Contact Information:
(530) 832-0114
romano@psln.com
1329 County road A23, Beckwourth, CA
About
Sierra Valley Farms is a 65-acre certified organic farm and nursery situated on the Middle Fork of the Feather River in the majestic Sierra Valley. The farm, located at 5,000 feet elevation, in Beckwourth California, has one of the most unique growing climates in the West. Sierra Valley Farms was first established as a native plant nursery in 1990 and broadened its diversity to growing certified organic produce in 1999.
The family farm is owned and operated by Gary Romano. Sierra Valley Farms diverse operation includes growing and production of a wide range of cool-season vegetables and some fruits, micro greens, herbs, hops, and value-added condiments. The farm hosts an “on-farm” farmers market, restaurant CSA’s, and “Dinners in the Barn”.
Sierra Valley Farms markets most of their products by way of Farmers Markets in the Reno/Tahoe area, and hosts the only On-farm Certified Farmers Market in California. The farm products are very popular in the community markets and also popular is the unique CSA program just for restaurants.
The historic farm once owned by Gary’s grandparents goes back three generations in Sierra Valley and hosts corrals with many years of composted manures and organic matter. The Romano’s utilize the natural dynamics of cover crops, rotation of crops, wildlife intrusion, and the four seasons to enhance the already fertile soil. This, along with the cool summer climate produces some of the finest quality organic vegetables in the world.
Sierra Valley has one of the harshest climates in the Sierras with winter temperatures of sometimes below zero and only 60-70 frost-free days per year. The summers daily temperatures can fluctuate as much as 50 degrees with morning lows in the30’s and afternoon as high as the ’80s-’90s.
Sierra Valley Farms is proud of its commitment to the sustainability of the family farm. They continue to diversify their farm operations and support agrotourism with the many events held on the farm.
Our Farmer’s Market
“Farmers Helping Farmers”
The Romano’s Farmers Market hosts local vendors who are hand-selected for their quality and product. The market is open every Friday, 10am-1:30pm from May 27 and continues for 16 weeks until September 16.
Romano’s Certified Farmers Market was voted by vendors as their “favorite” farmers market that they attend, and is considered “the most fun market” of all the farmers market that our customers attended in 2016!!!
We have 25 vendors; a “one-stop shop” for patrons who can get seasonal fresh fruits and vegetables, local meats, fresh fish from Pacific coast, baked goods, mushrooms, condiments, wines and wine tasting, deli meats and cheese, organic milk and dairy, and many other locally crafted artisan value-added products and crafts.
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Dinner in the Barn
This spectacular Dinner series celebrates food, farm, and community.
High Elevation Vegetable Gardening
Vegetables like a higher Ph soil, usually between 6-7.5. Our mountain soils are 5-5.8 generally. Vegetables like high nutrient- loam soils. Mountain soils are usually acidic, granitic /lava based soils with low nutrients that’s why wildflowers do so well.. The Idea is to bring your soils to a higher ph, and change your soil structure to a loam condition. Kelloggs Grow Mulch is NOT the answer. All forest mulches add acid to your soil. You need to add vegetable-grass-hay composted mulches to help or manures. Easiest way to bring in soils that are known to grow vegetables i.e. sac. Valley, foothills, sierra valley, loyalton etc. Or start growing any kind of green cover crop Grasses, forbs, vegetables etc.) and keep rototilling it under and you will increase your ph 1-2 points per year. Get a soil test first of your existing, and one from where you want to import it and compare. Our sierra valley soils started at 5.6 and over the last 7 years we have raised it to 6.2-6.5 perfect for vegetables.
SEEDING: General rule is not to plant any seed/bulb/tuber more than 3 times the width of it’s seed. Small seed(lettuces,carrots, onions,arugula) 1/8 –1/4 inch depth. Medium seed (beets, cabbage, broccoli, swiss chard etc.) ¼-1/2 inch depth. Large seed (Beans,corn,peas, sunflowers etc.) ¾ to 1.5 inches depth.
WATERING: Depends the soil structure i.e. sandy-daily, loams every 3-4 days, clay bi-weekly. Drip or furrow irrigate. Only overhead water broccoli-cabbage-cauliflower.
FERTILIZER: Use organic based fertilizers during pre-plant, side dress when beginning to flower. Cover crop with “green manures” rototill in all green matter, grasses, weeds etc.
PEST PROBLEMS: Aphids, whitefly, lupers, earwigs, slugs. Use Organic pesticides when possible, spray 3 times every 10-14 days to remove insect generations.
WEEDS: Key is to remove them before they get 1-2 inches tall! Or it’s too late. Just put the water where you want it to go! Drip-furrow is better than overhead broadcast.
MULCHING/OVERWINTERING: Vegetables that can be mulched and overwinter are: cabbage, spinach, swiss chard, arugula, oregano, thyme, rosemary, mint, carrots, onions, garlic.
PERENNIAL VEGETABLES: Asparagus, Rhubarb, Horseradish, bunching onions, chives, garlic, kale, arugula.
