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Sierra Harvest Annual Report 2016-17

Dear Supporters and Friends,

Our mission at Sierra Harvest is to educate, inspire and connect Nevada County families to fresh, local, seasonal food. We are a part, happily, of a growing community of people who have come to understand how critical food is to our health, our environment, and our economy. We feel blessed to be able to collaborate with our partners and supporters who contribute to the astounding growth of families in Nevada County who buy, prepare, and eat local and organic foods.

On our tenth anniversary, in addition to thanking the many volunteers and donors who have helped us reach 35,000 people with our educational efforts, we would also like to thank our many collaborators. These include almost every school in Western Nevada County, Briarpatch, our many farm and ranch partners, the Farmers’ Markets, businesses featuring local food and farm products, and the many agencies, non-profits, businesses and individuals who joined with us to form the Nevada County Food Policy Council.

Making fresh, local, seasonal food a regular part of Nevada County diets irrespective of family background or income level, and supporting the farmers and ranchers who grow this food will take long-term effort. We’ll be here doing this work for the duration, and look forward to your continued support and

participation.

Thank you,

Aimee Retzler and Malaika Bishop Phil TurnerCo-Directors, Sierra Harvest Board President

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Message from Co-Directors & Board President2

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ChildrenSierra Harvest is teaching the next generation to choose fresh, local foods. Over the last 10 years, our programs have reached over 12,000 students with farm field trips, garden stands, guest chefs, farmer visits, harvest of the month tastings, salad bars, and school garden education.

Chopped Junior champion Mason Partak taught cooking classes at Cottage Hill Elementary School during tasting week

“My favorite food we tried was tomatillo, and my favorite part of visiting the farm was always seeing the chickens. I think that if we didn’t have the Food Love Farm program, I wouldn’t be who I am now.”

—Stella Singer 5th grade (joined the program in kindergarten)

Greg’s Organics has been selling to Nevada County schools for 5 years. This year, high-school meals featured 300 lbs of his heirloom tomatoes grown 2 miles from campus.

High school food service staff learn to cook with fresh herbs and improve their knife skills during a culinary training at Tess’ Kitchen Store

IN THE LAST YEAR:

79% of students tried something new through monthly tastings of fruits and veggies in 304 classrooms. Since the tastings, 42% more students liked what they tried, and 60% have eaten those items more often.

75% of students report that their families now buy directly from farmers

5% of produce purchases for NJUHSD school lunches (1,385 lbs) were organic, purchased from local and regional farmers

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Farmers and Ranchers4

Sierra Harvest helps increase local, organic and sustainable food production. In the last 10 years we have trained 46 farmers, and 8,800 people have attended our workshops, farm tours, potlucks, soup nights and Sustainable Food and Farm Conference.

OF FarM BIz ParTICIPaNTS FEEL

MOrE CONFIDENT IN aCHIEvING FINaNCIaL SUCCESS IN THEIr FarM BUSINESSES

83%

This year we launched the Farm Institute to train the next generation of farmers through FarM BIz (farm business planning), FarM CrEW (on-farm production skills) and LaND MaTCH (access to farm land).

OF THE 480 CONFErENCE

aTTENDEES IN 2017 WErE INSPIrED TO IMPLEMENT SUSTaINaBLE TECHNIqUES ON THEIr FarM aND IN THEIr GarDENS

97% “I dreamt of becoming part of the food community for a long time, and I wanted to be one of those people who create really good, healthy food. The Farm Institute has helped me fulfill my dream! Sierra Harvest has given me so much foundational support- access to land, resources, information, and deeper connections to the farming community.”

—Cat Cook, Brightside Farm

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FarmCrew 2017

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CommunitySince 2013, the Sierra Gardens program has built 53 gardens, serving 1,400 gardeners with mentorship, starts, seeds, and cooking classes. Participants have grown $13,800 worth of produce; have lost weight, and are more food secure. They spend more time outside and are happier and more satisfied with their lives.

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“We have never had a vegetable garden before and just didn’t even know where to begin, especially now that we are both unemployed. Sierra Harvest provided not only the know-how but the hand-on assistance. Now we are more hopeful, less stressed and loving eating food that we have grown on our land!” —Sierra Gardens participant

Sierra Harvest is spreading the word about calfresh, California’s food benefit program. Thanks to support from the Nevada County Department of Social Services, 10,000 more people now know about calfresh and the benefits provided to increase access to fresh, local, seasonal food right here in Nevada County.

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Sierra Harvest wishes to thank our 2016-17 contributors

Sierra Harvest Staff Brianna Abundiz, Senior Farm EducatorRachel Berry, Engagement DirectorMalaika Bishop, Co-DirectorElizabeth Brandley, Garden EducatorEdy Cassell, Sierra Gardens CoordinatorNicole Keene, Development Associate

Sara Lieber, Food Corps MemberMiriam Limov, Engagement ManagerLyndly Martin, Operations AssistantMaggie McProud, Food Love Farm DirectorCarlyle Miller, Operations ManagerMolly Nakahara, Farm Institute Director

Amelia Pedini, Farm EducatorAimee Retzler, Co-DirectorAmanda Thibodeau, Farm to School Director Kalita Todd, Farm Institute Education Coordinator

Farm to School Liaisons Brianna Abundiz, Aleta Barrett, Kim Bell, Sherrill Eaton, Stephanie Facchini, Colette Finkbiner, Jaimi Giguere, Sarah Griffin-Boubacar, Violet Groom, Krista Hooker, Stacie La Jeunesse, Poppi LeBarron-West, Lori Long, Dre Maher, Michele McDaniel, Raelynn Noel, Liz Peterson, Jodi Porter, Carreen Savoie, Shauna Schultz, Sarah Seward, Veronica TenEyck, Erika Triglia, Tracie Van Bemmel, Heidi Zimmerman

Board of DirectorsPhil Turner, PresidentSandra Barrington, Vice President Jennifer Singer, Secretary Rita de Quercus, TreasurerKwong ChewKarin KaufmanAriel LovettRob Thompson

Income: $813,949* Expenses: $669,658*

74%

10%

16%

Programs

Management & Governance

Fundraising

Grants

Earned Income

18%

15%

67%

Individuals, businessesand family foundations

*(7/1/16 - 6/30/17)

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Staff, board & contributors

Sierra Harvest organizes the Nevada County Food Policy Council, a multi-agency and community collaborative of 55 members who work towards creating policies and systems that will increase the production and consumption of fresh, local food and provide equitable access for vulnerable populations.

Harvesting Our Future Giving Circle members give annually and have made a five-year pledge to Sierra Harvest

$10,000+ (Pollinator Giving Circle members in purple)

BriarPatch Food Coop, CA Foundation for Stronger Communities, The Edwin E. Perkins Foundation, Frontier Co-op/ Simply Organic, Transformation Trust, Susie and David Bavo, Tom Cunningham, Leo and Gayle Granucci, anonymous. Also funded in part by the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Block Grant Program

$1,000+ (Seed Giving Circle members in purple)

Ca College of ayurveda, Feast and Gather Catering, Flower Essence Society, Foothill Electric Inc., Forever Flowering Greenhouses, Intero Foundation, KVMR, Mountain People’s Wine Distributing Inc., Organic Valley, Peaceful Valley Farm and Garden Supply, Polly’s Paladar, Telestream, The Further Foundation, Three Forks Bakery & Brewing Co., Tintle Inc., Vital Garden Supply, Welz Family Children’s Foundation, Yuba River Charter School, Rick and Andrea Baron, Elaina Breen, Terry and Karen Brown, Val and Stephanie Camp, Dan and Joanne Castles, Deb and Leo Chapman, Kwong Chew, Richard Codding, Eric Dickerson and Kindra Hillman, Lynne and al Dover, Michelle, Bill and Lena Fisher, Michael and alicia Funk, Jeffrey Hein, Susan and Tom Hopkins, rolf Johnson, David Jones, Paul and Eileen Jorgensen, Carrie Krehlik in honor of Cole, Harry and Emmy Retzler, Marvina Lepianka and Chuck Jaffee, Elaine Martin, Kathy and Tom Mollet, Cristine Mulvey and Jack Kuehn, Susan Nance, Bill and Christine Newsom, Carol Nimick, Diane Robertson, Jennifer and Michael Schindler, Caroline Shindell and Chris Lindquist, Kriseda and Stephen Smith, Nina and Mike Snegg, Elizabeth Soderstrom and Steve rothert, Loren Swift and Scott Merritt, Phil and Carol Turner, Jonathan Valdman, Catherine Williford, Susan and Tim Wilson, Robert Zeuner and Bruce Johnson, Anonymous

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Contributors, cont.

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Under $1,000A to Z Supply, Abstrakt, AmazonSmile Foundation, B & C True Value, Caroline’s Coffee Roasters, Decus Biomedical LLC, The Dental Wellness Center of Grass Valley, Eigen, Flour Garden Bakery and Cafe, The Food Bank of Nevada County, Fulcrum Farm, Gold Country Kiwanis Club, Halford Real Estate, Hills Flat Lumber Co., House of Print and Copy, Intel Corp, Interfaith Food Ministry, Jewish Community Foundation of Southern AZ, Johansen Ranch, Johnny’s Selected Seeds, Melody Hill Farm, Meyers Investment Group of Baird, Mountain View Rehabilitation Medical, Nevada County Habitat for Humanity, Rare Earth, Ol’ Republic Brewery, Reflections Skin Oasis, Rotary Club of Grass Valley South, Sierra FoodWineArt Magazine, Sikes Realty, Sweet Roots Farm, Sweetland Garden Supply, The Doolittle Family Foundation, Treats, The Union, Wild River Marketing.

Kristin and Paul Aguilar, Karen Ahrns, Nick Albert and Shawn Harlan, Charlotte Allen, Michael Anderson and Lori Gordon, Nancy and Mike Anderson, Hilary and Nick Applegate, Nick and Stephanie Babin, Susie Barry, Samantha Bass, Daniel Batchelor, Janice Bedayn, Erin Berquist and Isaac Silverman, Mel and Patricia Berry, Rachel and Matt Berry, Michael and Micki Besancon, Chuck and Penny Bess, Jane Bibeault, Marty Biebel, Michelle Bielby, Malaika and Gordon Bishop, Mary Bitle, Nancy Bleile and Samuel Gitchel, Kim Blix, Mike and Margaret Bloebaum, Juanita Bratton, Kevin Bratton, Janelle Brenner and Stephen Banister, Charlie and Mary Brock, Colleen Brokaw, Iden Bromfield, Jen Brook Porter and Troy Baker, Clifton Brown and Betsy Swann Brown, Sara and Jeffrey Brownwood, Janet Bullock, David and Janet Bunje, Tania Carlone and Jason Rainey, Michelle Carroll, Carole and Richard Carson, George and Louise Carter, Katie and William Carter, Frank and Dyann Castro-Wehr, Farrah Chehrazi, Mielle Chenier-Cowan Rose, Julie Chiarelli, Erik Christensen, Julie Cobden, Alexa Cody and Justin Wenck, Rebecca Coffman, David and Alison Cohen, Sean Coker, Jonathan Collier, Sara Connor, Cat Cook and Ken Bernstein, Liz Coots, Justine Corbett, Maya Cordes, Valerie and Scott Costa, Marcia Craighead, Marilyn and John Darlington, Monica Daugherty, Sharon Davisson, Rita De Quercus and Linda Jane, Karl and Gabby Dedow, Trisha and Jeff Dellis, Alice Denney, Jill Denney, Jeanne Dickenson and James Graham, Mary Jane DiPiero, Kristin Donahue, Lin Donald and Thomas Manuel, Jim and Katherine Doolittle, Susan Drack, Jeanne Duerst, Lindsay Dunckel and Randall McKean, Laurel Durland, Charles Durrett and Kathryn McCamant, Debbie Edwards and Steven Bauer in honor of Amari & Oriah Bishop, Logan Edwards and Hanna Ziesel, Paula Elliott, Steve and Denise Ellis, Liz Ely and Dave Ferrier, Hilary Emberton and Donald Feil, Martin Engel, Elizabeth Enoch, Pam Esmon and David Fallside, Robyn Ettl, Nancy and Steve Eubanks, Carolyn Feuille, Marisha and Tad Finkler, Sue Finlay, Sandy Flores, Pat Forman, John Foster, David Franco, Brent and Julie Fraser, Ike and Adrianne Frazee, Rodney Frederick, Randall Frizzell and Linda Meyers, Donna and Brian Fry, Cecilia Gage, Lee Gaines in memory of Rachel Plevin, Robin Galvan-Davies, Diana Gamzon, Jo Garst, Erika Gaylor, Debbie Gibbs, Kristin and Kevin Glauner, Lance and Joan Goddard, Jeff and Anna Gold, Cheryl Gordon and Linda Newman, Darsi Goto, Matthew Green, Jenny Hale, Suzonne and James Hale in honor of Diane and Steve Current in memory of Marie J Roberts, Carl and Ellen Hall, Heidi Hall, Lotus and Michael Hallenbeck, Amy Halter, Reed and Judy Hamilton, Eben and Elizabeth Haskell, Chris Hawkins, Theresia Heinzle Evans, Alexandra Heller, Lorie and Kevin Hennessey, Holly Hermansen, Maria Herrera, James and Nancy Hipkin, Meg Hobbs, Aha Howard, MaryJane and Charlie Huenergardt, Jim Hurley, Luke Jasper, Lauren Jennings, Bill and Candice Jensen, Sharla Johns, Alexandra Johnson, Barbara Johnson, Louise Johnson, Russ and Kim Jones, Samantha Jones, SR Jones, Joey and Bill Jordan, Eric and Frances Jorgensen, Laura Jorgensen and Fred Curchack, Susanne and Michael Joss, Cathy and Larry Jostes, Greg Judy, Richard Kalb, Harvey Katzman, Karin Kaufman and Ben Chambers, Jonathan Keehn and Avila Lowrance, Patricia Kaminski and Richard Katz, Annie Keeling and Barry Friedman, Nicole and Rich Keene, Scott and Carol Kellerman, Julia Kelliher, Cristine Kelly and Gregory Gilbert, Kathleen Kershaw, Sandy and Don Kewman, David King, Michaela King, Shirley Kinghorn, Karen Klayman, Una Kobrin, Brandy Kolmer, Ginger Konvalin and Dan Bibelheimer, Zachary Krass, Joe and Gladys Krehlik, India Lackey, Jodi Laferte and Steve Olsen, Joanne Laracy, Barbara and Bill Larsen, Wade Laughter and Monica Senter, Sara Laurin, Judy Lay, Alison Lehman, Greg and Sherry Lewis, Tonya Lindsay, Elisabeth Linsky, Charles Litton, Jr. and Janeille Litton, Heather Llwellen, Winni Loesch and Iola Gold, Ariel Lovett-King and Ben Lovett, Alana and Vince Lucia, Juan Maldonado, Brian and Pedma Malin, Karen Marinovich, Dianne Marshall and Lawren Giles, Lyndly and Scott Martin, Susan Martin, Shana Maziarz, Anni McCann, Mary Ann McDonnell, Diane McIntire, Ryan and Lisa McVay, Karin Meadows, Katja Mecking, Pamela and Larry Meek, Martha Meredith, Jill Messier, Carlyle and Chris Miller, Dale and Kari Miller, Kellea Miller and Daniel Walmsley, Genett Mills-Miller, David Mineau and Diana Gibson, Ariana Moise, Nate Moran, Carolyn Murphy and Caleb Dardick, George Nolte, Angela Nowlin and Colleen Young, Bob O’Brien, Jim and Janice O’Brien, Israel Ortega, Dave Painter and Sharon Winegar, Connie Parsons and Greg Archbald, Wanda Perez, Holly and Jeff Pettitt, Sandy Philpott, Anna Maria and Jonathan Pierce, Philip and Jennifer Plant, Lucinda and Ed Porter, Karen Poskus, Claire Potin-Spencer and Kipchoge Spencer, Carolyn Price, Kim-berly Pruett, Monica and Daniel Quattrin, Gary Quehl and Bonnie Hampton, Linda Rasmussen, Saul and Elena Rayo, Anna and Kent Rees, Lorraine Reich, Aimee and David Retzler, Chris Riccio and Mark Sheffer, Celine Rice, Wendy and Corbett Riley, Maryalice Ritti, Sandra Rockman and Tony Giacalone, Tiana and Sean Rockwell, Barbara Roemer and Glenn Miller, Don Rogers, Jolane Romero Hickman and Scott Hickman, Linda Rose, Janice Rosner, Edward Rotberg and Marjorie Determan, Jeanne and George Scarmon, Dian Schaffhauser and Suzanne Doyle, Gary Schlosser, Carol and Ed Scofield, Freda Scott and Jason Danielson, Jen Scott, Melinda Sealander, Reinette Senum, Naima Shea, Jeremy and Brandi Shepard, Melissa Silva, Jennifer Singer, Lew Sitzer, Mary and Micheal Sivila, Michael Smiley and Nancy Fleming, Shea Smith, Pam Smithson, Ellen and Scott Sommers, Cai Sorlien, Amy and Bert Spencer, Greg Spin and Kay Drengler, Sharon Stewart, Jack and Marie Stillens, Lauren Stowe, Kate Strolle, Karen and Darrell Suenram, Erin and Aaron Sullivan, Zeb Sweezy, Lucetta Swift, Barbara and Ed Thomas, Britta Tigan, Terry and Stephen Tilly, Gary and Patti Tintle, Jenni Toedtemeier, Eric Tomb, Edmund Tomp-kins and Ina Glusen-Tompkins, Robert Trent, Sharyn and Barry Turner, Maria and Tony Unger, Luuk and Laura van den Berg, Ginger Van Wagner, Wendy Van Wagner, Corey Vanderwouw, Mike and Kris Vasser, Laurel and Mark Vieaux, Darlene Waddle, Joy Waite and Mark Calhoun, Laura Ward, Jo and Lang Waters, Kathleen Webb, Alane Weber, Rob and Jan Wenzel, Norm and Jan Westmore, Rachelle Wheatley, Susan Wiesner, Elke and Dave Williamson, Jackie Wilson, Regine Wilson, Barbara Wood, Denay Woodman, Cornelia Woodworth and Rod Brown, Peggy and Bob Wright, Anonymous.

Sierra Harvest313 Railroad Ave. Suite 201Nevada City CA 95959

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAIDGRASS VALLEY, CA

PERMIT NO. 74

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