Made in Nevada Marketplace spotlights local products

The atrium of the Nevada State Library and Archives turned into a shopping mall on Wednesday, with dozens of vendors selling their made-in-Nevada products.

The Made in Nevada Marketplace featured 42 Nevada businesses, selling everything from ice cream to glass artwork, organic vegetables to truck accessories.

"This is very cool. People are getting to taste our coffee," said Melissa Dyer, who roasts coffee for Alpen Sierra Coffee Company in Minden. "Our coffee comes from 18 countries around the world. It's organically grown sustainable coffee, and we roast it to full flavor."

"I think this is awesome," said Jarill Ristine, a Carson City glass artist. "We've had a lot of people come over and look at the pieces we have."

Many visitors lined up to taste the ice cream from Tahoe Creamery.

"I'm the most popular one here," said David Chaney, business development director for Tahoe Creamery, as he handed out scoops of unique flavored ice creams like Tahoe Flight Blueberry Delight or Tahoe Swell Cinnamel.

Kimberly Elliott, marketing director for the Nevada Commission on Economic Development, said the new location for the marketplace was bringing in a lot more people for the vendors who set up tables.

"We have done it since 2003, but this is the first time we have done it in this building, which makes it more accessible to the public," Elliott said. The event was in the Legislature building previously.

Elliott said she was excited to have organic produce growers involved in Made in Nevada, an association that promotes local businesses and products.

Pauline Hamilton of Great Basin Basket CSA had fresh spinach, lettuce, carrots and asparagus for sale at her table.

"There is a big prejudice that organic costs more money," Hamilton said. "But when you consider keeping our farmers on their land and doing fair trade here in America, not with foreign countries, I think it's a pretty good deal."

The event filled the atrium and an adjacent room, where Sharon Donaldson-Arnold was baking fresh biscuits with her Great Basin Sourdough Starter.

"I've enjoyed watching the Made In Nevada organization grow," Donaldson-Arnold said. "When I started 11 years ago, we had 19 vendors. We now have more than 115."

Elliott said the program is growing by word of mouth.

"It's a great program, it retains jobs, and it creates jobs in Nevada," Elliott said. "It also keeps our tax revenue here in our communities."