SIERRA HARVEST

SIERRA HARVEST'S FARM TO SCHOOL PROGRAM IS CURRENTLY IN 12 NEVADA COUNTY SCHOOLS & REACHES OVER 6,500 STUDENTS (97% OF WESTERN NEVADA COUNTY'S K-8 STUDENTS). IT CONNECTS STUDENTS TO FRESH, LOCAL FOOD THROUGH HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES IN THEIR SCHOOL GARDENS, ON FARMS, & IN THEIR CAFETERIAS. FARM PARTNERS HOST FARM FIELD TRIPS & COME TO THE CLASSROOM TO SHARE FARMING STORIES & ACTIVITIES WITH THE KIDS. SIERRA HARVEST ALSO DELIVERS MONTHLY "HARVEST OF THE MONTH" TASTINGS OF LOCAL, SEASONAL FRUITS & VEGETABLES TO CLASSROOMS ALONG WITH EDUCATOR CURRICULUM & A FAMILY NEWSLETTER. "TASTING DAYS" BRING GUEST CHEFS INTO THE CLASSROOM TO COOK SIMPLE, SEASONAL MEALS WITH OVER 4,000 STUDENTS. SIERRA HARVEST IS PROVIDING FUNDING AND SUPPORT TO CREATE ONE CONSOLIDATED CENTRAL KITCHEN FOR 8 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, TRANSITIONING MEALS FROM FROZEN, PROCESSED FOODS HEATED & WRAPPED IN PLASTIC TO FRESH FOODS COOKED FROM SCRATCH FOR THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS. SIERRA HARVEST HAS SUCCESSFULLY ENGAGED SCHOOL DISTRICTS, DONORS & COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO INVEST FINANCIALLY IN 12 SCHOOL GARDENS TO ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY WHILE CREATING AN OUTDOOR LEARNING LAB FOR TEACHERS. SURVEY DATA INDICATE THAT PARTICIPATING STUDENTS TRY NEW FRUITS & VEGGIES FOR THE FIRST TIME THROUGH HARVEST OF THE MONTH, EAT MORE OF A FRUIT OR VEGGIE AFTER TRYING IT AT SCHOOL, & REPORT THAT THEY SHOP DIRECTLY FROM FARMERS MORE OFTEN.

THE FARM INSTITUTE WORKS ALONGSIDE FARMERS AND RANCHERS TO INCREASE SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRODUCTION. FARM INSTITUTE PROGRAMS BUILD THE PROSPERITY OF ECOLOGICALLY SUSTAINABLE PRODUCERS, INCREASE THE LAND IN ORGANIC PRODUCTION, AND TRAIN MORE BEGINNING FARMERS AS THE OLDER GENERATION RETIRES. AGRICULTURAL SKILLS CLASSES TRAIN BEGINNING FARMERS IN REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE PRODUCTION. THE SIX-WEEK SKILL-BUILDING BUSINESS COURSE, FARM BIZ, LEAVES PARTICIPANTS WITH A CONCRETE BUSINESS PLAN AND FINANCIAL KNOWLEDGE THAT IS CRITICAL TO RUNNING A VIABLE FARM BUSINESS. THE LAND MATCH PROGRAM CONNECTS SUSTAINABLE FARMERS AND RANCHERS WITH LOCAL AGRICULTURAL LAND. TO DATE, SIERRA HARVEST HAS TRAINED 157 FARMERS, HELPED 10 FARMS CERTIFY ORGANIC, MATCHED 26 FARMERS TO LOW COST FARM LAND, AND PROVIDED 4,524 HOURS OF EDUCATION. SIERRA HARVEST'S SUSTAINABLE FOOD AND FARM CONFERENCE IS AN ANNUAL REGIONAL CONFERENCE DESIGNED TO EDUCATE AND CONNECT THE LOCAL AND REGIONAL SUSTAINABLE FARMING COMMUNITY. NEARLY 200 PARTICIPANTS ENGAGED IN WORKSHOPS FROM REGIONAL EXPERTS AND LEARNED HOW TO BUILD BUSINESS STRATEGIES, NETWORK WITH OTHER FARMERS AND CONNECT TO NEW LOCAL BUYERS. SIERRA HARVEST ALSO CONNECTS FARMERS AND FOOD BUYERS TO INCORPORATE MORE LOCALLY AND REGIONALLY GROWN FRESH FOODS INTO INSTITUTIONAL MEAL PROGRAMS AND FOOD DISTRIBUTION PROGRAMS IN OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS, FOOD PANTRIES, CORRECTIONAL FACILITY, SENIOR HOMES, AND HOMELESS SHELTERS. SIERRA HARVEST DOES THIS THROUGH PRODUCER/BUYER MIXERS, ACCESS TO PRODUCER AVAILABILITY LISTS, TOURS OF LOCAL FARMS AND RANCHES, IDENTIFYING SEASONAL, COST-EFFECTIVE RECIPES, AND ASSISTANCE WITH EDUCATING CUSTOMERS ABOUT LOCAL SOURCES OF FOOD AND WHY IT IS IMPORTANT TO SUPPORT OUR LOCAL FARMING COMMUNITY. IN SUPPORT OF LOCAL FARMERS AND RANCHERS, SIERRA HARVEST ENGAGES IN LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL POLICIES THAT SUPPORT JUST, SUSTAINABLE FOOD SYSTEMS. THE NEVADA COUNTY FOOD POLICY COUNCIL (NCFPC) WAS FORMED IN MARCH 2015 TO FOSTER COLLABORATION AMONG LOCAL FOOD AND FARMING INDIVIDUALS, BUSINESSES AND ORGANIZATIONS, SET COMMON GOALS AND WORK TOGETHER TO MAXIMIZE POSITIVE IMPACTS ON THE FOOD ENVIRONMENT, HUMAN HEALTH, AND LIVELIHOODS IN THE COMMUNITY. THE NCFPC IS A MEMBER OF THE CALIFORNIA FOOD AND FARMING NETWORK AND HAS INVOLVED OVER 80 LOCAL FOOD AND FARMING ORGANIZATIONS TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY TO BUILD A MORE VIBRANT LOCAL FOOD SYSTEM.