Farm

The nomination period for the 2014 Blue Ribbon Awards ended on Friday, Oct. 10. TahoeChamber’s prestigious awards program that recognizes exceptional South Shore businesses received over 175 nominations for eight separate award categories. The finalists and winners will be announced at the 7th Annual Blue Ribbon Awards dinner and ceremony on November 13 at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe. Tickets for the awards ceremony are now available for purchase at www.tahoechamber.org.

Congratulations to the 2014 Blue Ribbon Awards nominees:

Tahoe Cheese Company of Carson City is one of three area food producers to receive federal grant money to expand production and market their Northern Nevada products, the USDA announced Thursday. McCleary Ranch, north of Carson City in Washoe County and the Frey Ranch Estate Distillery of Fallon were also approved for Value-Added Producer Grants.

The inaugural Nevada Governor’s Conference on Agriculture will be Nov. 13 at the Atlantis Casino Resort and Spa in Reno, the Nevada Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday.

“I am pleased to announce the very first Nevada Governor’s Conference on Agriculture,” said Gov. Brian Sandoval. “Agriculture is one of Nevada’s leading industries, contributing more than $3 billion to the state’s economy. This includes our rich and diverse agricultural industries, from ranching and farming to all the associated businesses that keep these industries vibrant.”

The Carson City Greenhouse Project at Carson High School is one of 14 projects in Nevada to receive specialty crop block grant money designed for organizations that promote and enhance speciality crops through education, research, marketing and production, the Nevada Department of Agriculture announced Tuesday.

The $21,577 in grant money earmarked for the Greenhouse Project will help fund the Growing America’s Future Farmer program, said JoAnne Skelly, extension educator with the University of Nevada and grant writer for the Greenhouse Project.

Good Morning, Carson City! Many people in our area have facebook accounts, but not everyone, so I am pleased to bring you the event list that is featured on my facebook page, I love Carson City.

Every week (for the last two years) I have scoured the internet, followed the pages of local businesses and organizations, searched website calendars, and compiled a list of anything and everything going on in this community.

Many celebrations are scheduled throughout the Silver State in the month of October. These Nevada 150 events celebrate all things Nevada and help bring awareness to the 150th Anniversary of Statehood. The following area events are held Oct. 1-15:

In celebration of Nevada’s 150th Anniversary of Statehood, several locally owned farms have transformed their corn fields into intricate Sesquicentennial themed corn mazes. Tours will be at various times throughout September, October and November. Six different Nevada farms will host a wide array of activities and games including corn mazes, petting zoos, pumpkin patches, prizes, and more.

The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the Tax Court’s decision that a couple did not show they held the farmhouse as a rental or for the production of income (sale at a gain later). They did rent out the farm land. But the Courts distinguished the land rental from the farmhouse.

Northern Nevada’s premier local food event returns Sept. 13 to Fallon, Nev. showcasing three of the region’s top culinary experts during Tractors and Truffles, a day of farm tours, wine tasting and fine cuisine topped off with a multi-course dinner prepared and served on-site in Fallon’s beautiful Oats Park.

Here is this week's fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada and Northern California. This report is for the week of Sept. 3-10, 2014.

Visitors and locals alike will find a variety of activities to enjoy in South Lake Tahoe Sunday, culminating with the Annual Labor Day Fireworks show.

The show features a simultaneous music broadcast that can be heard on local stations KRLT-FM 93.9 and KOWL - AM 1490. Show begins at 8:30 p.m. The fireworks are visible from all over town.

The deadline to submit applications for Official and Signature Nevada 150 events will be 5:00 p.m. Friday, Sept. 12. Over 400 events have been held across the Silver State since Nevada Day 2013, in celebration of Nevada’s Sesquicentennial, with many more ahead. To submit an event application please visit www.Nevada150.org. For questions or additional information please contact Scott Carey, events and community relations manager, at 775-687-0645 or shcarey@nevada150.org.

The following events will be held Sept. 1 through Sept. 14.

Tickets are on sale now for northern Nevada’s premier farm-to-fork event, Tractors & Truffles, Saturday, Sept. 13. Enjoy a day of farm tours and a hosted lunch, along with a late afternoon cocktail hour followed by a multi-course dinner prepared on-site in Fallon’s beautiful Oats Park. Using northern Nevada’s freshest harvest from local farms and ranches, Chef Ryan Scott is back for an encore performance.

Many celebrations are scheduled statewide in the month of August. These Nevada 150 events celebrate all things Nevada and bring awareness to the 150th Anniversary of Statehood. The following events are held Aug. 1 through Aug. 14.

UPDATE: Thursday at 11 a.m., the Wells Fargo coach will be delivering Governor Brian Sandoval, Carson City Mayor Robert Crowell and Wells Fargo Regional Manager Chad Osorno and Wells Fargo Northern Nevada Area Manager Sean French to Fuji Park in south Carson City to preside over the official opening and ribbon cutting of Carson City’s contribution to the NV150 Anniversary event, the NV150Fair.

The NV150Fair will feature over 90 4-H and Future Farmers of America kids from around the region showcasing their animals and farm knowledge.

Author Novella Carpenter, left center, tours the Greenhouse Project with founder Karen Abowd, left, and garden educator Camille Jones, on Friday, July 18, 2014. Carpenter, who wrote the New York Times Bestseller "Farm City," will speak at the Carson City Library Summer Reading Program for adults event at the Farmer's Market Saturday at 11 a.m.

As we countdown to the NV150 Fair in Carson City, we want to honor the kids that make the fair so very special. These are the kids who raise the animals so lovingly, yet are willing to release them for sale. These are the kids now bringing attention to the farm-to-table movement and are learning the value of a job well done.

As the late Whitney Houston sang, “I believe children are our future. Teach them well and let them lead the way.”
4-H clubs were formed to teach our children the importance of agriculture and to learn new ways to better farm or raise their animals.

New York Times author Novella Carpenter will be at the 3rd and Curry Street downtown Carson City Farmer’s Market on July 19 at 11 a.m. to chat about her bestselling memoir, Farm City: The Education of an Urban Farmer.

Carpenter and northern Nevada agriculture expert Mark O’Farrell, of Hungry Mother Organics, are set to engage in a kitchen-table visit. Under a large tent, with seats for 100, the conversation will be led by northern Nevada’s KTVN news anchor Erin Breen. The special event is aimed at raising awareness about the vital role farmers play in our lives.

Here is the latest fishing report for rivers, lakes and streams in Nevada, Northern California and the Sierra. This report is for the week of June 18-24, 2014.

Sierra Nevada Forums plans a public forum the evening of Tuesday, June 17, to discuss building local food networks.

Make time to visit The Greenhouse Project and a few things come clear: Agriculture is, after nearly 15 years defunct, alive and well on Carson High School’s campus, and the student population whose class time is integrated here, are developing life skills that will serve them in future, while currently realizing they have a hand in making a difference in their community.

The Clear Creek watershed that runs through Carson City and Douglas County and Franktown watershed at Washoe Lake are two of 10 areas within the Nevada's national forests to be picked as priority projects designed to combat damage from insects and disease that weakens forests and increases the risk of wildfire, U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell said Wednesday.

Responding to a provision in the new Farm Bill, Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval had asked Tidwell to designate the watersheds and eight other areas for forest health projects.

Marilyn “Mert” Lewis, a State Farm Insurance agent in Carson City, has recently earned qualifying membership in the prestigious Million Dollar Round Table.

The Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) is The Premier Association of Financial Professionals. Founded in 1927, MDRT provides its members with resources to improve their technical knowledge, sales and client service while maintaining a culture of high ethical standards.

MDRT is the internationally recognized standard of excellence in the life insurance and financial services profession.

Many events are scheduled throughout the Silver State in the month of May. These Nevada 150 events help celebrate all things Nevada and bring awareness to the state’s 150th Anniversary of Statehood. The following are events held between May 2 and May 15.

Carson City Supervisor Karen Abowd gives a recap on the actions taken by the Board of Supervisors at its April 17, 2014 meeting.

At the meeting Supervisors again approved an ordinance allowing for a 1/8-cent sales tax for public infrastructure projects including:

Native plants provide stunning, hardy and drought-resistant landscapes while benefiting the environment. Increasing demand for these plants provides opportunities to Nevada's farmers.

Western Nevada College Specialty Crop Institute offers a Native Plant and Seed Production workshop, Saturday, May 17, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., at WNC Carson Campus, 2201 W. College Parkway in Carson City. The workshop includes a tour of Comstock Seed farm and seed cleaning operation in Gardnerville. Cost is $35. Lunch is included.

4-H Farm Days is now going on at Fuji Park and will end at 1 p.m. on Friday, April 18th. This is a great way for kids to learn where their food comes from.

University of Nevada Cooperative Extension’s 4-H presents Capital City Farm Days 8:30 a.m. - 2 p.m., April 17 and 18. There will be 30 presenters teaching elementary-age youth about Nevada agriculture, where food and fiber come from, and environmental issues related to agriculture.

Attendees will include public, private and home-schooled students and their families from Carson City, Storey County, Douglas County and Dayton Valley.

With Thursday's Reno Aces opener, baseball fans will again line the stands for peanuts, beer and a hot dog made exclusively here in Carson City.

For the third consecutive season The Sausage Factory is the official hot dog and sausage for the Reno Aces. Some 4,500 pounds of product were sent off to Reno last week in preparation of Thursday's opening day.

FALLON - Social media offers the best and worst examples of Internet marketing, and successful businesses know the rules.

Western Nevada College Specialty Crop Institute offers a Social Media Boot Camp for Farms & Ranches workshop, Saturday, April 26, 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., at WNC Fallon Campus, 160 Campus Way, Fallon. Cost is $25 for those registering by April 18, $35 afterward. Lunch is included.