Aug 22, 20213 min read

Food Unites Us {Week 15 CSA}

Where division grows, food and joy mend.

It was December 2018 when Zach turned to me, a bright smile across his face, and said, "We should do a food festival where people race to eat Nevada melons and garlic!" I replied with a smile and slightly lowered lids, "you mean I should plan a food festival so you can enjoy food competitions?" He laughed and nodded while I shook my head.

We were just three months into creating the Riverside Farmers Market, which we decided we needed to produce if the crops Zach had planted for winter were going to be successful. He was confident they would be and I was willing to carry the logistics of producing the market each week. If you haven't seen Zach's competitive side, prepare yourself. He has a long track record of winning first place at various physical endeavors, has a virtually undefeated mentality (which is precisely why he makes a great farmer), and is entirely lit up by friendly competition. His suggestion of a food festival full of lively state-fair-esque competitions came as no surprise, and was also the beginning of what manifested just last Thursday: Reno's first Local Food Faire. Needless to say, I finally acquiesced to this vision as we ramped the Riverside Farmers Market back up after the 2020 summer of dormancy amid the pandemic. The response to the market from last fall until now has been nothing short of exuberant. Especially before other events began to open in June, our market felt like a balm to many who were feeling the heaviness of isolation and fear that marked the pandemic. An outdoor marketplace full of produce and bread and art and plants, all grown and created with passion, seemed like the perfect and safest way to regain some hope and connection. When the city's mandates around outdoor gatherings lifted in May, Zach and I decided to go for it. We'd endeavor to put together the first local food faire... even if it was just 3 months away.

It's good to be reviewing this on the other side of the actual event. Had I endeavored to write about the faire anytime before last Thursday, it likely would have included many more exclamation marks and a few expletives! It turns out, creating the largest event we've ever produced amid peak season demands, stubborn layers of smoke, and enough delta variant activity to pull my two co-organizers (and several vendors) out of operation days before the event is enough to run one's adrenals right out the door!

But no amount of sleep deprivation could hide the gifts that made this event so special. From the incredible clearing of smoke via those very rare northerly winds, to the sudden cooler temps, the helpers that literally appeared out of nowhere, and the amazing number of people who showed up to support and celebrate our local community of farmers, makers, and bakers—it was pure magic!

If you weren't able to make it, don't worry, this is just the beginning. Here's a sneak peek at some of the beauty we captured at our Inaugural Local Food Faire: