Wow, I can't believe that it's almost September.  Where did the summer go?? All the kids here have been back in school for weeks now, which of course made the summer seem so much shorter than it really was.  So much to do, so little time!  So if you've been following me on Facebook, you already know I've been pretty busy.  I finally painted my Family Tree mural that's been on my to-do list since January.  I've been crocheting like a mad woman getting ready for all my upcoming fall/holiday shows.  And of course what you probably wouldn't see is that I've also been busy being a mom/wife/gardener.  My garden is now kicking into full gear (despite some issues with the squashes/cucumbers/melons.  I'll be giving a garden update here in a future post). But first I wanted to talk about my next event coming up.

One of my favorite events is almost here!  The Great Reno Balloon Races!  It's such a fun event and has been going on in Reno for 32 years now.  We used to go to it annually when I was a kid and of course as we got older we stopped going as much just due to school schedules and sports activities.  After I moved to Las Vegas I, of course, didn't go until we moved back to the area.  We ended up taking the kids for the first time 2 years ago and it was amazing.  There's nothing like looking at something through a child's eyes and seeing the magic and wonder you once felt as a kid.  This is how it was for me.  Now if you've ever been to this event, you know that most people will park over at UNR and will walk up the very steep hills/streets to get to Rancho San Rafael Park.  And if you want to catch the Glow Show and the Dawn Patrol, you have to get there insanely early (5:00am is when the show starts, so you usually have to give yourself at least 30min before to find parking and make the hike into the park).  For us, we planned on getting up at 3:00am to get ready, driving across town to pick up my parents then looking for parking and making the hike, all with a 2 year old and a 6 month old.  Quite honestly, I thought I was insane and I imagined that I'd have 2 very tired and cranky kids with me.  Boy was I in for a great surprise!  They slept most of the way to the park and in the stroller.  We got there a little later than planned and the balloons had already started the Dawn Patrol.  As soon as my oldest saw them in the air, she called out, "Balloons! Balloons!  Balloons EVERYWHERE! Look mommy!"  It was definitely one of those great mommy moments that brings happy tears to your eyes.  Both girls had such a wide-eyed look of wonder on their faces all morning as we sat amongst the balloons.  One of the greatest parts about the event is that everyone gathers around in the open field of the park and the balloons and crews are setting up/taking off/landing all around you.  With around 100 balloons and 150,000 people, it's quite the site to see.  My kids talk about this event all year long and look forward to us waking them up when it's still dark and then seeing all the balloons.  I'm not a morning person (in fact, I usually don't go to bed until around 1:00 or 2:00am), but seeing the joy and wonder on my kids faces each year makes that early morning wake up so worth it!  

This year I get the privilege of working the event as a vendor and seeing the balloons all 3 days.  While I'm not relishing the idea of getting up at 3:00am for 3 days, I am very much looking forward to seeing those balloons, working along side some amazingly talented artists and bringing my kids along with me to enjoy the event for yet another year.  If you are local or are planning on visiting Reno, make sure to stop by for this event at least once.  I promise you won't be disappointed!  And make sure to stop by Crafter's Row to say hi and check out all of the work of our Indie Reno artists!

Summer time is officially here!  Which means we are spending less time indoors and more time out.  But figured I'd take a quick break to write up another post.  
I love this time of year.  The kids are getting old enough now to play on their own outside, which is great when I need to get a little gardening done.  They like to help, but only have a limited attention span so when they are done helping me out, they can go and play in the yard.  I love going camping and am excited to get my kids out for their first tent experience.  There are so many great camping places around this area, the possibilities are endless.  Another thing we love doing in the summer is going to our local farms and farmers markets and making many delicious recipes.  We have found many great local organic farmers in our area and we love all the fresh seasonal fruits and veggies.  In this post I'd like to give you a few links to our favorite places to visit in the summer if you are in the local area. 

As I said, I love going camping.  Growing up, we went camping and fishing every summer.  We'd often go with my grandparents and cousins all around northern California and they were definitely some of the best times!  We'd camp in a great little place just outside of Truckee, CA, called Tahoe Timber Trails.  My grandparents, great-grandmother, aunts and uncles and a few cousins all own/owned a lot in this little gated community campground.  We'd go fishing at nearby Stampede Reservoir, Boca Lake and Prosser Creek. It was great because they had "comfort stations" which were full restrooms with showers, a lodge with a pool table, games, and TV (which we usually only watched if a storm blew in), a swimming pool, baseball field, playground, trails, and horseshoe pits.
Another great area that we'd go to was all around Plumas County, CA; specifically in the Lakes Basin Recreational Area between Sierra City and Graeagle, California, along Gold Lake Road.  There are dozens of lakes, ponds, streams, and creeks in this area as well as many campgrounds, cabins, and lodges to stay at.  We loved camping at spots like Chapman Creek campground and going fishing in the surrounding creeks or going to Upper/Lower Sardine Lake, Gold Lake, or Packer Lake to go fishing.  We'd go swimming in Sand Pond or eat burgers at Bassetts Station and go hiking up to the Sierra Buttes (which was quite the experience for me, hiking all the way to the lookout tower, considering I'm terrified of heights).  Another great thing about these areas is you don't need a lot of money to go enjoy them.  Big bonus if you have a limited budget!  It's also just a short drive from the Reno/Sparks area, so these make great weekend trips.
While we lived in Las Vegas, it was a little more difficult to get out and camp (especially if you were looking for places near lakes and rivers).  We'd usually drive about 3-4 hours up to Duck Creek Village, Utah, which is a beautiful area as well.  There were quite a few lakes and trails in this area to fish, hike, and ride ATVs. We'd also go camping out at Dumont Dunes in California and ride ATVs.  It was quite a challenge to tent camp out there as there is no running water.  You definitely need a motor home or trailer when camping out here.  But there was still many good times and memories with friends and family to be had. I'm very much looking forward to sharing these great memories (and making new ones) with my kids now and in the future.

Now I get to give some shout outs to some of our favorite farmers!  If you are looking to meet some new farmers, a farmers market is a great place to start.  Around here, you can usually find one almost any day of the week.  Here is a great link with all the local markets going on for 2014:  http://www.ediblerenotahoe.com/2012-01-27-04-24-16/2012-farmers-market-guide.
One of the things I love, is coming home from the markets and looking at my kids' faces, which are usually covered in some sort of fruity mess from them trying all the fruit samples the vendors are giving out.
Here is a list of some of our favorite local farmers too.  When you get a chance, get out and see them for yourself!

• From The Earth - Located in Washoe Valley, NV.  Betty and Ron have been longtime family friends and we were very excited to see them growing bigger and providing great local, organic, and heirloom variety foods (fruits, vegetables, eggs, and fowl) to area restaurants and residents.  Stop by and give them a "Like" on Facebook and take a tour of their farm.  We are still enjoying some of our 24lb turkey from them from Thanksgiving (by way of canned turkey broth). They have amazing eggs and produce as well.  Their girls are quite spoiled!
• Lattin Farms - Located in Fallon, NV.  This is such a fun farm!  They have been around since the 1970's and are well established.  We've enjoyed visiting them and enjoying all the fun activities they offer  - the pumpkin maze in the fall, craft fairs, the Easter Bunny, and of course their organic vegetables and fruit. 
• Midtown Farm - Located in Reno, NV.  This is a relatively new farm/homestead that we've discovered.  They are a great little family homestead who offer classes to youngsters about organic farming and offer fruits and vegetables, eggs, rabbit, and fowl.  We picked up 5-1/2lbs of mulberries from them and enjoyed a few mulberry pies and smoothies (and still have plenty that we froze).
• Hidden Valley Honey - Located in Reno, NV.  We buy this at many locations around town including Raley's and Whole Foods.  I love their raw honey!  I also use some of it in my skin care items.
• Joy's Honey Ranch - Located in Reno, NV.  Another good local bee keeper.  We love their honey too (my kids look forward to his booth at the farmer's markets to buy honey sticks).  He is also another great source for me for local beeswax.
• Alpine Ranch Grass-fed Beef - Located in Fallon, NV. A great source for grass-fed beef and pastured pork.  We found them last year through All Natural Nevada Food Company at the local farmers markets. I love that they raise their cattle and pigs the way they are supposed to be raised.  They also deliver to Las Vegas, NV which is great for all our Vegas friends and family. 
• KT Beef - Located in Loyalton, CA.  Another great source for grass-fed beef.  We bought a very large steer from them last year with a couple of other families and are still enjoying the meat now.  I love that they also raise their cattle the way they are supposed to be raised.
• Sunny Day Organic Farms - Located in Stagecoach, NV. Another great source for organic pork.  We also found them through All Natural Nevada Food Company last year at the farmers markets.  They had the best pork sausage and chops!
• Carrol's Corner Truck Farm - Located in Yerington, NV. I love seeing them at the local farmer's markets!  Great source for organic fruits and vegetables.  I just finished making up a few batches of cilantro pesto tonight from the cilantro I bought from them this week.
• Andelin Family Farm - Located in Sparks, NV.  This is another really fun farm.  We visit them every year in the fall for all their family activities.  They have a great pumpkin patch, horseback rides, games and activities, and a new corn maze.  We have such a great time here!
  
• Basket Case Organics - Located in Sparks, NV. While technically not a farm, I feel they are definitely worth mentioning.  We get a weekly basket delivered from them and it is awesome!  Organic fruits and vegetables (and from local sources when available) delivered to your door for about the same price (if not cheaper) than what you'd find at your local grocery store. It sure cuts down on my trips to the store and their produce is great.
• Debi Gray - Located in Sparks, NV.  A little shout out to another egg supplier of ours.  She delivers farm fresh organic eggs to our door every week and they are so yummy.  Thank you Debi!
• Heirloom Gardens - Located in Reno, NV.  I don't have any personal experience with them, but I still wanted to give them a mention.  I think this is a good resource for any of you out there who would like to start your own organic heirloom garden.
• Girlfarm/Grow For Me Sustainable Farm - Located in Reno, NV.  Another farm that I don't have any personal experience with yet, but I'm hoping that one day that will change.  I love their farming practices (organic, heirloom, sustainable) and they have some of the best Facebook updates.  I love seeing all the pictures of their farm and seeing the love they have for their animals and farm. 
• Hungry Mother Organics - Located in Carson City and Dayton, NV.  Another farm that I don't have any personal experience with. But again, I think they are worth mentioning for more organic farms in our region.
• Quail Hollow Farm CSA - Located in Overton, NV.  This is one I thought I'd throw in for my Las Vegas friends and family.  Again, I don't have any personal experience with them, but if we still lived in Las Vegas, I'm sure I would know them.  Just another great option for organic farms.
• Great Basin Community Food Coop - Located in Reno, NV.  Another great resource in Reno for local organic food.  Again, no personal experience with them yet, but hoping that will one day change.

I hope you are out enjoying the summer as well this year!  Let me know where your favorite camping spots are and who your favorite farmers are!