The Story
How the market started in the foothills of the Sierra Mountains
In 2007 the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce conducted the “Great Nevada City Survey” and 89% of respondents called for the creation of a walkable marketplace. Under the leadership of City Councilwomen Reinette Senum the Nevada City Farmers Market Association was created. It is a joint venture of the community, local farmers who practice sustainable agriculture, and local businesses.
Our mission is to enhance the quality of life and economic resilience of our community by providing access to high quality, locally grown products. To support regional, sustainable producers through direct access to consumers. To create a community meeting place and to foster consumer education.
Each Saturday from June to November more than 30 vendors join a group of loyal volunteers to create a vibrant community event on Union Street in downtown Nevada City.
Meet the Board and Management
Tim Van Wagner
President
Tim Van Wagner is the owner of First Rain Farm, a diversified organic farm two miles outside of Nevada City. Tim has been involved in the local farming movement since 2007 when he moved back to his home town of Nevada City to farm with Leo Chapman at Bluebird Farm. In 2008 he co-founded Living Lands Agrarian Network and participated as a board member in the creation of the Nevada City Farmers Market. Tim has been an anchor of the Saturday Nevada City Market as a vending farm as well as a regular board member since its inception and continues to be inspired by the market and the people who make it what it is.
Peggy Peterson
Vendor Board Member
Peggy Peterson, resident of Nevada City for 34 years and owner of Asylum Down and Yabobo.
Jim Morris
Community Board Member
Community Member on NCFM Board since early 2017. Retired Geotechnical/Civil Engineer, resident of Nevada City for 25 years. NC Farmers Market volunteer for over 5 years. My wife Miriam and I support revitalizing downtown parks, trails, and public areas (with numerous other volunteers); and want to support local food, local farmers, and this wonderful farmer's market.
Jeff Wells
Vice President
Jeff has been actively volunteering/vending at the Nevada City Farmers Market since 2008. He was regularly involved with Living Lands and enjoys volunteering for other local nonprofits such as Sierra Harvest and SYRCL. He's lived in these parts for thirty plus years and has been steadily developing Sunrock Farm in Nevada City for the past decade. Look for his heirloom beans plus other specialty fruits and vegetables the next time you come to the market!
Leo Chapman
Community Board Member
Leo Chapman has lived in Nevada County for 30 years. He started farming in the year 2000, and was a founding member of the Living Lands Agrarian Network in 2007. In 2008 he was involved in envisioning a Farmers Market for Nevada City and was on the first NCFM board as a farmer board member. In 2014-2015 he ran the Sierra Gardens program for Sierra Harvest. In 2016 he was a garden educator for the food love project for Sierra Harvest. He is currently serving on the NCFM board as a community board member.
Stephanie Stevens
Market Manager
In 2016, Stephanie Stevens became the fourth manager of the Nevada City Farmers market. She is a member of the Nevada County Food Policy Council on behalf of the NCFM, runs her own micro farm, and is studying to become an agricultural attorney.
Chrissy Mehnert
Treasurer
Chrissy is a dancer, yoga teacher, Thai Massage practitioner, earth steward, goat caretaker, and Merchandiser at the Briar Patch. Chrissy came to Nevada City in 2013 to intern for Living Lands Agrarian Network. She learned under several of our star local farmers how to build soil, plant seeds, tend plants, harvest and bring food to market for a few years. While she would love to still be farming vegetables, her other passions took her away from the garden for the past year. She enjoys working for the Briar Patch and is excited about building a resilient local food economy. She is passionate about finding ways to involve more folks in eating locally, supporting our local farmers, and creating a community that is healthier and happier. She has been a registered yoga teacher since 2009 and loves helping people to become more embodied and more joyful in their bodies. Her Thai Massage practice is another way she tends to the bodies of our local hardworking community members, having studied the physical body and it's energetic systems. She also facilitates dance classes and social dance events here in town. At home she helps care for a herd of dairy goats. She loves Nevada City and the overlapping layers of community that she has found here. It's like no other place she has lived before!
Maia Lipkin
Vendor Board Member
Maia is drawn in by the physical nature of farming- hands caked in dried soil, her strength budding with the season, and the continual joy of a seedling first emerging. This is Maia's seventh year at Mountain Bounty Farm--a 750 member diversified organic CSA and this will be her second year serving on the NCFMA board.
Katy Gott
Operations Manager
Katy has lived all over the north state before settling in beautiful Nevada County. She has a degree in Environmental Horticulture from UC Davis and a passion for local, sustainable agriculture with an appreciation for the natural landscape. Having recently purchased five, raw acres in Rough and Ready, Katy knows that her journey into the worlds of permaculture and responsible farming is only beginning.