Since buying Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply with her now late husband, in 1996, Pattie Boudier has dedicated her business to supplying growers of all types with organic farming supplies. Everything the business offers for sale is either natural or organic. The company has expanded to a national market but is a major supporter of the local movement of access to organic, fresh, locally grown food.
To that end, Peaceful Valley Farm is a major supporter of Sierra Harvest. Boudier said, as a long-time sponsor of the Sustainable Food and Farm Conference, but also with other projects that happen throughout the year. Their product development manager Sarah Griffin-Boubacar will be holding a “Making Soft Cheese” workshop as part of the conferences this year.
“We have been very actively supporting Sierra Harvest. I think their mission goes very well with ours.” Boudier said, “Their mission is to transform lives and strengthen the community through fresh, local, seasonal food and our mission is to provide the tools and products for people to grow their own fresh, local, seasonal food.”
She said growing your own food is easier than you think. Boudier has made over 300 “how to” videos that are available on the Peaceful Valley website and YouTube channel. Watch a delightful short video about the history, mission and information about their company.
Boudier believes the movement to fresh and local is gaining momentum all over the country but has been a big part of Nevada County’s local culture for a long time. “Here in Nevada County, I think a big part of our population has been active in gardening because we are in a rural place and people have the space. We have good climate. I think in general people are more into gardening than other places – especially organic and natural – the horrors of the chemical and weed controls are really being put out in the media now and in general people are really gardening more and they are gardening naturally now.”
Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply has taken on Sierra Harvest as their primary recipient of donations. “We get a lot of requests from places with very, very good missions, but in order to do one thing really well and make a difference, we decided that all of our donation dollars are basically going to go to Sierra Harvest.” In addition, Peaceful Valley has helped by donating seeds and products to Sierra Harvest’s Food Love Farm and the Sierra Garden Program as well to all of the local schools and with some of their marketing efforts by creating short films that show their mission in action. “We are trying to get as involved as we can with them and support them in any way, “Boudier added.
She credits Sierra Harvest with being a nonprofit that carries out their mission very well. “These people really know what they are doing, and they are getting a lot of traction.” She said, “They have the right idea. Let’s start influencing our young people. Let’s get our parents involved. Let’s get our community involved. And just be healthier.”
