Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) SUCCESS STORIES Nevada Agricultural Summit Fallon Nevada December 1 – 2, 2006

Community Supported Agriculture What are CSAs? One of the fastest growing niche markets in agriculture Directly serves Communities and Customers/Families Participants purchase shares in weekly harvests Arrangement beneficial to Farmers & the communities they serve

Community Supported Agriculture Benefits to Farmers Up front operating funds Better opportunity for planning, planting & production Develop personal relationships with shareholders Direct sales to shareholders eliminates distribution costs Allows farming families to continue doing what they do best – FARM!

Community Supported Agriculture Benefits to Shareholders Receives a diverse supply of fresh produce Produce supplied with a farmers face on it Involvement in CSA decreases the distance between their food and the person who grows it Encourages sustainable agriculture and environmental health Shareholders introduced to special regional foods not available in agri-business

Smith & Smith Farms Smith & Smith Farms is a diversified, family farm growing produce and fresh cut flowers for a 90 member CSA and local farmer's markets. Their harvest season is June through October, culminating with a Family Farm Day to pick pumpkins. They also proudly offer a Thanskgiving Box including a farm-raised turkey. Broad- breasted bronze and heritage Naragannsett turkeys are available.

We grow many different varieties, including heirlooms that have wonderful flavor and beautiful looks. In our farming practices, we use no pesticides. We amend our soil with compost and fish based fertilizers, many of our practices are biodynamic. Smith & Smith Farms

Brenda Smith 305 Comstock Dayton Nevada Phone: (775)

Custom Gardens Custom Gardens farm uses sustainable organic methods, believing that healthy foods begin with healthy soils, water, air and seeds! After growing for market (selling direct at the farm and at area farmer's markets for the first seven years) in 1995 they became the first Nevada farm to offer a Community Supported Agriculture program. In 1998, the farm was the first to be certified organic under the Nevada State program, and are proud to hold certificate #1001-P.

Located in the high desert near Lake Lahontan, at the crossroads of U.S. 50 and 95A in Silver Springs, our family owned farm, once covered with native plants, became Custom Gardens in Custom Gardens

Ray and Virginia Johnson (775)

Great Basin Basket The Great Basin Food Basket is a collaboration between you, your fellow citizens within the northern Nevada area and dedicated farmers from around the area that wish to support the market for healthy, fresh and wholesome food. Local farmers include Home Grown Nevada, Lattin Farms, Sierra Valley Farm, and Sodbuster Farm.

Our mission at the Great Basin Basket is to provide northern Nevada families with the best quality of locally grown seasonal produce grown by our local organic farmers Great Basin Basket

Summary 2006 Beginning subscribers: 95 Ending subscribers: 115 Total Income:$39,700 Payments to Farmers:$36,411 Number of Volunteers: too numerous to calculate due to the efforts of the Great Basin Cooperative & the Local Food System Network in Reno

Great Basin Basket Plans for 2007 Subscriber goal:360 Income goal:$144,000 Payments to Farmers:$129,600 Addition of Basket drop off/pick up sites Home delivery service Expansion of delivery days to 2-3 days per week Develop employee basket programs for local businesses Find central location for basket preparation and sales Reno Public Marketspace

Great Basin Basket Produce Arugala Baby beets Basil Beet Greens Broccoli Cabbage Carrots Cauliflower Chard Corn Cucumbers Herbs Fava Beans Green Beans Green Onions Kale Lettuce Melons Onions Parsnips Peas Pepper Pickles Pumpkins Radishes Rhubard Rutabaga Raspberries Tomatoes Tomatillos Spinach Strawberries Wnter Squash Zucchini

Great Basin Basket Rick Lattin (775) or Tina Smith (775)

Questions Visit the NevadaGrown display for more information on Great Basin Basket Program.