Editors’ choices
Best local farmer
Craig Frezzette
Farming on an industrial level looks very different from the old ma and pa, dustbowl-esque imagery the term might suggest. Gone are the ox and plow, replaced by a fleet of combine harvesters and pesticide sprayers. And while Reno is home to a handful of small organic farms that prioritize sustainability and ecology, Craig Frezzette at City Green Gardens has been doing it longer. Since the ’80s, he’s been feeding his family, the neighbors and, lately, the local restaurant scene from his USDA-certified organic, half-acre backyard farm. Every carrot, apple, leafy green and herb is hand-planted and cared for by Frezzette without a drop of pesticide, and he takes care not to harvest his produce until the morning he personally delivers them to places like 4th Street Bistro and Old Granite Street Eatery. Frezzette’s patience, stewardship of the land, and dedication to quality make him a farmer in both the practical and philosophical sense. In his own words, “Look after the earth, and it’ll look after you.”
Local business with the best landscape or garden
720 Tahoe
720 Tahoe St., 453-8222
Traditional landscaping companies and nurseries have the means to care for their outdoor spaces—it comes with the job description. A business that goes out of its way to incorporate growing things, however, should be commended, and the coworking space 720 Tahoe Street does so to an impressive effect. The large atrium features planters full of tropical trees and leafy plants that grow dozens of feet through the steel rafters towards the full-glass ceiling. The ground-floor koi pond and various vines and succulents hanging from the second floor create the illusion that nature has reclaimed the building—if it weren’t for the several small businesses and private contractors who rent spaces there. It’s a feat similar to the downtown library on a smaller scale. While a well-kept garden is impressive at any business space, it’s even more so indoors.
Readers’ choices
Best cannabis grower
1. Kynd Cannabis Company
1645 Crane Way, Sparks
2. SoL Cannabis
275 Old U.S. 395, New Washoe City, 451-7290
3. Cannavative
Best cannabis product
1. Kynd balm
2. SoL Cannabis
3. Motivator by Cannavative
Best farmer
1. Wendy Baroli
Girl Farm
2. Lyndsey Langsdale
Reno Food Systems
3. Zachary Cannady
Prema Farm
Best flower shop
1. Sparks Florist
1001 Pyramid Way, Sparks, 358-8500
2. Moana Nursery
1100 W. Moana Lane, 825-0600
3. Bumblebee Blooms Flower Boutique
135 N. Sierra St., 348-2799
Best garden nursery
1. Moana Nursery
1100 W. Moana Lane, 825-0600
2. Rail City Garden Center
1720 Brierley Way, Sparks, 355-1551
3. Sierra Water Gardens
2110 Dickerson Road, 622-4090
Best gardener
1. Brooke Walshaw
2. Sam Stremmel
3. Randy Robison
Best harvest festival
1. Andelin Family Farm Fall Harvest Festival
2. Sierra Nevada Lavender and Honey Festival
Best landscaping company
1. Moana Nursery
1100 W. Moana Lane, 825-0600
2. Signature Landscapes
3705 Barron Way, 857-4333
3. DRC landscaping LLC
Best local compost
1. Down To Earth Composting
2. Full Circle Soils & Compost
Best local farm
1. Andelin Family Farm
8100 Pyramid Way, Sparks, 530-8032
2. Ferrari Farms
4701 Mill Street, 997-3276
3. River School Farm
7777 White Fir Street, 747-2222
Best locally grown food
1. Great Basin Community Food Co-Op
240 Court St., 324-6133
2. Prema Farm
1350 Long Valley Road, 513-1518
Best yard
1. Sierra Water Gardens
2110 Dickerson Road, 622-4090
2. “Spaceship House”
879 Marsh Ave.
Local business with the best landscape or garden
1. The Stone House Cafe
1907 S. Arlington Ave., 284-3895
2. Sierra Water Gardens
2110 Dickerson Road, 622-4090
3. Moana Nursery
1100 W. Moana Lane, 825-0600