Green Thumbs

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

www.cannavativegroup.com

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

www.landscaperrenonevada.com

Best local compost

1. Down To Earth Composting

www.downtoearthcomposting.com

2. Full Circle Soils & Compost

www.fullcirclecompost.com

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