Wednesday, July 15, 2009

What does the Thanksgiving Butterball have to do with ravaged communities and environments?

Okay, I just have to say it because turkey has been on my mind the last couple of days.

I try to present everything I've learned over the last few years in a positive light simply because it's healthier to be for something (local food, restaurants, and farmers) than against something (misguided government policy, corporate greed, and public apathy). But it's my blog and today I choose to be pissed off about this.

Mother Earth recently wrote a blurb about a Rolling Stones report on Smithfield Farms, one of the biggest, nastiest, greediest corporations on the planet. And….they own Butterball. So if extolling the virtues of local farmers, tasty meats, and community doesn’t get people off their duffs and making the effort to contact a local turkey farmer, perhaps the gruesome reality of Smithfield World will.

Argh!

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Tuesday, July 14, 2009

Yes...it's time to think about Thanksgiving 2009 in Northern Nevada

If you want a locally raised turkey for your Thanksgiving dinner now's the time to order your turkey. I'm waiting to hear back from other growers to confirm they're taking orders but one farmer is taking orders right now.

Rise and Shine Farms is getting geared up for the season so contact them and get your order in now.

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Plan a Visit to Custom Gardens Organic Farm..... in the near future!

From my inbox to you:

Don’t wait until annual Farm Food and Harvest event this fall …… See what is growing soon, and often!

We don’t want anyone to miss out on seeing the Mediterranean Garden Demonstration plot, as it is bursting at the seams with big healthy crops of Beans, Lettuces, Melons, Squash, Cucumbers, Peppers (including the Internet famous Aleppo Pepper, among several other pepper-types, Pimento, Paprika, Hot and Sweet varieties).


There is seed Spinach, and Beets, Herbs, Flowers, the Cedars of Lebanon Tomato, along with the Big Heirloom types, Giant Syrian, Nesema Yellow, and Omar Lebanese.

See the very large plant, a very strange radish that we suspect is actually horseradish (we will see). Sorghum, and Pumpkin and other Winter Squash are also represented along with the succulent green veggie, high in Vitamins and Omega 3 - Purslane, which we offer to ethnic groups by the 1 LB packs.

The special 20X60' plot is small by farming standards, but full of wonderful veggies descendant from seeds obtained at USDA germ-plasm seed bank in the late 40’s! Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Italy, ETC, are the countries responsible for these beautiful vegetables. Some of the lush growth is dedicated to seed production and saving, to carry on Virginia’s family heritage (Syrian/Lebanese. This Demonstration kitchen garden is not the only thing growing, of course.

Now is the time to take the mini-tour, and see what your farmers and our wonderful Food-For Work Volunteers and other helpers have been doing all spring and early summer - to bring locally grown organic produce to the area's fresh food lovers. Everyone is welcome to come and see what is happening at Custom Garden Farms.

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Monday, July 13, 2009

Western Nevada College - learn about the harvest



Lavender Ridge

Western Nevada College continues its program to develop small farm agriculture in Nevada with three summer harvest workshops. The first workshop will be held during lavender harvest season. Read on for more about three opportunities to learn about farm management and harvest practices. Even if you don't have a farm, these courses offer invaluable information for anyone interested in growing food. These classes are open to everyone.

Wednesday, July 22: Lavender Ridge Farm, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., 7450 West 4th Street, Reno. A daylong workshop will include sessions on growing and harvesting lavender, beekeeping, sales and marketing, and adding value to farm products. Cost is $25 if registered by July 19, $30 after July 19, and includes a lunch prepared with locally-grown food.

Kristen and Mike Harris, owners of Lavender Ridge Farm, will be the featured speakers. Participants will tour the lavender field of more than 2,000 plants, view the distillation process, and tour the farm amenities including an event center, water feature, nursery, and gift shop. Lavender Ridge was established on the site of a farmstead dating back to the 1920's. The farmhouse, barn, and several buildings were preserved and are currently in use.

The workshop will also include a session on the business of beekeeping, presented by Leonard Joy of Joy's Honey Farm. Joy has been keeping bees for more than 30 years and currently has 85 hives throughout northern Nevada. Other workshop sessions will focus on the importance of sales and marketing to increase farm profitability.

Two additional workshops are scheduled to coincide with regional harvests:

Friday, Aug. 14: Nanadew Herb Farm, Fallon, will host a nursery and organic produce harvest.

Thursday, Sept. 10: Churchill Vineyards, Fallon, hosts a wine grape harvest.

Both workshops will combine on-farm experiences with classroom sessions at Western Nevada College Fallon campus.

To register, contact Ginny Dugan, 775-423-5186, or visit WNC’s web site, . For information about the Specialty Crop Institute and future workshops, contact Project Director Ann Louhela at 775-351-2551.

The Western Nevada College Specialty Crop Institute is an innovative education program for current and future small-scale farmers, as well as students and professionals. Participants learn alternative farming methods to transition from low-value crops to high-value, direct-marketed specialty crops that can increase profitability and conserve water. It is made possible with funding from the Nevada Department of Agriculture and USDA/AMS through the Specialty Crop Block Grant.

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Mills Ranch raises grass-fed beef - here's a chance to eat BBQ and vist the ranch!



From my mailbox to you:

July 25 is Farm Day at Mills Ranch in Fallon! Join them for an afternoon of food, friends, and fun. There will be farm tours, cooking demonstrations and favorite recipes for grass-fed beef, presentations and discussions, and barbecued beef from Mills Ranch.

The festivities begin at 3 pm and last until 7. Please RSVP to 867-3431 by July 17th! Mills Ranch is a 3-generation family farm located at 5707 Candee Lane in Fallon. More info at www.millsranch.org.

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Is Sustainable Attainable? by Gary Romano

If you don't know it already let me tell you right off -- being a small farmer in the 21st century is tough. The government stacks the deck in favor of big agriculture and development, and relentless processed food marketing constantly draws our attention away from tasty, healthy food and towards convenient, artificially cheap food. You gotta wonder why they stay on the farm.

Here's a little insight from one of our best local farmers. Check out this video produced by Gary Romano at Sierra Valley Farms.

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Saturday, July 4, 2009

Northern Nevada has a Slow Food chapter!

It's official! Northern Nevada now has its own Slow Food convivium called Slow Food Reno. Go here to see what the group has been up to. Or even better, go to Slow Food USA to see what other, longer established groups have been doing in their own communities.

Slow Food is about eating good, fresh food, preferably locally grown food (depending on your perspective...and hey, I am a local food advocate am I not!), visiting, and connecting with our friends, families, neighbors, and potential new friends. Slow Food is also about food justice, food security, artesian food, endangered food, cooking, imbibing, growing…anything that has to do with food outside the fast food system. There’s room all perspectives, interest levels, and skills. Go to Slow Food Reno or Slow Food USA to find out more.

By the way, when thinking about or interacting with Slow Food it helps to remember that the key word here is “slow”. I’ve been involved with Slow Food activities for a couple of years now and must always remind myself that the international organization does not work well with hard and fast deadlines and timeframes. For example, even though SFR has been official for a few weeks, the group is not yet included on the Slow Food USA convivium list. Relax…have something to eat and a glass of wine with your favorite other while you wait.

Woo hoo!

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Wanna food shop one step closer to home? Custom Gardens is holding an on-farm market

This time of year is ambrosia for people who like to eat close to home. Each year the number of northern Nevada farmers markets increases, as does the number of potential urban and rural farmers taking a shot a growing human food (called "specialty crops" in the agriculture industry) in Nevada. Granted, many of the farmers at the markets hail from California. These farmers grow where the growing season is longer and the temperatures are friendlier. I really appreciate what they do, but still, my heart is with Nevada farmers for food-security and economic reasons, and because I love them as individuals. Nevada farmers are working hard to expand the growing season and available varieties. On-farm markets are just one more way to buy the food they grow.

If there's anything more fun than shopping at the farmers markets it's shopping right on the farm. If you haven't had a chance to do this yet I highly recommend it. Take the family and friends and make it a day.

Shopping at on-farm markets are really great for a couple of reasons. First, it allows the farmer to stay close to their property and growing chores. Farming takes a lot of effort, dedication, and time. On-farm markets means farmers and their customers can meet, talk, support each other, and share wonderful food while at the same time allowing the farmer to stay on farm as much as possible.

Second, most of us know so little about where our food comes from…a visit to a real farm helps lift the veil on our very secretive food production system, and helps us understand what it really takes to produce quality, real food.

And it’s fun. When was the last time you petted a goat? I swear…they act like giant puppies. And you can only pet one on a farm.

This just in - some information on a local Nevada on-farm market.

Custom Gardens On-Farm, Farmer’s Green-Market
3701 Elm Street, Silver Springs, Nevada

Farm Open Sundays, June to October
10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. Artichokes to Zucchini,
herbs, vine, and bush fruit, (Tree Fruit as Mother
Nature permits) and other edible treats.

Public Welcome, Demonstration Plot & Farm Tours
We are approved to redeem SFMNP senior nutrition coupons for in-season fresh produce.

ALL Green-Market Produce GROWN ON SITE!

Contact The Farmers
Ray or Virginia Johnson
At 775-577-2069 or Email
customgardens@mindspring.com
for a map and crop informatio

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Monday, June 15, 2009

Northern Nevada farmers are opening farm stands

Soon we'll have more options for purchasing food grown by really local farmers. More Nevada farmers are starting on-farm markets, or farm stands.

Getting fresh food from the farm to the market, while simultaneously running a farm can be a challenge. The food distribution system that delivers our food to the supermarket is not available to local farmers and it doesn't work with fresh food, so farmers have to come up with other innovative ways to get their product to us. Some are returning to the use of farm stands, which connect us to the fresh food and give us an opportunity to relearn where food comes from.

From my mailbox to you,

"Visit Custom Gardens On-farm Farmer's Market, Sundays beginning June 21, 10am-2pm. Meet the farmers, take a tour of the farm, and fill your market bag with locally-grown, certified organic produce. For directions to the farm, call (775) 577-2069 or go to Custom Gardens.
More farm stands will be opening soon. Visit Nevada Grown for more information."

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Thursday, June 4, 2009

New farmers market in Fallon

This just in....

There's a new farmers market in Fallon. The Grower's Market is held each Saturday, 9:00 to 1:00, at the Slanted Porch, 310 S. Taylor Street.

It started a couple of weeks ago, around May 30th, and will continue until it's done...no specific end date yet.

For updates contact The Slanted Porch at 775-423-4489.

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Wednesday, May 27, 2009

2009 Northern Nevada farmers market schedule

RENO
California and Booth Street
Saturdays, 8am to 1pm, June 6th – October 3rd

West Street Urban Market
West Street between 1st & 2nd
Sundays, 9am to 1pm, June 14th – September 13th

Shopper’s Square
S. Virginia and Plumb
Tuesdays, 8am to 1pm, June 9th - October 6th


Somersett Town Square, 7650 Town Square Way
Wednesdays, 4-8pm, June 10–Aug 26
Linda, (775) 787-4500 Ext 311
www.somersett.com

Tamarack Junction Casino
13101 S Virginia
Fridays, 8am to 1pm, June 12th – October 9th,


SPARKS
United Methodist Church
1231 Pyramid Way
Tuesdays, 8am-1pm, June 2-Sep 15
Everett, (775)358-0925

Sparks Hometowne Farmers' Market on Victorian Square.
Thursdays from 4pm to 9pm, June 11th to ?

CARSON CITY
3rd & Curry St
Saturdays, 9am-1pm, June 27-Oct 3
Linda, (775) 882-6741
www.carsonfarmersmarket.com

Pony Express Pavilion
East 50 (Williams) & Saliman
Wednesdays 3pm – 7pm, June 10th – September 2nd

DAYTON
Community Roots Nursery
Hwy 50 & 2nd Ave,
Thursdays, 4-7pm, June 25-September
Wendy, (775)250-7884


FALLON
Churchill County Fairgrounds
325 Sheckler Rd
Tuesdays, 4:00-8:30 pm, June 16 – Aug 25 (closed July 7)
Don, (775) 427-3428

Grower's Market
The Slanted Porch, 310 S. Taylor Street
Saturdays, 9:00-1:00, May 30th - TBA
The Slanted Porch at 775-423-4489


GARDNERVILLE
Lampe Park
Wednesdays, 8am-1pm, June 3 - Sep 16
Jana, (775)782-9828
http://www.douglascountynv.gov/sites/recdept/Adult.cfm

MINDEN

Downtown, Esmeralda Avenue
Tuesdays, 4-8pm, June 2 - September
Roxanne, (775) 782-2444

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