February 2026
Click on the image above to watch the video of Ernie Wu discussing our new Local Producer Subsidy & Senior Assistance Program. Ernie is the angel investor whose generous donation has made this possible.
Local Producer Subsidy & Senior Assistance Program
The program that has allowed us to have the most affordable natural (local & grass-fed & finished) ground beef in Reno, enables our local produce prices to be much lower this year, and helps our most vulnerable populations access these goods!
Pictured above is Ernie Wu, the man spearheading the creation of integrity pricing for farmers and more affordable access to produce for the Reno community 🙌🏽. Click on the image to watch the full video of him discussing our new program.
Ernie has been a longtime member and supporter of our food co-op. Over the years, we've had some philosophical discussions about the disappearance of small, independent farms and ranches in Northern NV and all throughout the United States. We've discussed the struggles of being a grocery store whose main focus has always been to support local farmers and ranchers, pay them fair prices, and then turn around and offer those goods at affordable prices. Despite this, perceptions of prices at the co-op have always been skewed among folks who have not shopped here, especially when comparing local goods to brand-name distributor goods. NEWSFLASH - most of our brand-name distributor items are priced the same or lower than our competitors'. Our buyers and pricing team analyze this data every week to stay up to date with the market. Ultimately, the majority of the world (including Reno) is in the dark about how the food system really works... folks don't even begin to understand how food pricing plays out at grocery stores... or the true cost of food in America.
Ernie heard about the Arlington bridge closure and immediately became concerned about our local farmers and how it would impact their sales and movement (SMART MAN, if I do say so myself 😉). Rather than speculate and worry, he decided to do something about it. He set up calls with the Northern Nevada Food Bank (NNFB) and organized our first-ever local food subsidy program for producers in our area. This call was a discussion about how to pay farmers INTEGRITY PRICING, which we define as the price farmers and ranchers need to receive to make the back-breaking work they do afford them a good life.
The conversation with NNFB focused on how to get these delicious, highly nutritious meat and veggie products into the hands of folks who need them most. NNFB suggested we start small this year and run a pilot program with the Seniors on Wheels program to see how it goes.
We are currently in the annual "GAPs" commitment meetings with all local farmers to plan for the crops our co-op will purchase in 2026 (April 1, 2026 - March 31, 2027). We have introduced this idea of INTEGRITY PRICING to our producers. We explained that we will pay them far above the market competitive distributor pricing, yet our retail prices will be competitive with all other grocery stores selling organic produce, and they may notice that we charge less than what we paid them for their food... this will allow more folks on restricted budgets to afford locally grown goods. One of the small farms told us that this program is "life-changing" for their operation 😭. As co-op shoppers, you will see the impact of the new subsidy program trickle in over the coming weeks, with the full variable pricing program in place by April 1, 2026.
That said, you don't have to wait until then to afford better food for your family - we are kicking this program off TODAY with our newest delivery of local grass-fed & finished ground beef from Avanzino Farms (Reno, NV) and Snowball Ranch (Eureka, NV). All of our ranchers have been forced to raise prices on their local beef due to feed and input inflation. We have been paying between $10 and $12/lb for the whole animals we purchase. That's right, your co-op buys the entire animal to help our ranchers with their profit margins. We then turn around and sell our ground beef at $11/lb (making a $1 mark up or 9% margin) - anyone who knows how retail business works understands how unsustainable this is for a business to do... and we've been doing it for years to help keep our local food system alive... all while taking heat from uninformed folks about how expensive our groceries are. Trust us, factory-farmed beef is a LOT more expensive when you factor in the externalities we don't typically discuss in bottom-line economics (animal welfare, environmental impact, loss of family-owned farms and ranches = loss of food security outside of soulless corporations).
So GET THIS - thanks to Ernie Wu, we can continue to pay our ranchers what they need to make a good living, and our local grass-fed & finished ground beef is $8.49/lb!!!!! Have any of you been to Raley's, Sprouts, Whole Foods, or Natural Grocers lately? The cheapest grass-fed "mystery" beef they offer is $8.99/lb.
Reno's only community-owned food cooperative has just leveled the playing field when it comes to corporate welfare (AKA the Farm Bill), and rather than fighting them and whining about how unfair large corporate farming subsidies are - we created our own - within our community, for our community!
WANT TO GET INVOLVED? You can help more local farmers and ranchers get INTEGRITY PRICING and help more lower-income folks afford to eat the most delicious and nutrient-dense foods that Northern Nevada has to offer. See the 501c3 donation link below to help fund the GBCFC Local Producer Subsidy & Senior Assistance Program 💙💚
All 2026 Donations Go To Our NEW Local Producer Subsidy & Senior Assistance Program
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 & Senior Assistance Program.
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
Michelle Nash
Nutrition Education Director
Certified NTP & MScN
The Great Basin Community Food Co-op
Castor Oil Packs for Liver Health
Castor Oil is a thick, pale-yellow oil pressed from the seeds of the castor plant (Ricinus communis). It has been used for centuries for its medicinal and cosmetic properties. The main ingredient in castor oil is ricinoleic acid, which has unique anti-inflammatory properties, enhances circulation, and stimulates smooth muscle contraction in the intestines and uterus. As a result, castor oil is used to support healthy digestion, hormone balance, inflammation and pain relief, liver detoxification, lymphatic flow, and immune function.
When taken internally, castor oil is a potent laxative! However, when applied topically, the ricinoleic acid is absorbed through the skin, and the healing benefits of castor oil can be obtained without the intense bowel stimulation. Castor oil is applied topically using a castor oil pack, a piece of natural fabric, usually wool or cotton, saturated with castor oil and placed on the body for several hours. While castor oil packs can be used to treat inflammation and injury on many parts of the body, they are commonly placed over the liver because the liver performs so many functions that application in this area supports a wide variety of ailments, from sluggish digestion and fatigue to PMS and joint pain.
It is important to use high-quality castor oil, as the skin will absorb any impurities in it. We recently brought in the Queen of Thrones line to offer one of the highest quality castor oils available. Their organic golden castor oil is cold-pressed (no heat, no chemicals), bottled in amber glass to reduce oxidation from light exposure, and third-party tested for contaminants and quality markers. For more information about Queen of Thrones product transparency, visit their page.
Queen of Thrones Castor Oil Packs feature a 100% organic, unbleached cotton inner layer, a polypropylene outer layer for a less-mess design that holds in body heat to facilitate absorption, and nylon straps that are soft and stretchy, comfortably wrapping around the body and holding the pack in place. The design of Queen of Thrones packs is great because it minimizes mess, as castor oil is thick and prone to staining. It is important to be mindful of any clothing or fabrics you don’t want damaged while wearing a castor oil pack.
Here’s your go-to guide for how to use castor oil packs safely & effectively at home:
1. Get your materials:
- Organic castor oil
- Cotton or flannel compress OR Queen of Thrones organic cotton packs (now available at GBCFC!)
- Wrap or heating pad (optional yet highly recommended as Castor Oil penetrates deeper with heat)
- Towel or old t-shirt (it can get a little messy!)
3. Place the pack over your liver (right side of your abdomen, below the ribcage).
4. Cover with a towel, then add a heating pad or castor oil wrap to hold it in place.
5. Relax for 45-60 minutes, or wear it overnight (yes, you can detox in your sleep!).
6. Clean the area with a little baking soda and warm water if needed.
All Castor Oil and Castor Oil packs are 20% off from February 18 to March 17. Whether you’ve used castor oil packs before or this is your first time, don’t pass up this opportunity to get a great deal on this natural, gentle detox and whole-body support!
All Housemade Grab n' Go Burritos - $1 Off
Find these in our burrito warmers just below the bake case. We use only local, organic ingredients and make all our recipes from scratch! Choose from the following varieties:
Breakfast - LOCAL SAUSAGE BREAKFAST BURRITO (Gluten Only), BACON BREAKFAST BURRITO (Gluten Free), LOCAL MUSHROOM PESTO BURRITO (Gluten Free or Gluten Full),
Lunch - LOCAL BEEF BURRITO (Gluten Free or Gluten Full), ORGANIC CHICKEN BURRITO (Gluten Free or Gluten Full), VEGAN WALNUT CAULIFLOWER BURRITO (Gluten Free or Gluten Full),
Sale Cycle Dates 2.19.26 - 3.17.26
Produce Sales!
This sale is BANANAS!!! 🍌🍌🍌
Organic Fair Trade Bananas
Original Price: $1.29/lb
Sale Price: $.89 cents/lb
Organic Curly Kale
Original Price: $2.99/lb
Sale Price: $1.99/lb
Sale Cycle Dates 2.19.26 - 3.17.26
GROCERY SALES: $2 OFF All packages of Sliced Diestel & True Story Deli Meats
WELLNESS SALES: 20% OFF All Castor Oil & Castor Oil Packs
Check out this month's article from our in-house nutritionist above to learn more
Sale Cycle Dates 2.19.26 - 3.17.26
NEW fire cider from Fisk Farm (Fallon, NV) - many of you have probably met Stacy at our annual seedling sale. She is a master gardener specializing in medicinal herbs. Fire cider is a spicy, pungent herbal tonic made by infusing raw apple cider vinegar with ingredients like horseradish, garlic, onions, ginger, and hot peppers, often sweetened with honey. It's used as a traditional immune-boosting remedy, taken as a shot, mixed into drinks, or used in recipes.
New Lemon Cheesecake Frosted Cookie made daily in our in-house bakery! West Coast citrus season is not over yet, and we are at the peak of sunshine 🌞 flavors 🍋
Due to daily demand, we kept the pumpkin cookie up until we had an equally decadent replacement. This lemon flavor bomb has organic eggs, lots of organic butter, organic cream cheese, organic housemade lemon curd, and Cup for Cup gluten-free flour. That’s right, it’s gluten-free, but you wouldn’t know unless we told you. 😉
If you've been into the co-op these past few weeks, then you've seen us resetting all of our fridges! We've brought in lots of new deli meats, specialty cheeses, and vegan alternatives. Below are a few pictures of our reset progress and a few of the new items in our store this past month.
Our Co-op is featured in NCBA's member spotlight: Great Basin Community Food Co-op – A champion for local food systems
We are honored to be featured by The National Cooperative Business Association this month for our work with developing local food systems. Check out the article HERE.
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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