August 19 - September 25, 2026

A Letter From The Board

With the Arlington bridge back open, we’ve heard from so many of you asking when the Foodshed Cafe will reopen — and honestly, it’s wonderful to see how much you all love and miss it! That enthusiasm means a lot to us.
We also want to share the full picture with you. Restaurants are low-margin businesses that require a lot of labor. It's difficult to make a profit while satisfying debt repayment in the first three years of any restaurant. We entered the Cafe project with lots of cash savings, commercial loans, and member loans. Those funds were quickly depleted by the project, and we were relying on our grocery store's average daily sales to keep us afloat as we grew the Cafe business, an endeavor we knew would take years.
Having our main customer thoroughfare, Arlington bridge, shut down a year into our Cafe's reopening reduced sales for the cafe and for the entire grocery store, putting us in a financially unsustainable position. We went into considerable debt (beyond the Cafe startup) just to stay in business while the bridge was closed, putting us years away from having enough cash on hand to restart Cafe production.  
The closure has left us with a real opportunity: a large second-floor space, including the deck, that isn’t serving members right now. We don’t want that to continue, and we’re exploring lower-risk ways to bring life back to the cafe space and serve members. Our board plans to continue these strategic conversations at upcoming board meetings. Part of getting there responsibly means paying down the debt from the bridge closure and building up sufficient cash reserves. With so many variables still in play, it would be premature to set a target date for reopening the cafe. Instead, we’re going to let the co-op’s financial health and readiness — not a calendar — determine when and if we take that step.
Some of the best ideas related to reopening the cafe so far have come directly from our members. Please continue to submit your feedback and ideas to us, and we will continue to consider them as we identify how this space can best serve the co-op community. 

From Crop Dusting To Composting To Producing the Best Eggs in Northern Nevada

"As a conventional farmer you spend more of your time killing stuff than making things live."
Joe Frey is the 4th-generation of Freys farming in Fallon, and the 5th in Nevada. He was growing alfalfa for the conventional dairy market, and growing as most American farmers do - crop dusting, using chemical fertilizers, and tilling heavily. This worked... Until it didn't. After 7 years of drought, 3/4 of his farm was out of production, and getting it back would cost $1.5 million in equipment and time. That's when he started looking into other methods.
After experiments with low and no-till pastures, Joe went to a conference for hemp growers in Idaho. That was where he met Ray Archuleta, co-founder of the Soil Health Academy. Ray teaches ranchers and farmers how to improve soil function and health, reducing the need for inputs such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides.  When we asked what was difficult about this switch, Joe said, "The hardest thing to change when you change over is your mind." Once he heard Ray speak, the hard part was over.
Joe Frey came home, planted cover crops, and began transforming his farm. He tried multiple corn plots, with and without expensive nitrogen inputs. The corn was the same across all plots. Joe researched soil structure, the nitrogen cycle, organic matter, everything about the earth his farm is on. He learned about worm composting and compost tea. After seeing the results, he needed no more convincing. He completely cut out all synthetic fertilizers and pesticides - a journey that started in 2017, and by 2021 he was all in.
This near decade of transformation in Frey Family Farm's practices has also transformed the land. Rebuilding soil health has changed how they see the life that passively inhabits the farm. Joe sees the noxious weeds that he used to spray not as an enemy, but as a canary in the mine. Noxious weeds are nature's way of trying to fix something in the soil. Pests are a problem when crop dusting and pesticides kill their natural predators. Fixing the root of the problem and working with nature is not the easy way and not always the profitable way, but it is the way to leave a positive legacy for the next generation.
Looking now at what he left behind, Joe Frey sees the problems. Suicide rates for American farmers are high and steadily rising. People living in farming communities are dying of cancer, including several in the Fallon agricultural community. He also sees the positives of regenerative agriculture. "Regenerative ag is the lens that you look at it through," he said, and that lens has allowed him to remove 1 million pounds a year of chemicals from the top end of the watershed and their valley!!!
Frey Family Farms, welcome to the Co-Op and welcome to the movement! You can support them by buying the first-ever NEVADA GROWN certified organic, soy and corn free pastured eggs! BONUS: Frey Family Farms are also managed holistically under Savory standards, are Verified Regenified, are a Kiss the Ground Farm, and have been featured on Farmers Footprint. Check out this month's sale below on Frey Family Farms' incredibly delicious eggs 🥚 


Welcome to the Co-op
🍉🍈 Alanis Farm (Fallon, NV) 🍈🍉

MORE AMAZING LOCAL FOOD NEWS! Adrian Alanis and his family have brought the best local food news to northern Nevada in years!!! 🎉 
When we got in the new local eggs from Frey Family Farm, Joe and Adrienne told us that Adrian Alanis and his son Cuco have a wealth of great produce. Adrian Alanis and his family had been working at Lattin Farms for nearly 40 years. As everyone knows, Rick Lattin retired a few years ago, and his retirement ended an era of abundant local food… or so we thought. The Alanis family have been growing food on the same land, in the same soil that Rick Lattin used to grow for the Co-op on. Lattin Farms was by far the biggest local organic veggie and fruit producer for northern Nevada. 
Adrian had been moving all of his produce through the Home Feeds Nevada grant. When those pandemic-era funds were retracted, he didn’t have any outlets and a lot of his produce rotted in the fields last year. We didn’t know that he had continued to grow produce using organic methodology on the same land. They are in the process of getting their 8.5 acres of growing space re-certified organic! 🤩
This passing of the torch is a realization of one of the goals of farming sustainably. Rick Lattin's legacy is in the soil that he spent years working with. Our small farms may change names with the seasons, but caring for the soil ensures that these farmers' work lives on.
Come down and try all of this incredible food - multiple kinds of seeded and seedless watermelon, cantaloupe (Heart of Gold 💛, Sarah’s Choice, Hannah’s Choice, and more!). They also brought us honeydew, multiple varieties of cucumbers, garlic, jalapeño peppers, tomatillos, Mexican squash, and bell peppers. Soon on the shelves: their sweet Wild Violet corn on the cob. 🌽💜

 

Magical Electrolytes Right From
The Sierras
While Mountain Song is not a new producer to the co-op - in fact, several of their wellness products are among our customers’ favorites - Mountain Song Electrolyte powders are new to the co-op and are on sale this month! These herbal electrolyte drink powders are a tasty way to support mineral intake and hydration, especially during these final hot summer months.
We love the high-quality ingredients Mountain Song uses in these drink powders. The first two ingredients are organic coconut water powder and Sonoma Sea Salt—both are great whole-food sources of potassium and sodium. Other herbal extracts and fruit juice powders add nutrients and flavor to both varieties, while maple crystals provide a touch of sweetness and additional minerals. The Hibiscus Lime flavor offers a harmonious blend of potassium, sodium, and vitamin C–rich hibiscus and lime to help nourish the adrenals and promote optimal hydration. The Butterfly Pea and Lemon flavor offers similar benefits of potassium, sodium, and vitamin C, plus a rich source of antioxidants to support overall wellness and vibrant energy.
Michelle Nash
Nutrition Education Director
Certified NTP & MScN
The Great Basin Community Food Co-op

🍳 Frey Family Farms Eggs 🍳
🥚 $9.99 Per Dozen 🥚

WE ARE FREAKING OUT! MOST EGGCITING LOCAL FOOD NEWS IN YEARS! 🙌
We just got in the first-ever NV-raised, pasture-raised, certified organic, regenerative, and animal welfare-approved eggs from Frey Family Farms in Fallon, NV. These eggs are also free from SOY & CORN, meaning they aren't filled with PUFAs (the kinds of fats we already consume way too many of due to seed oils). To learn more about this eggcellent family farm and their amazing practices, scroll back up! 🥚💛🍳 
These incredible eggs will be $2 off for the sale cycle, making them only $9.99 a dozen.
Sale Cycle: August 19th - September 15th

🍋‍🟩🍋 Mountain Song Herbal Electrolytes 🍋🍋‍🟩

Mountain Song Herbal Electrolytes 15% Off!

  One bag of Mountain Song Electrolytes retails for $44.99 for 8 oz (30 servings). While this may seem high, it is actually cheaper per serving than LMNT! Since LMNT re-did their packaging sizes, each serving now costs $2.00, while Mountain Song Electrolytes comes to $1.50. For this sales cycle, both flavors are 15% off, which reduces the per-serving cost even further to just $1.28! Given the superior-quality ingredients and lower per-serving cost, we think choosing Mountain Song Electrolytes is a no-brainer!
Sale Cycle: August 19th - September 15th

🍅 Local & Organic Tomatoes Galore! 🍅

Local & Organic Tomatoes Are On Sale!

  Tomato season is in full swing, and our farmers are flush! The tomatoes we have been getting are so incredible they'll make you fall in love with eating seasonally. That's why we are putting multiple varieties of local and/or organic tomatoes on sale: slicers, heirlooms, and a medley of cherry tomatoes.
Local varieties will come from Holley Family Farms in Dayton, Nevada; Prema Farm in Bordertown, Nevada; Reno Food Systems in Reno, NV; and Alanis Farm in Fallon, Nevada. We will also be getting regional-direct tomatoes from JSM Organics in Watsonville, California.
Sale Cycle: August 19th - September 15th or while supplies last

🍅🥬 Co-Op Kitchen Sales 🥬🍅

Local Caprese Salad $2 Off!
Local cherry tomatoes, organic mozzarella pearls, organic basil, organic olive oil, Grand Reserve balsamic vinegar, and Maldon salt. Need we say more? Only $6.99 for the sale cycle.
Local Shishito Feta Salad $2/LB Off!
Local shishito peppers get blistered and tossed with local cherry tomatoes, organic cucumbers, and organic feta, then tossed in a light lemon dressing. $11.99/lb for the sale cycle.

Local Kale Caesar Salad

  Caesar salad made with local, organic kale from Holley Family Farms, croutons made with local Perenn and in-house focaccia bread, our Housemade garlic herb chicken, and non-GMO Asiago cheese. The Caesar dressing is made in-house as well, with wild-caught anchovies and organic olive oil. These salads are only $10.99 for the sale cycle!

🧑‍🍳 New From The Co-Op Bakery 🧑‍🍳


Two returning gluten-free treats from the co-op's bakery!
Raspberry lemon scones featuring regional-direct JSM raspberries and zucchini chocolate chip muffins with local zucchini when available. Both of these treats are only $4.99, perfect for a quick morning snack.
NEW ITEMS in Grocery & Wellness 🤎


Sum Fungtional Sparkling Beverages - new locally produced functional mushroom drinks powered by Happy Mushroom's certified organic, ultrasonically extracted, 100% fruiting body mushrooms and flavored with real fruit.  We now have two flavors of these refreshing and supportive drinks in our drink fridge at the co-op.
ELEVATE Acai Guava is crafted for energy and focus using Lion's Mane, Cordyceps, and Turkey Tail.  
REGULATE Mango Passionfruit supports calm and balance to help you ground and center using Reishi and Turkey Tail.
Walker Sauls Sum Fungtional will be at the co-op for a pop-up tasting event from 4:00 - 6:00 pm on Monday, August 24.  Come by, give these bubbly beverages a try, and take one home for yourself.

What happened to Alec's Ice Cream?  
You may have noticed that we no longer have Alec's in our ice cream freezer.  In April 2026, Alec's Ice Cream dropped its USDA Organic certification and shifted away from its original grass-fed dairy sourcing. This action brought up concerns, as Alec's originally built its brand on being the world's first USDA Organic, Regenerative Certified, A2/A2 dairy ice cream, primarily sourcing its milk from Alexandre Dairy.  
Although the company attributed the change to supply constraints, Alexandre Dairy publicly commented on a social media post saying, "It is indeed too bad…… and it’s certainly not a lack of supply issue."  This change came six months after Alec's had secured $11 million in Series A funding, the first major round of institutional venture capital investments for start-up companies, leaving many consumers feeling misled and disappointed.
Due to these changes, we have decided to discontinue carrying Alec's Ice Cream. While we don't currently have a source for Organic A2 ice cream, we do have the next best and creamiest options available in our store, including: Straus, Ice Cream for Bears, Gelato Festival, and Smearcase- a new cottage cheese-based frozen dessert.



If you've come into the store recently, there is a good chance you noticed some of the stunning local flower bouquets in our produce department. Timberline Flower Farm has captured this floral beauty on botanically printed 100% silk scarves. Located off Mt Rose Highway, Timberline Flower Farm's organically grown local flowers are harvested with great care and transformed into a one-of-a-kind floral work of art on each scarf. We now have a small selection of these beautiful scarves in store.

Round Up For Food Justice & Local Producer Subsidy Program (LPSP)

WHAT IS THE GBCFC ROUND UP PROGRAM ALL ABOUT?
Beginning in January of 2026, all Round Up donations will go to the Local Producer Subsidy Program (LPSP). LPSP is our version of the USDA Farm Bill, except instead of subsidizing billion-dollar corporate industrial farms - the ones that toxify the land, water, animals, and people - we are subsidizing our very own local farmers and ranchers. We are doing this so that we can pay these producers integrity pricing and still sell their goods on our shelves at affordable, market-competitive prices, making the most delicious and nutrient-dense foods more accessible for everyone.
Co-op shoppers can round up their change to the nearest dollar at the cash register after each purchase to donate to the program. There is also an option on the pinpad to contribute additional funds or larger amounts directly via the Friends of the Foodshed (FOTF) website. Note: all donations over $250 are tax-deductible. As of 2026, all of these Round Up Funds go back to the Local Producer Subsidy Program.
This month we will be using LPSP to subsidize: 
🥒 Zucchini, Mexican squash, herbs, multiple varieties of cucumbers, Wild Violet corn on the cob, honeydew melons, cantaloupes, and watermelons from Alanis Farm (Fallon, Nevada) 
🍅 Organic heirloom tomatoes, organic slicer tomatoes, and organic cherry tomato medleys from Holley Family Farms (Dayton, Nevada) 
🥕 Organic mixed salad greens, kale, cilantro, rosemary, basil, carrots, turnips, fennel, arugula and celery from Prema Farm (Bordertown, Nevada) 
🥔 Organic bunched carrots and fingerling potatoes from Ripcord Farm (Washoe Valley, Nevada) 
🌱 Herbs from Reno Food Systems (Reno, Nevada) 
🌶️ Cucumbers, peppers, beans, and squash from Custom Gardens (Silver Springs, NV)
🥬 Organic mixed lettuces, various greens, and cabbage from Sierra Valley Farms (Sierra Valley, CA)
🍆 Squash and eggplant from Sterling Farms (Smith Valley, NV)
Come in and check the shelves regularly for even more LPSP items!

Donate To The 

Local Producer Subsidy Program (LPSP)

Do you want to help our local farmers and ranchers receive INTEGRITY PRICING while expanding access to affordable local food for more of our community members?  If yes, then donate now!  All 2026 donations will go towards our NEW Local Producer Subsidy Program (LPSP).
Friends of the Foodshed is a 501(c)(3) that has been preserving the work of Farmers and Ranchers in Northern Nevada and connected watersheds for over 20 years. We are dedicated to providing education about health and environmental issues and to promoting a healthy lifestyle for all living things. ❤️
Donate to Friends of the Foodshed




Anyone can shop, everyone can join!
Open everyday from 7:30am – 9pm
Great Basin Community Food Co-op
240 Court St Reno, NV 89501
775.324.6133
info@greatbasinfood.coop
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