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Nevada County Agriculture, Food & Gardening Digest



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.

Nevada County Reports on Community Resiliency Grants

03/22/2024

A report on how Nevada County allocated $5.8M of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding for Community and Economic Resiliency projects.

New Website Features Information on Care of Backyard Chickens, Sheep, Goats

03/07/2024

The University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources advisors has published a new website with information resources for small acreage landowners raising livestock.

Food Bank Raises Alarm About Skyrocketing Number of Families in Need

02/15/2024

The Food Bank of Nevada County is experiencing “huge increases across the board through all our programs and especially our direct distribution sites,” according to Volunteer Coordinator Heather Haddock.

Beekeeper Offers $100,000 Reward in Brazen Fresno Beehive Thefts

02/14/2024

Commercial beekeeper Andrew Strehlow estimates he’s had 1,000 hives stolen over the years. The latest theft, of 96 hives from a Fresno County orchard, was his last straw.

Central California Is Battling a Unique, ‘Growing’ Crime Problem

02/13/2024

Beehives, tractors and more are getting stolen from farmers.

Local Native Plant Group Offers Community Grants

02/13/2024

The local Redbud Chapter of the California Native Plant Society has announced a new Redbud Community Grant Program, through which the chapter will give back proceeds from their native plant sales.

Will More Outdoor Drinking Give CA Economy a Buzz?

01/29/2024

State Sen. Scott Wiener wants to allow California cities and counties to designate “entertainment zones” where bars and restaurants could serve alcoholic drinks that people can consume on public streets and sidewalks.

California Ranks High Worldwide for Rapidly Depleted Groundwater

01/24/2024

In a sign of the ongoing threats to its precious groundwater stores, half a dozen regions in California rank among the world’s most rapidly declining aquifers.

Groundwater Levels Are Falling in Parts of California and Food-Growing Regions Worldwide

01/24/2024

Groundwater depletion is worsening in many of the world’s farming regions. But a global study also found that some efforts are helping to boost aquifers.

Invasive Flies Are Inching Closer Toward Ruining California’s Economy

01/24/2024

For months, the California Department of Food and Agriculture has been waging war on the oriental fruit fly, a voracious pest that can attack hundreds of types of fruits and vegetables.

Will $20 Minimum Wage Crush Fast Food in California?

01/22/2024

Fast food lives in a consumer sweet spot: demand, convenience and relative affordability. And this pay hike—equal to minimum wage increases during the past five years—will create grand economic unknowns.

Newsom Pitches Spending $22M to Fight Fruit Flies

01/10/2024

California farmers face challenges posed by multiple types of fruit flies. Gov. Gavin Newsom has proposed spending just over $22 million to combat the spread of these flies.

Avian Flu Outbreak Hammers California Poultry Industry

01/04/2024

An outbreak of the avian flu that began in California in October has killed 5.5 million birds throughout the Golden State. About 20% of the deaths have come in Sonoma County.

Bright Blue Waves Return to Southern California

01/03/2024

Bright blue waves have been spotted in Long Beach, Newport Beach, Huntington Beach and Seal Beach. The bioluminescence is caused by organisms known as dinoflagellates and can impact fish populations.

Brewbilt Brew Haus Opens in Downtown Nevada City

12/26/2023

A building that has held everything from a gas station to a kayak shop, is now the home of Brewbilt Brew Haus. Jef Lewis, Bennett Buchanan, and a team of others opened up the taproom on Dec. 10.

Sierra Nevada Releases Its First Non-Alcoholic Beers

12/22/2023

The Chico-based brewer has taken a more traditional approach to creating its non-alcoholic beer.

Mani Niall Helps New Food Entrepreneurs Move to the Next Level

12/20/2023

Mani Niall, founder of Oakland-based Mani’s Test Kitchen, will share his knowledge during Sierra Commons’ five-week Food Entrepreneur Accelerator course.

Kern County Is Poised to Become Warehousing’s Next Frontier

12/19/2023

Farmland is being rezoned for industrial use, and massive warehouses are being built on spec near communities like Buttonwillow and Shafter, so goods coming through the Southern California ports can be shipped quickly throughout the western United States.

California Awards $116.8 Million to Conserve Agricultural Lands

12/19/2023

The California Strategic Growth Council approved over $116 million in Sustainable Agricultural Lands Conservation Program grants to permanently protect 50,500 acres of croplands and rangelands, as well as lands utilized by Indigenous tribes for the cultivation of traditional resources.

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
California’s farm workers help feed the whole country.
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.