Sacramento has had its very own rare gem in Blue Diamond Almonds since 1910 when Blue Diamond Growers made its headquarters at 1802 C St.
When early California pioneers discovered that the soil and climate surrounding the Sacramento area was ideal for growing almonds, it spurred the launch of a grower-owned cooperative—the California Almond Growers Exchange.
“Watching the garden grow with you is a beautiful, physical representation of the journey to healing,” says Kaitlyn Devereaux, novice gardener and apprentice at Shakti Rising, one of four recipients of a 2019 micro-grant awarded by the Sacramento Cooperative Community Fund.
The micro-grants, typically $300 to $700, provide critical one-time funds to promote nutrition, health, a healthy environment and the cooperative movement.
Shakti Rising, a nonprofit helping women with histories of addiction, abuse, depression and self-destructive behaviors, launched its Sacramento location in 2018 at a charming Victorian house called Casa Luna Y Lobos. The holistic organization aims to empower women by cultivating foundational skills for emotional well-being, personal health, leadership, meditation, nutrition and gardening.
A few years ago, Gregory Berger’s interest in cooking and baking was purely part of the household routine. But then, one sourdough loaf changed everything.
Berger is a stay-at-home dad who spends his days caring for his son, Rowan, while running his own graphic design company in Sacramento. He became inspired to delve into the world of breadmaking after reading “Cooked: A Natural History of Transformation” by Michael Pollan.
Jose Silva has a thing for burgers. “If we can put it on a bun, we’ll serve it,” says Silva, owner of Flaming Grill Café. Whether it’s sirloin, chuck, bison, ostrich, elk, alligator, carnitas or ahi tuna, you’ll find it on the menu at one of Silva’s three locations.
Chef and owner, Silva has spent the majority of his life, almost 35 years, in the kitchen. Starting out washing dishes at age 13, he steadily worked his way through a variety of Sacramento restaurants, finally giving up the game a dozen years ago. But like a professional athlete who just can’t hang up the cleats, Silva found himself back on the field when he stumbled upon an opportunity to buy up an awkward little food stand on El Camino Avenue. Less than one year into his sabbatical and he was back at the grill, the only difference this time was that it was his grill.
Getting kids to eat their veggies is a struggle in many homes. It has become such a persistent issue that some of this generation’s adolescents, often due to lack of resources or inaccessibility, do not recognize produce like pears or broccoli—even right here in Sacramento.
But what would happen if kids could experience hands-on learning in school about a variety of fruits and vegetables, and taste fresh, unpackaged, unprocessed meals? Beginning next fall, the students at Leataata Floyd Elementary School will find out.
