great Basin Basket lists. We tracked the type of produce, the variety if we knew it, and the quantity; we included weight information only if it seemed useful to the home cook.

Now that the two seasons are over all that’s left is to enjoy the remaining fall fruits and veggies, and ponder the possibilities of the first 2008 basket. It’s been a life changing experience on many levels and we can’t wait for more. Happy reading!

LFNN madness - fixed

Whew! I spent yesterday verifying all the links and spellchecking (again!) the entries so the blog content should be in working and professional order. The bad news is....

The Home Grown Nevada web address problem doesn't have an easy fix. Tina knows about it now but it might take a while to recreate Home Grown Nevada's internet presence. In the meantime, please call 775-465-2549 or email jsbeef@earthlink.net to learn more about the Smith's grass-finished beef.

LFNN blog entrys and links gone mad

While doing a bit of blog maintenance I found that some of the entries and links have gone wonky. Some entries are displaying with spelling errors, in spite of being spell checked before publishing, and it looks like the Home Grown Nevada address, which used to take us to grass-finished beef raised by the Smith's, has been commandeered by a web address squatter. Also, my Google document links are no longer intact so readers may have been experiencing problems. It looks like activity on Google's end changed all the document addresses. I'll get everything fixed as soon as I can. Nothing worse than reading something filled with typos; I’m MORTIFIED! Sorry about that!

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.

Great Basin Basket CSA apples

If your family participated in the Great Basin Basket CSA program this year you received some uncommon apples in your basket. Our Nevada farmers work with local California farmers to bring us the fruit they do not grow but is still grown regionally. The farmers talk a little bit about these varieties in the farm notes but I thought I'd pass on a little bit more about origin and use for those of you who are food freaks, like me.

Mutsu apples, also know as Crispin, came in our summer basket. Mutsu has a fine granular texture with a subtle anise aroma, and mildly astringent semi-tart flavor. Mustu was developed in 1948 at Aomori Experiment Station in Japan. It is an excellent eating apple, and is good for pies, and sweet or hard cider. Keep it in storage for up to five months.

Arkansas Black apples came in our fall basket. More popular today as an antique apple, it was more common in the early 1900s because it is harvested late, keeps well, and is hard, making it good for shipping. The skin is a really dark red that does make you think "black". The flesh is yellow to cream colored, and very firm. The flavor is mild and balanced, more sweet than acidic. Arkansas Black can be eaten fresh but is probably better cooked. When over-ripe they will become mealy and developed a greasy surface. Stored in an ice-house they'll keep until late winter. Those of us without an icehouse can expect a shorter storage period.

Reno Sparks local produce - how local is local?

As concern grows about the where our food comes from, how it is produced, the real cost of cheap food, many families and communities are looking for better ways to bring food to the table. The industrial food system is heavily reliant on petroleum for both fertilizer and transportation so eating locally whenever possible makes sense. I won't go into the gruesome details but I will say...Yuck! I'd rather change my lifestyle a bit and get what I can from people who live and grow in my community. One group's campaign to encourage eating locally is called the 100 Mile Diet. Their goal is to help people rediscover food produced within a 100 mile radius of their communities. This got me thinking that it would be interesting to know how many miles are between us and the farmers and ranchers that produce local food for the folks in Sparks and Reno. Here's what I found...


First, a bit about method. This list includes farms that grow produce for the CSA, attend the farmers' market, or connect with consumers directly (specifically growers like Sod Busters and Agape Organics). Mileage is calculated from my house to the producer location, so distance will differ according to where you live in the valley.

Here they are in order of miles traveled:
Nevada Naturals - 16 miles
Sod Busters - 18 miles
Suntara Farms - 24 miles
Joy's Honey Ranch - 27 miles
Sierra Valley Farms - 51 miles
Lattin Farms - 65 miles
Workman Farms - 65 miles
Carrol's Corner - 83 miles
Home Grown Nevada - 88 miles
Amber Oaks Raspberries - 112 miles
Paine Orchard - 150 miles
Matthews/Minton Farm - 151 miles
Maillison/Cooper Farm - 152 miles
Watanabe Farm - 152 miles
K & J Orchard - 173 miles
Dwelly Farms - 212 miles
Boggier Farms - 226 miles
Fruit Factory - 325 miles
Watson/Rodriguez - 550 miles

Reno Sparks farmers' market season almost over--Now what?

Saturday, October 6th is the last farmers' market day at the California Street location. It's been a bountiful season with plenty of interesting food choices and opportunities to meet the people who grow locally. What does a local shopper do now? Not to worry...we have some options!

First is the Great Basin Basket program which is offering Autumn and Thanksgiving baskets. Here's the list of items to be included in the baskets: chard, kale, stir-fry greens, 10 varieties of winter squash, 2 varieties of pumpkin pie, tomatoes, tomatillos, onions, turnips, carrots, garlic, potatoes, bell peppers, arugula, lettuce, spinach, beets, dried culinary herbs (sage, basil, oregano, thyme, chives, parsley, cilantro, tarragon), fresh baked breads, and jam. These are two baskets so I don't know which items will come in which basket: contact Pauline Hamilton for more information.

You might come across some references to a Shopper's Square winter farmers' market but, though there has been one in the past, it won't be happening this year.

The Great Basin Community Food Coop expanded their space earlier this year and will be selling local produce throughout the year. The Coop charges a membership fee but it is nominal and supports a valuable community resource. And if you're looking for a volunteer opportunity in the local-food area, this might be a place to start. The Coop is run by volunteers and they can never have too many.

Tim (of Amber Oaks Raspberries) has promised to keep coming to Reno farmers' market location until he runs out of produce, even though the market is technically closed. His stall usually includes, among other things, blackberries, habanero and jalapeno peppers, figs, raspberries, chestnuts, tortillas, and "happy cheese".

If you like dried beans try Seed Savers Exchange. This company serves various purposes but focuses primarily on preserving the diversity and history of our food system through the collection and distribution of heirloom seeds (dried beans are the only ready-to-eat food they sell through the catalog). Earlier this year I purchased Christmas Lima beans, and some Hidatsa Shield Figure beans which I used to make a savory side dish. They were so tasty...the beans plumped into really meaty, creamy morsels and tasted like no beans I've eaten before. These beans are way beyond the readily available kidney and Northern White.

These are resources I know about right now; if other options become available I'll make sure to get them on the blog. And, if you hear of anything please let me know. I'll investigate and blog!