Farm Fresh Food: Where to get it

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 Nevada County Certified Grower’s Market, Grass Valley Thursday Night Market and the Nevada City Farmers Market, among others.

Most of the weekly markets open in spring (April for the Nevada County Certified Grower’s Market). Some are year-round, such as the PlacerGROWN Farmers Market in Auburn; the Nevada City Farmers Market has been open the first Saturday of each month this past winter.

We also have 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 recently 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.

LocalFarmers 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.org

GRASS VALLEY THURSDAY NIGHT MARKET
Thursdays 6-9 p.m. in historic downtown Grass Valley, June 28, July 5, 12, 19, 26, and August 2. Beer & wine garden, food courts and more farmers.
DowntownGrassValley.com

NEVADA CITY FARMERS MARKET
Saturdays 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Union St. historic downtown Nevada City. June-November. Also May 5, 9 a.m.-12 p.m.
NCFarmersMarket.org

NEVADA COUNTY CERTIFIED GROWERS MARKET
Saturdays 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. North Star House, Grass Valley, April 14-Nov. 17
Tuesdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Nevada County Horsemen, Grass Valley, May 1-Oct. 30
Thursdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Western Gateway Park, Penn Valley, May 3-Nov.1
TheGrowersMarket.com

TRUCKEE FARMERS MARKET
Sundays 9 a.m.-1 p.m., 12047 Donner Pass Rd., June 10-Sept. 30 TruckeeFarmersMarket.org

(Image: Karel Hendee)