Farm Fresh Food

OUR AREA OFFERS AN ABUNDANCE of fresh, local produce from dozens of small farms around Nevada City, Grass Valley, Auburn, Loomis and Newcastle. Truckee is served by some in Plumas County, such as Sierra Valley Farms, as well as ones in the foothills.

The fresh, local fruits and vegetables, meats, poultry and eggs are sold at farmers markets: Foothill Farmers Market, the The Market at Grass Valley, Grass Valley Thursday Night Market and the Nevada City Farmers Market, among others.

Most of the weekly markets open in spring (April for The Market at Grass Valley). Some are year-round, such as the PlacerGROWN Farmers Market in Auburn; the Nevada City Farmers Market was open the first and third Saturdays of each month this past winter.

Our area also has farm stands such as Bierwagen’s Donner Trail Fruit in Chicago Park, Twin Peaks Orchard in Newcastle, and Boorinakis Harper Ranch, Ikedas, and Machado Orchards in Auburn.

Wild Groves in Newcastle is an olive oil producer that has won Best of Show at the California State Fair. Colwell Thundering Herd Ranch in Penryn makes a Mandarin-flavored olive oil.

Some farms, such as Mountain Bounty Farms in Nevada City, Foothill Roots Farm in Meadow Vista and Natural Trading Co. in Newcastle, offer weekly CSAs (or “veggies in a box”). The Sierra Foothills Producers, a group of local farms and ranches, also is popular.

LOCAL FARMERS MARKETS

PLACERGROWN FARMERS MARKET
has more than a half dozen markets including:
Saturdays Auburn (Courthouse) and Rocklin
Sundays Granite Bay
Tuesdays Roseville
Wednesdays Auburn (DeWitt Center)
Thursdays Loomis and Tahoe City
PlacerGrown.com

JARDIN DEL RIO
July-September:
Tuesdays 10556 Combie Rd., Auburn
Saturdays 10024 Linnet Lane, Auburn
JardindelRio.com

GRASS VALLEY THURSDAY NIGHT MARKET
Thursdays 4-7 p.m. in historic downtown Grass Valley, May 16-September 26.
Fresh food and produce from farmers, food and craft vendors and entertainment.
DowntownGrassValley.com

THE MARKET AT GRASS VALLEY
(formerly Nevada County Certified Growers Market)
Saturdays 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
North Star House, Grass Valley, April 27-November 23
Tuesdays 8 a.m.-12 p.m.
Pine Creek Shopping Center, Grass Valley, May 14-September 24
NEW Thursdays 4-7 p.m.
Downtown Grass Valley, May 16-Sept. 26
TheMarketAtGrassValley.com

NEVADA CITY FARMERS MARKET
Saturdays 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Union St. historic downtown Nevada City,
June 1-November 23.
NCFarmersMarket.org

TRUCKEE CERTIFIED FARMERS MARKET
Tuesdays 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
Truckee River Regional Park, May 14-Oct. 15
Find them on Facebook

TRUCKEE COMMUNITY FARMERS MARKET
Sundays 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
12047 Donner Pass Rd., June 16-Sept. 29
TruckeeFarmersMarket.org

(Photo: Kial James)