We are here for you!

Find local food, farm and garden resources for you and your family

Get involved and volunteer with our partner organizations – list of opportunities here with Connecting Point.

Where to Buy Local Food

Buy directly from Nevada County farmers and ranchers to access the freshest food!

Farmers Markets

By Order of the Nevada County Public Health Officer, farmers markets are an essential service and social distancing measures are in place.

Grass Valley Markets –Tuesdays & Saturdays, schedules starts on May 2.
Nevada City Farmers Market – First Saturdays in winter & weekly during regular season. Starting April 15th you can now purchase from many of the vendors in advance and then just pick up your products at the market. Click here to see the full list of farmers selling their products online in advance.
Penn Valley Farmers Market – Thursdays 9am to 1pm beginning May 14th.
Truckee Community Farmers Market – Tuesdays 8am to 1pm beginning June 2.

Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)

Invest early in the season with a CSA and receive fresh food from your local farmer every week! Check with individual farms for more details.

Calmil Teoyotica, Nevada City – Contact the farm via email or call (530) 318-6165 for more details.
Early Bird Farm, Nevada City – Vegetable CSA sold out as of 4/24/20.
First Rain Farm offers a fresh goat milk herd share, which is a little different than a CSA, but provides weekly access to fresh milk. Milk shares sold out as of 4-24-20.
Foothill Roots Farm, Meadow Vista – Details on website.
King of the Woods Farm, Grass Valley – Details on website.
Lush Leaf Nursery, Penn Valley – Home deliveries and also pick up locations available for microgreens.
Mountain Bounty Farm, Nevada City/Grass Valley/Truckee. Shares are sold out but join their waitlist for the next openings.
Soil Sisters Farm, flower CSA based in Nevada City
Starbright Acres Family Farm, Grass Valley – CSA new this year – contact for more details.
Stone’s Throw Farm, Colfax. CSA new this year – Details on website. Watch Bryanna Eisenhut, Stone’s Throw Farm co-owner chat with Jon Katis of KNCO about the latest offerings at the farm at this time.

Farm Credit

Riverhill Farm, Nevada City
Starbright Acres Family Farm, Grass Valley

Farm Stands, Online Orders, & Other Direct Sales

AM Ranch, online sales and pick up option in Nevada City
Blue Dane Farm Drive thru Farm Stand. 563 Idaho Maryland Rd on Saturdays 9am-2pm, Tuesdays 4pm-7pm
Broadfork Farm, farm stand in Grass Valley
Cosmic Roots Ranch, farm stand and online orders in Penn Valley. Watch a 11-minute video with Ellen Cole, co-owner of the ranch on the KNCO Spotlight.
Early Bird Farm, online sales of flour and other milled grains in Grass Valley
First Rain Farm, online sales and pick-up options in Nevada City
Fog Dog, online sales and pick up option in Nevada City
Foothill Roots Farm, farm stand in Meadow Vista
Peardale Farm – Tomatoes and peppers will be available in July at their farmstand. Watch a wonderful 10-minute interview with Rob Chase, co-owner of the farm on the KNCO Spotlight.
Riverhill Farm, farm stand in Nevada City
Soil Sisters Farm, online sales, delivery and pick-up options in Nevada City
Starbright Acres Family Farm, farm stand in Grass Valley
Sweet Roots Farm, monthly flower subscriptions for weekly bouquets

Nevada County Grown

Check out the 2019 Food & Farm Directory online to find a farmer or rancher near you. Note: farm listings are page 24 – 47.

Need Food Assistance? Here are resources to help with meals

CALFRESH– provides financial assistance to by fresh food, seeds and starts. Many local farmers’ markets accept CALFRESH and offer a Matching Program which can double the value when purchasing fruits or vegetables. Application required.
Interfaith Food Ministry – offers nutritious food for those struggling to make ends meet. Applications waived, proof of residency required. In partnership with United Way, IFM also distributes food the 2nd Saturday of each month from 10am-noon for working families who may not be able to make it during the week.
Food Bank of Nevada County – offers drive-through distributions to those in need. Application required.
Emily’s Catering – offering free, wholesome lunches every Friday at noon, intended for school children or anyone else in need of a meal. Just stop by and drive through their parking lot.
Gold Country Community Services Meals on Wheels – home-delivered meals to home-bound adults, application required.
The Tahoe Food Hub – The Tahoe Food Hub’s Giving Box Program offers a local box of produce to laid-off Food & Beverage employees in the North Lake Tahoe area. To sign up, contact Susie Sutphin, Executive Director, with name, email, cell# and the name of the restaurant.

Local Restaurants & Groceries

Get the latest on who is open, as well as delivery and curb-side pick up services, at Nevada County’s 211 Connect.

Grow Your Own Food

Local Farms Offering Plant Starts

Plant start sales coming soon! Here a list of who will have them:

Food Love Farm Plant Sale, Nevada City – Sold out. We thank our partners at the Nevada County Dept. of Social Services as well as The Lee & Dunn Group at Baird, Jon Lee & Janice Dunn, for sponsoring the delivery of 1,000 free plant starts to families in need.
Enlightened Earth Organic Herb Farm – by appointment only, contact via email.
For The People Seed Farm– locally produced seeds- vegetable, herbs, flowers. FTPseeds@gmail.com
Fresh Starts Organic Farm – by appointment only, contact Randi Pratini at (530) 478-0800.
Grizzly Hill – curbside pick-up at locations in North San Juan, Nevada City, Grass Valley, Penn Valley and Rough and Ready.
Kurt’s Garden – curbside pick-up or delivery. Local and organic plant starts.
New Life Nursery – Penn Valley.
Peardale Farm – order on-line and pick up after May 1st safely. Watch a wonderful 10-minute interview with Rob Chase, co-owner of the farm on the KNCO Spotlight.
Starbright Family Farm – sales through farm stand, starting April 1st.
Sweet Roots Farm – No-contact plant porch drops through their website, with a one-flat minimum. This service will be available to people living within five miles of Grass Valley and Nevada City. The farm is also working on a donation program for folks who want to buy a flat of garden starts at a discounted rate for someone who can’t afford it.
Weiss Brothers Nursery, Grass Valley – Daily 8:30 to 5 except Sundays. Seeds, plant starts, soil and more.

Local Farm and Garden Supply Stores

A to Z Hardware & Garden Center, Grass Valley – In-store purchasing and curbside purchasing available.
BriarPatch Food Coop now selling starts from Fresh Starts, Sweet Roots Farm & Starbright Family Farm.
B & C Ace Home & Garden Center, Grass Valley – In-store purchasing curbside purchasing available.
Four Seasons Landscape Materials, Penn Valley – On-line or in-store orders for pick up, deliveries also available.
Hills Flat Lumber, Grass Valley – In-store purchasing available.
Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply, Grass Valley – Safety restrictions in place, including limiting the number of customers in the facilities at one time for safe distancing. Please wear a mask and note they will have hand sanitizers available.
Penn Valley True Value Hardware, Penn Valley – In-store purchasing available.
Rare Earth Landscape Materials, Grass Valley – Contact via phone or email to place orders. In-store purchasing, one customer at a time, plus deliveries.
Sweetland Garden Supply, San Juan Ridge – In-store purchasing, limited to 5 people at a time.
Vital Garden Supply, Grass Valley – Order via phone or online for pick up or deliveries.

Need to learn how?

Sierra Harvest’s Sierra Gardens Program will provide supplies and mentorship for your own successful backyard vegetable garden. Apply now.
Sierra Harvest also provides onsite garden consultations if you just need some guidance to get started or trouble shoot a challenge. Schedule an appointment.
Get regular, seasonal tips for your garden from our Sierra Gardens garden blog.
Peaceful Valley Farm & Garden Supply has an incredible archive of DIY videos on all matters related to growing your own food at home. Search now to learn more!
UC Master Gardeners of Nevada County are trained volunteers within our community that give out research-based gardening and composting information at no cost! Until their office reopens to the public, you can ask for garden advice via their website.
For The People Seed Farm is offering volunteer days where you will learn how to propagate, grow, harvest seeds. Tuesdays and Wednesdays 9 am to noon. Contact Sarah to schedule an appointment: FTPseeds@gmail.com.

Cook at Home

Recipes from Local Chefs That Kids (and Adults) Will Love!

Check out these delicious and easy to follow recipes from Sierra Harvest Tasting Days, where local chefs come and teach kids how to cook with fresh, local food.

Farm & Home School Activities

Outschool classes on “Pollination Feeds the Planet! Learn Plant and Bee Anatomy by Making Art” by local artist and teacher Jenny Hale.

34 movies, documentaries, and series to educate and inspire and remind us of the power of food.

Incredible guide to starting and growing a garden – step by step from Rodale Institute.

Cooking While Quarantined with Kids: Kid Approved Recipes & Lesson Plans.

From daily to weekly lessons from Edible Schoolyard Project.

An abundance of gardening articles, tips and information for gardening with kids from Kids Gardening non-profit.

Here are some great resources from the Center of Ecoliteracy.

Nourishing Students (Grades K–5)
This handbook offers engaging and hands-on activities for students to explore the bounty of California-grown fruits and vegetables.

Abundant California (Grades 3–5)
Everything we eat has a story to tell. This suite of lessons teaches students about California crops and introduces them to the food system that sustains us all.

Understanding Food and Climate Change (Grades 6–12)
An interactive guide for educators, students, and advocates that explores how food systems and our changing climate interact, and how personal choices can make a difference.

Big Ideas: Linking Food, Culture, Health, and the Environment (Grades K–12)
Created in partnership with National Geographic, featuring learning experiences that link food, culture, health, and the environment.

Needs and Wants Activity (Grades 4–8)
Designed explicitly for home settings, this activity helps to distinguish things needed to live a healthy life and things that would be merely nice to have.

Food, Inc. Discu ssion Guide (Grades 9–12)

This guide can be used to spark discussion at home after viewing the Academy Award-nominated documentary Food, Inc., which takes a critical look at the industrialization of our country’s food supply.

Sometimes we need more than fresh food to feel good and healthy – here are some great tips and resources for dealing with challenges of the COVID pandemic

Get the latest updates on Nevada County policies concerning local businesses and services.

Last updated July 9, 2020.