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Nevada County Agriculture, Food & Gardening Digest



A Surprising Immigration Raid in Kern County Foreshadows What Awaits Farmworkers and Businesses

01/09/2025

“If this is the new normal, this is absolute economic devastation,” says one local economist.

California to Launch Amsterdam-Style Cannabis Cafés, Blending Weed and Coffee Culture

01/03/2025

Those in California who’d like a latte with a side of weed have gotten their wish now that a new law goes into effect that permits licensed cannabis dispensaries to add sit-in cafes to their sites.  

More Water for Urban Areas, Some Farms: Biden, Newsom Officials Announce Long-Awaited New Water Delivery Rules

12/20/2024

New operating rules for massive Delta systems will increase water deliveries to Southern California cities and some growers. Salmon numbers could drop, especially in dry years.

How America Lost Control of the Bird Flu, Setting the Stage for Another Pandemic

12/19/2024

Keith Poulsen's jaw dropped when farmers showed him images on their cellphones at the World Dairy Expo in Wisconsin in October. A livestock veterinarian at the University of Wisconsin, Poulsen had seen sick cows before, with their noses dripping and udders slack.

Federal Health Care Dollars Are Helping to House Homeless Californians. Trump Could Stop That

12/11/2024

Gov. Newsom launched an ambitious program that uses Medi-Cal to help Californians access housing, healthy food and more. Now, its fate is in the hands of President-Elect Trump.

Give Your Input: DeVere Mautino Park Community Garden

12/10/2024

Your input and feedback are sought for an initiative by the Interfaith Food Ministry and Sierra Harvest to expand the community garden at DeVere Mautino Park in Grass Valley. Read on to learn more about the proposed project and how you can participate.

What's Behind All Those Food Recalls?

12/09/2024

Are food recalls on the rise? Yes. Read on to learn more.

Help Interfaith Food Ministry Help Families in Need

11/27/2024

Learn how you can help Interfaith Food Ministry provide holiday meals to Nevada County families in need.

Nevada County Crop and Livestock Report

11/21/2024

Learn about the recently released 2023 Nevada County Crop and Livestock Report for 2023 showing an increase of %30 over the previous year, and the contribution by the local legal cannabis sector.

How Three Trump Policy Decrees Could Affect California’s Agricultural Industry

11/18/2024

Voters in California’s farm belt, stretching more than 400 miles from Kern County on the south to Tehama County on the north, delivered solid majorities for Donald Trump in this month’s presidential election.

Donate a Turkey Today

11/13/2024

Donate turkeys and other food supplies to help meet the urgent need this holiday season at the Food Bank of Nevada County. Read on to find out how you can help.

Nevada County Revises Commercial Cannabis Ordinance

11/13/2024

Learn more about changes made to the Commercial Cannabis Ordinance in the November 12 meeting of the Nevada County Board of Supervisors.

USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program Grant Awarded

11/12/2024

A USDA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program grant of $750,000 has been awarded to Sierra Harvest.Read on to learn how they intend to use the funding.

20 Years of Voting Data Finds Growing Turnout Gap Between Salinas Valley, Rest of County

10/30/2024

THE SALINAS VALLEY is the setting for fecund soil, labor rights movements and John Steinbeck novels.Squeezed into one 90-mile-long wedge between the Gabilan and Santa Lucia mountains, the valley’s residents constitute less than 1% of Californians but have shaped the identity of the whole state.

Microenterprise Home Kitchen Program Online Town Hall on October 24

10/18/2024

Learn more about the online town hall hosted by Nevada County on October 24 to discuss the proposed microenterprise home kitchen program.

Will New Laws Improve Housing for CA Farmworkers?

09/25/2024

Many California farmworkers have long lacked safe and affordable places to sleep — an issue thrown into sharp relief after last year’s mass shooting in Half Moon Bay, which left seven agricultural workers dead.

Nevada County Considers Commercial Home Kitchen Ordinance

09/13/2024

Nevada County will be holding public meetings and soliciting comment via online survey as it considers adoption of an ordinance permitting commercial use of home kitchens.

Community Support Sought During Hunger Action Month

09/07/2024

The Interfaith Food Ministry reminds the community that among other things, September is Hunger Action Month and seeks to raise awareness of those who need food assistance in Nevada County.

Nevada County Explores Cannabis Cultivation Ordinance Updates

08/23/2024

An update of three public meetings held to discuss proposals to amend the Nevada County commercial cannabis cultivation ordinance.

Nevada County Seed Library Launches

08/13/2024

The Nevada County Library is partnering with the Nevada County Master Gardeners to provide free seeds through its seed library program.

Cannabis Ordinance Public Meetings To Be Held

08/07/2024

Proposed amendments to the Nevada County commercial cannabis cultivation ordinance will be the topic of three upcoming public meetings.

Dangerous Herbicide Used on California Crops Banned

08/07/2024

The chemical, used for decades, can harm babies’ developing brains. Farmworkers and people living near fields are most at risk. The EPA issued a rare emergency order.

Spotlight on the Nevada County Fair

08/06/2024

A look at the 2024 Nevada County Fair at the fairgrounds in Grass Valley.

Community Farm Planning Approved for Mautino Park

07/25/2024

The Grass Valley City Council approved funding for a planning study for a community garden farm to be located at Dee Mautino Park on Alta Street.

A California Court Just Granted an Ag Giant a Win. It Could Jeopardize New Farm Union Law

07/19/2024

A judge has halted a union effort at the Wonderful Company, throwing into question a new state law designed to make it easier for agricultural workers to organize.

Judge Temporarily Blocks State Order to Growers Who Depleted Groundwater

07/16/2024

A Kings County judge today issued a temporary restraining order against the state that pauses its unprecedented move to crack down on groundwater depletion in California’s agricultural heartland.

New Reservoir Project Advances

06/05/2024

The $4.5 billion Sites Reservoir project is advancing after a judge dismissed a lawsuit filed by environmental groups.

Grass Valley Thursday Night Market Open Through June

05/31/2024

Featuring locally grown fresh produce and food and craft vendors, the downtown Grass Valley Open Market is running through June, Thursday nights from 6-9PM.

$20 Billion: The Delta Tunnel’s New Price Tag

05/16/2024

The centerpiece of California’s water wars pits Gov. Newsom against local communities and environmentalists. A new report says the benefits of the tunnel exceed the cost since other water supplies would cost more.

Famers Bring Back CSA

05/02/2024

Four farms are working together for a second season to sell food and organic produce through their Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.

Free Green Waste Days Added in May

04/23/2024

Three additional dates in May have been announced for free residential green waste disposal at the McCourtney Road Transfer Station in Grass Valley.

Interfaith Food Ministry March Matching Campaign Raises $160,000

04/17/2024

Interfaith Food Ministry announced it had exceeded its March Matching Campaign goal and raised $160,000 to address food insecurity in Nevada County.

Featured

RCDs look after the land, whether it’s used for grazing, growing, or getting out into nature.
California Dirt
RCDs were created to avoid a repeat of the Dust Bowl. Now they work with landowners to preserve the air, water and natural habitats that sustain us all.
Dairy products are California’s top agricultural commodity, but the industry is often criticized for its impact on the environment.
Sustainable Sustenance
Greener ways to feed the world’s growing population
Fresh and dried fruit, wine, nuts and more can be found at Casa De Fruta, a venerable stop for drivers traversing Pacheco Pass.
Roadside Attractions
Apples and berries, steaks and dairy...and much more
They help feed the whole country, but life for California’s farm workers remains a struggle.
How California Feeds the Country
California, a state known for high-tech and show business glitz, is also America’s farming powerhouse.
How California reclamation districts turned millions of acres of wetlands into fertile agricultural land, starting in the earliest days of the Gold Rush.
Reclamation Districts: Turning ‘Swamps’ Into Farmland
From its earliest days as a state, California has been trying to turn marshes into productive land.
Since the Gold Rush era, land reclamation has cost California 90 percent of its wetlands.
How Land Reclamation Hurts California’s Environment
The hidden price tag of “reclaiming” swamps and marshes as usable land.
The 1965 law known as the Williamson Act has been responsible for keeping about half of California's farmland out of the hands of developers.
The Williamson Act: How the Law That Protects California’s Farmland Works
More than half of California farmland is under contracts that prevent its development.