Nevada City will be blooming once again with the return of the Mother’s Day Plant Sale at the Miners Foundry.
The father-daughter team of Leo Chapman and Rebecca Mooers are bringing back the annual event Sunday May 10th, from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm – after four years of hibernation.
“There’s nothing better than spring in the Sierra,” says Rebecca. “And this is a great way to celebrate the season, our community, and our moms.”
Now a realtor in Nevada City, Rebecca grew up nourished by her dad’s ever-growing passion for healthy food and commitment to farming. Last year she and Leo opened a pop-up nursery – Nevada City Blooms – in her Drummond Street driveway.
As their veggie starts and flowers grew, so did the little business, becoming a gathering place for the neighborhood. Now they are bringing back the plant sale to share a bigger bounty with the wider community.
Leo is a local legend in healthy food and community agriculture. He and his wife Deb have lived in Nevada City for 40 years. After committing himself to farm life, he helped start Living Lands Agrarian Network, inspired Sierra Harvest’s farm institute training program, and spearheaded the Sierra Gardens program.
He’s excited to revive another healthy community endeavor.
“I’ve been moving away from production but want to keep growing,” says Leo. “And working with my daughter on something that is new and exciting to her makes it all extra special.”
In past years, Randi Pratini of Fresh Starts Organic Farm took part in the annual event. She reached out to Leo and Rebecca about bringing it back, suggesting something small.
“After speaking with Rebecca and Leo and hearing their ideas,” says Randi, “I agreed we should pull out all the stops and go for it!”
“So I am very excited about restoring this community event to Nevada City,” she says. “Over the years I vended there, I witnessed generations of a family coming to pick out their plants together and then the next year, having them return to my booth, I witnessed how the kids had grown. It was a great feeling to be part of such an opportunity to serve our area once again.”
The team secured sponsorship from Sierra Harvest and recruited 30 vendors, from Grass Valley Mushrooms to Wingfield Honey Co.
For sons and daughters and husbands who might not have anything planned for Mother’s Day – don’t worry; this event has it covered. The halls of the Foundry will be chock full of quality offerings from local growers – an abundant selection of vegetable and flower starts, medicinal and culinary herbs, and a wide variety of perennials and native plants – as well as unique gifts from local craft vendors and delicious food by Petra Modern Mediterranean and Wild Fork Food Truck.
And if that’s not your thing: there’s a bar.