Feb 22, 2010

Rise and Shine Farms has a new buying club program -- maybe now I can get a duck!

Here's the thing...I've been wanting to try to prepare charcuterie, specifically duck confit, at home but haven't been able to buy just one happy duck. I found a great charcuterie cookbook at the library but couldn't find a local happy duck.  Now Rise and Shine Farms offers a buying club so I can pay a small membership fee and buy their products (including a duck) outside of a CSA system.  From my mailbox to you:

Northern Nevada gets its own local food magazine

Local folks who love food and have a warm place in their heart for local food have been working hard to develop a new facet to the local scene, and soon we’ll reap the benefits -- a magazine focused completely on food in the Reno Tahoe area. March 6th is the launch date for Edible Reno Tahoe. Check out the food and fun filled launch weekend schedule; get yourself an annual subscription, or sign up for updates.


Washoe County Library System will also have a copy on the shelf at the Downtown Reno, Sparks, Spanish Springs, Incline Village, North Valleys, and South Valleys branches. Stop by to take a peak at the Spring edition.

Feb 21, 2010

Feb 19, 2010

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

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

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

Feb 12, 2010

New CSA program for lucky Northern Nevada families

We have a new CSA option in Northern Nevada! Curtis and Anna Bateman of NanaDew Herb Farm in Fallon are now the proud purveyors of NanaDew Herb Farm CSA. Curtis and and Anna have been growing food in our region for some time and have been part of the farmers market and CSA scene for a while. Now they're putting together their own CSA, which will include certified organic or naturally raised food. And this CSA program offers add-ons so families can tailor their basket to their needs/wants and receive other products like goat milk soap, honey, and whatever else is seasonally available. Lovely! They're ready for 2010 signups now.

CSA farmers are ready to hear from their 2010 CSA families


This is the time of year our local farmers ask us to enter into CSA partnerships.  The cool weather crop growing season is just around the corner so CSA farmers are planning and paying for supplies now. The Great Basin Basket CSA is ready for 2010...are you?  If Great Basin Basket is the program for you, sign up now!

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






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

Feb 4, 2010

Could 2010 be a tipping point for local food in Northern Nevada?

 Interest in local food has reached a point where some farmers are actually able to expand their operations. Great Basin Basket is making value-added products like soup and bread CSAs and jams available during the winter months. NanaDew Herb Farm, which previously contributed to a collaborative CSA, is now spearheading a new program. Rise and Shine Farms had to order more chickens to meet the demand.  And Grow For Me is introducing a personal farmer program to our list of local food options.

For weeks I've been chatting with people looking for advice on how to cowpool, wanting to talk about CSAs, and asking about seasonality and cooking at home.  And they're loving it.

I've said it before....Woo Hoo!

Feb 2, 2010

Rise and Shine Farms CSA 2010

It’s CSA sign-up season so here’s one of a few options for anyone living in or around Reno, Sparks, and Fallon.

Rise and Shine Farms is taking CSA membership sign-ups now. Here’s a little info about what’s going on at the Marsh place.

BTW….check out the part about holiday season offerings… heritage turkey, duck and goose!

From my mailbox to you:

Eeeew! Choose the hamburger you want to eat or they'll do it for you

If you've seen Food, Inc. you already know what's really in that big-box store or fast food hamburger.  If you haven't and still think your hamburger comes from here......


.....look again!

These guys are shooting for 100% of the market...scary! Now's the time to stock up on grass-fed beef that hasn't been anywhere near a place like that. Mmmm...BBQ season isn't that far away.

Grow For Me personal farmer program - an expanded CSA

General local food knowledge says that if everyone purchased as little as 10% of their food from local farmers communities could nurture and maintain small farms in their region and farmers could stay on the farm rather than work two or three jobs. It takes remarkably little effort to eat 10% in Nevada during “the season”, especially if the family diet is vegetarian. Each year it gets easier as more new or established farmers offer CSAs. For those looking to get even more variety in their CSA, here’s a great new program.

Introducing the Grow For Me Personal Farmer program. This is a one-stop-shop (mostly), sustainable, chemical-free CSA that will include veggies, fruit, eggs, meat (beef, chicken, lamb, and pork), and milk! For a few hundred bucks a month, depending on the payment plan a family chooses, it is possible to eat way more than 10%. Bonus, going “grocery shopping” could be a visit to the farm where kids (or you!) can see where food really comes from and only 20 miles or so from Reno and Sparks. Gotta love that!

There are other benefits as well, too numerous to go into here so check out the Grow For Me website.