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!