July 15 - August 18, 2026

The Most Affordable Local Food In Town 💃🏼
Local season is in full swing, and so are the local producer subsidies (LPSP), making local food so much more affordable! Thanks to your Round Up dollars at the register and a few very generous donors, we launched the Local Producer Subsidy Program (LPSP) in February.  We started with Local Grass-Fed & Finished (GF&F) ground beef from Avanzino Farms (Reno, NV) and made it the most affordable GF&F ground beef in Reno at $8.49/lb. 
Here are all of the 2026 (so far) NEVADA-grown crops priced at LPSP program pricing (industrial organic market-competitive), with farmers receiving INTEGRITY PRICING. In many of these cases, we paid our local farmers more than we are selling the items for on our shelves! LOTS more local goodies coming in as we enter peak season:
Organic Carrot Bunches from Ripcord Farm (Washoe Valley, NV) 🥕
Organic Bagged Greens - Spinach, Arugula, Baby Kale, Mixed Lettuces & Spring Mixes & Radish Bunches from Sierra Valley Farm (Beckwourth, CA) and Prema Farm (Long Valley behind Bordertown, NV) 🥬🫜
Collards and Herbs from Reno Food Systems (Reno, NV) and Churchill Butte Organics (Stagecoach, NV) 🌿
Organic Beets from Jim Davenport (Yerington, NV) 🫜
Organic Tomatoes and Chard from Holley Family Farms (Dayton, NV) 🍅
Organic White Lahontan Garlic from Mewaldt's Organics (Fallon, NV) 🧄








Local Producer LPSP Feature:
🥕 Ripcord Farm 🥕

Ripcord Farm is located in Washoe Valley. Started in 2021, Garrett has spent the last five years growing Ripcord Farm into something sustainable for the soil and for his family. LPSP funds are what help make this possible. With Round Up funds and donations to Friends of the Foodshed, we can pay farmers what they need to keep growing the beautiful produce that makes our co-op unique - and we can keep prices competitive so that produce is accessible to more of the community.
Ripcord Farm carrots are available for $3.49 a bunch thanks to these donations! Before the LPSP was established this year, we would have to sell local carrots at over $6 per bunch to make industry-standard margins and pay farmers what they deserve.
Here is what Garrett has to say about LPSP:
How does LPSP impact me as a farmer?
From my perspective, the LPSP is effectively an investment in a small business. In Ripcord's case, the additional revenue from the LPSP helps pay for improvements that enable us to produce more food. A hands-free root washer, a mini-barrel washer, a high-tunnel cooling system, and an insulated cold-storage trailer are four tangible improvements we are making this year, thanks in part to LPSP funds. It's not just helping us scrape by this month. It's helping us build the infrastructure and continue gaining the experience necessary to put greater quantities of nutrient-dense food in the bellies of our community.
A hot take on "why local?"
I don't think Local is inherently higher quality, or more sustainable, than Imported. The "how" matters immensely. While local producers have a distinct advantage because of our proximity to the humans who eat the food we grow, a local farm can still use degenerative growing practices, and locally grown produce can still be inferior in quality to produce imported from abroad, depending on how it was grown, harvested, and processed. Not all Local producers grow in a way that truly regenerates their soils, and so not all Local producers grow high-quality, nutrient-dense food. The quality of Local food has the same floor as Imported, but a higher ceiling.
To reach that higher ceiling, you can't just ask your favorite AI "How do you start an ecologically regenerative, economically sustainable farm in the high desert climate of the Great Basin?". Figuring out all those details involves a lot of trial and error, and in most cases, it takes a full year before you get another chance to correct a mistake. While you're waiting for another chance to apply what you've learned, the expenses don't stop. Especially for beginning farmers, the LPSP can help bridge that financial gap while they learn how to produce nutrient-dense food in their own specific contexts.
Be well,
Garrett

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: radishes, various salad mixes, and greens from Prema and Sierra Valley Farm; carrot bunches from Ripcord Farm; peaches, heirloom tomatoes, basil, grapes, and other various produce from Tahoe Food Hub; rainbow chard from Holley Family Farm; and beets and garlic from Jim's Organic Garlic & Produce. 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

Arlington Bridge Is OPEN - The Foodshed Cafe is CLOSED

As many of you know, the Arlington Bridge reopened on June 9th, and we couldn't be more relieved! Since the bridge opened, we have received many questions about reopening the Foodshed Cafe. While we have seen significant increases in sales and customer counts in the store, the Foodshed Cafe will remain closed for the time being. 
The Foodshed Cafe was the co-op's mission realized: feeding our community delicious, nutrient-dense, environmentally responsible food. As a triple bottom-line business, we take into account social, environmental, and financial viability to measure success. Our goals of being socially and environmentally impactful were consistently met, but when the Arlington bridge closed, we were no longer financially stable.
The GBCFC Board of Directors has had hours of rigorous and thoughtful discussions about the potential reopening of the Foodshed Cafe.  They will make their final decision at the July 28th board meeting.  Please use the on our website to share your thoughts and preferences before this meeting.  More details soon in the August E-letter!
 

 

What's In Your Salt?
Sea salt is a more healthful choice than table salt because of its unrefined nature and mineral content. Both are primarily composed of sodium chloride; however, because of differences in processing, sea salt contains more minerals. Table salt is mined from underground deposits, heavily refined, and processed to remove impurities, which also strips away the natural trace minerals. Sea salt is made by evaporating seawater, leaving behind salt crystals. This is typically achieved by using the sun and wind (solar evaporation) or, in some cases, by boiling water and an alternative heat source to speed up the process.
Baja Gold is an unrefined mineral sea salt harvested from the Sea of Cortez. Due to its unique harvesting techniques and geological source, Baja Gold Sea Salt is the world’s most mineral-rich, low-sodium sea salt. Baja Gold retains more than 90 natural trace minerals and offers a higher ratio of beneficial elements such as magnesium, potassium, and calcium. Sodium chloride and magnesium are both hydrophilic (water-loving) molecules. As a result, sea salt naturally absorbs moisture from the air, causing it to clump together. This is why some sea salts are treated with an anticaking agent such as silicone dioxide, calcium silicate, or sodium ferrocyanide. Baja Gold is free of anticaking chemicals, bleaching agents, and microplastics found in many heavily processed salts.
Minerals serve as catalysts for enzymatic activity in the body, supporting hundreds of reactions and functions. Drinking water used to be a better source of minerals for humans, but much of our water is now ultra-filtered because of the high levels of contaminants that adulterate our water supply. The "Baja Gold biohack,” a popular health protocol championed by human biologist Gary Brecka, involves adding a pinch of nutrient-dense Baja Gold sea salt to your drinking water.  This is a super simple and effective way to instantly replenish electrolytes, combat trace mineral deficiencies, and significantly improve cellular hydration.
Not only does Baja Gold routinely third-party lab test their salts to ensure consistent sodium and mineral levels are maintained, but they also periodically test competitor sea salts through third-party laboratories.  See the table below for the macro mineral content of Baja Gold and several other sea salt brands.

See the Baja Gold website for more tables and data sheets.
Michelle Nash
Nutrition Education Director
Certified NTP & MScN
The Great Basin Community Food Co-op

🐑 Local Ale Sheep Company Lamb 15% Off 🐑

Ale Sheep Company is owned and operated by Anna and Riaan Odendaal. They pasture their herd of Suffolk sheep year-round between Northeast California and Northwest Nevada. While not certified organic, they are grazed on certified organic pasture and supplemented with non-GMO, organic grain when necessary - even the supplemented hay is grown right on the ranch!
Sale Cycle: July 15th - August 18th

🧂 Baja Gold Sea Salt 10% Off 🧂

All Baja Gold Sea Salts Are 10% Off

  Sea salt is an underappreciated source of over 90 trace minerals, and a great way to replenish electrolytes. If you read our nutrition article above, you will be excited to know that Baja Gold Sea Salt is on sale! In addition to 1lb and 5lb bags of fine ground sea salt, we also carry Baja Gold's Ocean Mineral Soak - perfect for relaxing after those long summer days.
Sale Cycle: July 15th - August 18th

🍓More Regional-Direct Berries!🍓

JSM Organic Raspberries & Organic Blackberries $3.99/Pint

  Every year, we look forward to strawberries from JSM Organics. JSM is a family-owned farm located in Royal Oaks, CA. We started working with Javier Zamora, the owner, back in 2015. Javier came to Reno, visited our co-op, and told us his amazing origin story about starting JSM with just the change left in the cup holder of his old car and a half tank of gas.
For Javier, farming is both a return to his roots and a long-held dream. He is a Mexican immigrant and the son of a farmer. Javier set out to steward land with care and grow food that serves the community and future generations. You can taste the difference in the way he grows - CHEMICAL FREE.  Javier is one of the last medium-sized independent organic berry producers on the West Coast. 
Berry season is continuing, and now in addition to JSM's amazing strawberries, we are bringing in organic raspberries and blackberries for only $3.99 a pint! 
Sale Cycle: July 15th - August 18th or while supplies last

🍓🫐 Co-Op Kitchen Sales 🫐🍓

Mixed Berry Cheesecake $1 Off!
Creamy no-bake cheesecake with a gluten-free graham cracker crumble and organic housemade compote featuring JSM berries. The perfect dessert to celebrate berry season for only $6.99.
Raw Chia Parfaits $1 Off!
Chia pudding, raw granola, fruit cream, topped off with fresh, in-season berries. Completely vegan, raw, and gluten-free, these are a great way to stave off your mid-morning munchies for only $5.99.

🦴 Best Boy Lamb Bones 🦴


Grass-fed and finished lamb bones from Ale Ranch (Gerlach, NV) are back with a new look! Raw bones are great treats for your best friend that help clean their teeth and keep them busy and happy. These bones can also be used to make a yummy, rich broth for your lamb stew.
NEW ITEMS in Grocery & Wellness 🤎

















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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