By Merrily Engelmann
As I write this, we’re in the springtime depths of social distancing thanks to the covid-19 pandemic. Here in Reno, the streets are empty but the world is blooming. It’s the time of year to get dirt under your fingernails. This convergence of worldwide disruption and spring has produced an interesting phenomenon: #VictoryGarden is suddenly a viable hashtag. Growing your own is back on the menu and interest in local farms and CSAs (Community-Supported Agriculture*) has soared. Seed companies are scrambling to keep up with demand. A quick Google search will turn up a smorgasbord of news articles documenting our DIY agriculture. I’ve seen this in Reno with Desert Farming Initiative’s vegetable plant sale selling out in under 24 hours (the plant bundles had names like The Homesteader) - before I could get my order in!
I came across a great Sierra article by Jason Mark that sums up this resurgent food sovereignty: “The pandemic has allowed people to see the world with fresh eyes. It’s as if the casing on the machinery of society has been opened up and, with a jolt, afforded us the opportunity to inspect the inner workings of things. Among other revelations, the pandemic has illustrated the fragility of our food system. The waves of panic buying and hoarding prove how totally dependent we are on global chains of production and distribution while also revealing a society-wide gut feeling that such a system might not be all that dependable: If people were confident there would be plenty of rice and pasta tomorrow, there wouldn’t be any need to squirrel away staples today.”
Let’s take this opportunity (if we can call it that) to invest in our own food sovereignty and to invest in our area’s farmers. They need us, and we need them in the most fundamental way. Strengthening our regional food sources not only promotes the local economy, but creates a bulwark against the next crisis. Consider joining a local CSA and becoming a member-owner of the Great Basin Community Food Co-op and utilizing DROPP (Distributors of Regional & Organic Produce & Products). Even with the fate of this year’s farmers markets up in the air, you can buy directly from many area farms like Reno Food Systems, Ital Farm’s salad subscription, Prema, Dayton Valley Aquaponics, Loping Coyote, and Holley Family Farms.
“It’s so important to have a resilient local food system when you see supply chains struggling to keep up,” said Mazurek. “I think local farms have an important role to play in this crisis and we don’t want any produce in the field going to waste. It’s a really important time to support local farmers, now, in whatever way we can.” - Berkeleyside Nosh
Food Hubs**:
CSAs (thank you to Edible Reno-Tahoe for compiling this resource!):
Fallon
First Fruits Sustainable Farms
Great Basin Basket Farm Share at Fallon Food Hub
Gardnerville
Lake Tahoe
Lyon County
Custom Gardens Organic Farm (This is a working CSA for volunteers or workers - 775-577-2069)
Blue Basket Organics (mostly California produce)
Pleasant Valley Farm - 775-848-7960
Misc.
Miss Me Not Farm (Washoe Valley)
Kennedy Ranch (Lamoille)
Pick up at farm or delivery available to Reno and Sparks
DIY and Education:
Northern Nevada Fruit and Vegetable Gardening Group
Seeds:
Click Here for Seed Resources!
*A community supported agriculture (CSA) project is one that allows consumers to support local farmers by committing to purchasing a share of the farm’s food products. - ecolife.com
**Food hubs occupy the space between the CSA and the broadline distributor, aggregating produce from several farms at a volume large enough to satisfy institutional clients, while prioritizing local sourcing and facilitating relationships between farmers and their customers. - thecounter.org