Extension offers combined small-acreage and farm-to-fork certification program

By: Lincoln County Record

The University of Nevada, Reno Extension’s Herds & Harvest Program is introducing a comprehensive certification course for new and emerging Nevada farmers and ranchers, running from January 22 to March 19. The program, held via Zoom on Wednesday evenings, includes topics ranging from soil health to farm financial management, supplemented by field trips to local farms. Participants who complete the course, attend a field trip or one of the spring Nevada agriculture conferences, and successfully submit a business plan review will earn their Nevada Beginning Farmer & Rancher Level 1 Small Acreage and Farm-to-Fork Certification.

Participants in last year’s certification program for producers enjoyed a tour stop at Sierra Shadows Lavender and Honey Farm in Gardnerville.

Growing Food Sovereignty with Hoop Houses on the Duck Valley Reservation

 By: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

The University of Nevada, Reno Extension, in partnership with the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Barrick Gold Corporation, and Native American Tribes across northern Nevada, initiated the Duck Valley Food Sovereignty Project, also known as the Hoop House Project. The goal of the Hoop House Project is to help tribes improve the availability and consumption of nutritious food in their communities by building hoop houses and organizing regional training workshops about gardening and food production. By constructing approximately 80 hoop houses and simple, cost-effective greenhouse structures, this initiative enables year-round cultivation of fruits and vegetables, overcoming the challenges posed by the region's arid climate and limited access to fresh food.

Team setting up planter bed in a greenhouse