December 2025
We Tip Our Hats to Hulsman Ranch
🐺☯️🐂
Hulsman Ranch is a 4th-generation cattle operation in Lassen County, CA, that has raised Heritage Shorthorns since 1862. They have supplied beef to our co-op since the early days, nearly 20 years ago. Hulsman Ranch was the first local ranch that we started working with, and December 2025 will be their last delivery to Reno. We cannot say enough powerful and beautiful things about this ranch and the people who run it. Hulsman Ranch is a national treasure, and the work they have been doing for decades is so critically important. Be sure to watch the full interview at the link below to learn more.
On Thursday, October 2nd, a pack of wolves came down from the Diamond Mountains (Lassen County) into the Hulsman Ranch meadow. The calf crop was so terrified that they stampeded through a fence and tore it down. Hannah Tangeman, the owner of the ranch, then slept in her truck in the meadow with the cows for the next 2 nights and made the swift decision to sell all of them before they could be decimated. That very next Sunday, the Hulsman Ranch calves were shipped off. She still has a small herd of already pregnant mothers and will do her final birthing this spring, "under the watchful eyes of the wolves", said Hannah. Both Hannah and her husband, Jay, will take turns sleeping in trucks outside in the meadow to avoid further damage or casualties. Those new calves will then be sold as soon as possible. Between the Sheep Fire of 2020, which destroyed their property (pictured below), and the recent wolf invasions, Hulsman Ranch is now done raising beef for direct market sales.
Ranchers have been reporting wolf attacks in the area behind Bordertown, NV, in Loyalton, CA, and throughout Sierra Valley, CA, for nearly 2 years. In case any of y'all are wondering why this matters to you - if you live in Reno and you want to eat local food, then you had better be mindful of which counties actually feed Washoe County residents (primarily Churchill, Douglas, Lyon, Plumas, Sierra, and Lassen Counties). Plumas, Sierra, and Lassen counties are all in California, where killing a wolf is a felony*. Even though these gray wolves may once have been native to the Sierra Nevada Mountains (big internet debate), some old-timers say we haven't seen a wolf in these mountains since 1924.
Are we advocating that ranchers recklessly kill wolves? Definitely not. Are we saying that ranchers should have the right to defend their livestock? Definitely yes. Are we also saying that the state and the federal government need to take a more active role in helping their ranchers and farmers? 100%! Unless you have firsthand seen a wolf pack attack on livestock... llamas, sheep, cattle, alpacas, etc., you may not fully appreciate how aggressive and destructive they can be. While most animal activists cast ranchers as inhumane, we know at the co-op that our local ranchers are the true stewards of the land and the animals. As you will hear in the interview, Hannah Tangeman (Owner of Hulsman Ranch) refuses to kill any wolves on her property.
The care, love, and self-sacrifice that we've seen all of our local ranchers make for their herds and flocks over the years are both awe-inspiring and heartbreaking. We could tell you horror stories we've heard from other ranches up in Idaho, Wyoming, and states where wolves have already caused devastation to livestock. As a rancher's daughter in one of these Northern NV/CA areas, I watched my dad sell off his cows ... sure, cattle prices are up right now, so it makes economic sense, but what makes more heart sense is not letting your livestock get ripped to shreds by predators that you have no lawful defense against. My dad often talks to me about his concerns and the implications of wolves not having a healthy fear of humans. He worries that, without population management or intervention, these opportunistic predators could turn their sights on pets, children, and hikers in the Sierras.
Ranchers and farmers are the lifeblood of this country, and as you will see in the video below, they have been going out of business at an unprecedented rate over the past 5 years. Pay attention to the part of the interview where Hannah tells us that Farmers and Ranchers will not be included in the next general 2030 decennial census bureau count, because the population of this group is now too small, less than 2% of the total industry. 😢
If we want a local food system, then we need to get realistic about what protects these groups and keeps them in business. Do we know the right way to do this? Obviously not, but we need to start talking about this and thinking critically about it as a community. Unless you want all of your food coming from the corporate conglomerates - the very entities that are poisoning the food, the land, the air, the water, and the animals - then we need to get real about what this looks like.
Most ranches and farms are one disaster away from being out of business. They are fighting against all odds to stay in the game and feed their communities. NO ONE is getting rich off of feeding their communities, just the opposite. Most ranchers and farmers we know have to work one or two side jobs to supplement their incomes and afford to do the most challenging work in America. They do it to protect the food system, they do it because this is generational work, they do it for the love and passion they have for the land and their animals, and mostly, they do it because they know that the worst thing we can ever do is give away total control of where our food comes from.
Thank you in advance for approaching this very sensitive topic with an open mind. Thank you in advance for sharing this information with your friends, family, and neighbors. The co-op has been fighting for the local food system for over 20 years now, and we've never felt so defeated after seeing how many of our small independent farms and ranches have gone under in the past 5 years. The Northern Nevada food system is at a breaking point, and we ALL need to slow down and think carefully about what this means for us.
*Killing a wolf in California is a crime under state law, and it can be prosecuted as a felony depending on the specific charges filed. Gray wolves are protected as an endangered species in California. Penalties for unlawfully killing a wolf can include: Imprisonment: Up to one year in prison under federal law, or up to three years under the state's general animal cruelty statute, which can be charged as a felony (a "wobbler" offense). Fines: Fines of up to $100,000 per individual under federal and state endangered species acts. Lethal action against a wolf is only permitted under extremely strict conditions, such as when there is an immediate threat to human life or safety, and not typically for the protection of livestock. California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) officials take these cases very seriously and launch criminal investigations into illegal wolf killings.
🐺☯️🐂
HULSMAN RANCH 2025 VIDEO INTERVIEW
Meet Your New Board Members
Pictured left: David Funk of Four Dog Farm & returning heavyweight board champion of 10 years 🐾
Pictured right: Crystal Leon of Radish Hotel & community organizer extraordinaire
Pictured left: Rob Holley of Holley Family Farms & organic transition expert 🐖
Pictured right: Jasmine Cividino of Crush & Upside Tidying & small/local business whiz and advocate 💇🏻♀️ 🧼
Eagle Peak Herbals Retire After 30 Years in Business!
A bittersweet farewell to Eagle Peak Herbals.
As Bill and Tina Hodge of Eagle Peak Herbals prepared to mark their 30th year in business this summer, they announced they would be celebrating the milestone by retiring! We have been working with them, selling their tinctures, salves, and fire ciders at the co-op since 2010, and while we are so happy for them as they step into retirement, we will miss having their high-quality products on our shelves.
What started as a wilderness family’s passion for herbs, prayers, and a $1,500 credit card grew into a business that served thousands of customers with over 175 products. In 1982, Bill and Tina moved to a federal wilderness area in Northeast California to establish a homestead and herb garden. From then to now, they have been wild plant conservationists, herbalists, CCOF farm inspectors, llama shepherds, artists, and wildlife rehabilitators. They grow and wildcraft most of their plants with a focus on planting and protecting endangered medicinal plants in North America. Any herbs they did not grow themselves were purchased from small farmers who use organic practices.
All our remaining Eagle Peak Tinctures are 25% OFF from December 17, 2025 to January 13, 2026. Come and get them while you can.
Hot Soup All Sizes $1 Off
8oz $3.99 (original $4.99)
16oz $7.99 (original $8.99)
32oz $15.99 (original $16.99)
Served 9 am until 9 pm, or until we run out!
Varieties served:
Vegan - tomato bisque, lemony lentil, thai tofu, curried squash, vegan mulligatawny, pumpkin chili.
Omni(vore) - broccoli cheddar, loaded potato, chicken noodle, sausage potato kale, chicken mulligatawny, turkey pumpkin pie curry, kitchen sink.
Sale Cycle Dates 12.17.25 - 1.13.26
When it comes to citrus, West Coast is the best Coast! West Coast citrus season has just begun, and our taste buds tell us this is a particularly sweet year 🍊
We have had a direct regional direct relationship with a citrus Orchard in Orland, CA (just on the other side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, next to Chico). We have worked with Johansen Ranch for many years and each season, we have been more blown away than the last.
Regional Direct Organic Satsumas On Sale
Courtesy of Johansen Ranch in Orland, CA
Original Price: $3.99/lb
Sale Price: $2.99/lb
Organic Meyer Lemons from California On Sale
Original Price: $6.99/lb
Sale Price: $3.99/lb
Sale Cycle Dates 12.17.25 - 1.13.26
ALL CUTS Local Black Rock Bison 15% OFF
Black Rock Bison has stabilized the herd after last year's setbacks, so we are fully stocked with Local Grass-Fed & Finished Bison on our shelves at a 15% discount. Jeff Herrick's (pictured above) herd resides in Minden, and Jeff moves them to great pastures in Bishop, CA, for the winter so they are truly 100% Grass Fed.
Sale Cycle Dates 12.17.25 - 1.13.26
ALL Eagle Peak Herbals Tinctures 25% OFF
Sale Cycle Dates 12.17.25 - 1.13.26
New Grocery Goods & Fun Lil' Christmas Gifts 🎁 🎄
New & Improved Gluten-Free Housemade Burritos 🌯
GLUTEN-FREE GRAB N GO BURRITOS ARE BACK - GAME CHANGER TORTILLA 🎖️
We recently tried out the Mi Rancho gluten-free tortillas for our breakfast burritos and our lunch/dinner burritos… this has been a serious battle for us over the years, trying to find a burrito roll that is supple enough to be rolled properly into burrito form and one that will also hold its structural integrity for a few hours in the warmers… We have finally found a winner!!! BONUS: also seed oil free & vegan
Ingredients for the GF Tortillas are:
Water, Rice Flour, Tapioca Starch, Sprouted Oat Flour, Xantham Gum, Palm Oil, Sorghum Flour. Less than 2% of: *Cane Sugar, Cultured Brown Rice, Brown Rice, Mono- and Diglycerides, Citric Acid, Non-GMO Baking Powder, Calcium Carbonate, Salt.
SAVE THE DATE & REGISTER AT THE LINK BELOW
Join Nevada’s farmers, ranchers, and agricultural leaders for two days of education and community building, by farmers for farmers. Discover practical methods and innovative strategies to strengthen small farm agriculture.
Featuring special guest: Ben Hartman— nationally recognized farmer and author of The Lean Farm and The Lean Micro Farm
Nevada Farmers Forum 2026 Registration Link
Friends of The Foodshed, 501c3 Not For Profit Companion to GBCFC
If you like the work our food co-op has been doing over the past 20 years, please consider donating to our companion not-for-profit, Friends Of The Foodshed. Our team works tirelessly to support the local food system (what's left of it).
We love doing this work and would love to offer more focused time to this advocacy, but with only 24 hours in a day and a full-time business to run, we need support. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to help fuel our efforts.
We don't know of a single other co-op in the nation that is doing the work we do with local food, and there's a reason for that: nobody has the labor budget to pay for this. Grocery stores have such slim annual profits (good years are 1-3%), and not many of them out there could fund this extra work while staying in business. Our founders and salaried managers have been putting in 60-80-hour work weeks for the past 20 years to make this happen, volunteering their time. We have so many stories that we want to share with you, and there is so much advocacy needed for farmers and ranchers in Northern NV. Please help us meet our goal of dedicating labor hours to the most important cause we can think of: protecting independent food for our community.
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. ❤️
Friends of the Foodshed Donation Link
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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