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March 28, 2024 9:52 pm
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Health District Crashes Party At Quail Hollow Farms

By Whitney Donohue

Moapa Valley Progress

Guests at the Quail Hollow Farm “Farm to Fork” Dinner event prepare for a meal that would be much different than its organizers had planned, thanks to Southern Nevada Health District officials who had earlier threatened to shut the event down. Photo courtesy of Mark Bowers.

What promised to be an evening of fresh, local food under the stars quickly grew into a portrait of confusion for the more than 100 guests at Quail Hollow Farm’s “Farm to Fork Dinner”. As the guests were preparing to sit down to a gourmet dinner prepared by Chef Giovanni Maura; using local beef from the Cliven Bundy ranch, and lamb, chicken, rabbit, and vegetables from Quail Hollow Farm; diners were stunned by the announcement from owner Laura Bledsoe stating that the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) was refusing to let her serve the food prepared for that evening.

It is unlikely that anyone was more confused about the evening’s events than Monte and Laura Bledsoe themselves.

“Hosting a dinner like this has been in the back of my mind for a couple of years,” Laura states. “Farm to Fork Dinners are growing in popularity in states all around the country. People are getting back to their roots and developing more understanding about where their food comes from.”

As farmer’s markets are popping up all over the country, it seems like a grass roots movement towards whole foods is growing. In the last year the number of farmer’s markets in Las Vegas has grown to nine, a sure indication that people are concerned about their food. The selling point at these markets is that customers know the farmer, and they know the produce was grown locally.

Many of the people at the Quail Hollow dinner said that they heard about the event at a farmer’s market. Jill Crochet met the Bledsoe’s at the Fresh 52 market in Las Vegas.

“We bought some of their produce and thought it was amazing,” Crochet said. “The dinner itself seemed like an adventure – travel out of Las Vegas and have dinner on the farm…what could be more fun than that?”

Quail Hollow partnered with Red Acre Farm from Cedar City, Utah to present this event. The owners of Red Acre Farm had hosted events like this before, and gladly shared their expertise, Bledsoe said. They had also shared the idea of the dinner with many people at the Downtown Farmer’s Market in St. George.

The Bledsoes said they had spent hundreds of hours planning the event. On Thursday it was suggested to them that they would need a permit to hold the dinner, so they drove to the SNHD building in Las Vegas to get one. They filled out all the paperwork for the permit and were told that an inspector would be by on Friday afternoon to inspect the food preparation facilities.

Monte and Laura informed Chef Giovanni, owner of Nora’s Wine Bar in Las Vegas, of the inspection, and he assured them that it was quite normal. He told them there wouldn’t be a problem, as he is well-versed in safe food preparation practices.

As the majority of the dinner guests arrived, so did the SNHD inspector. The inspection of the facilities seemed to go fine. But the inspector said that there was a problem with the food itself.

“The inspector couldn’t seem to wrap her head around the idea that we didn’t purchase the food from the grocery store or a restaurant supply store,” Monte said. “We explained that the beef came directly from Cliven Bundy’s ranch, and she got upset that it didn’t have a USDA inspection stamp. She told us that if we wanted to serve beef, we could go purchase it from Lin’s and bring back the receipts. As for the vegetables, she didn’t want us to serve those either. The only reason she stopped pursuing that was because we showed her our producer’s license.”

“As soon as the inspector showed up,” Laura explained, “it was evident that her intention from the beginning was to close us down. We had her supervisor on the phone trying to work out some kind of an arrangement so that we could continue with the dinner, but they were adamant. When Monte suggested that we refund everyone’s money and invite them all to stay for a friendly dinner, both the inspector and her supervisor got irate and threatened the police.”

At that point the Bledsoe’s decided to comply with the demands. They were told they could serve the produce and the eggs from the farm, so they decided that was what they would do. In the meantime, the health department insisted that the meat be destroyed by pouring bleach over it.

Laura came down to make an announcement to the crowd, who was stunned by the turn of events. As she was explaining how they had to destroy the meat and would be creating a whole new dinner, one of the guests, Attorney Marty Keach , spoke up and told the Bledsoe’s that if they chose to take the citation and serve the original dinner, he would represent them all the way to the Supreme Court.

After this announcement, there was a flurry of calls to different people and agencies, including County Commissioner Tom Collins.

“I’ve only heard one side of the story, so far, but it seems like we have a problem with how we’re serving the public,” Collins stated.” Going forward, I’d like to see what regulations need to be followed and what needs to be fixed if they’re not appropriate for small farmers and ranchers. I go to events all the time in Vegas where the food being sold was purchased directly from a rancher. There has to be room in the regulations to allow for this type of event, as long as everything is prepared and served in a safe manner.”

Collins has been working on revising the county statutes to allow individuals to sell produce grown on their own property from their property without having to follow all the rules of a commercial enterprise. The revised statute will address issues related to large animals and small ranching as well. But it doesn’t delve into Health District codes or protocol.

Monte suggested to Laura that she call the Farm to Consumers Legal Defense Fund (FTCLDF), and then he went to speak again to the health inspector. FTCLDF is a non-profit organization whose mission is to protect the constitutional right of the nation’s family farms to provide farm foods directly to consumers, to protect consumers’ rights to obtain those foods, and to protect farms from harassment by federal, state, and local government.

The attorney at the FTCLDF stated that the Bledsoes could ask the health inspector to leave, which they promptly did.

This reportedly angered the inspector, who immediately called the police. When Metro arrived on the scene, the inspector demanded that the officers remove everyone from the premises. Metro refused as the gathering was peaceful. The inspector then demanded that Metro issue the farm a citation. Metro again refused, as they saw no evidence of any laws being broken. The officers suggested to the inspector that if there was a health violation that she should issue a citation, but at that point, she did not. So, at the Bledsoe’s request, Metro escorted the inspector off of the farm.

Dinner was served on Friday, although it was a completely different dinner than what was planned. Although the Bledsoe’s offered to refund the diner’s money, only two couples ended up leaving and requesting their money back. Many of the remaining diners pitched in to help get the dinner back on track. One woman who works as a server at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas stepped forward and helped serve the food. Many diners went out in the fields and picked produce, which Chef Giovanni transformed into an amazingly fresh dinner.

“This turned out to be an incredible experience for us,” Laura stated. “There was an overwhelming show of support from the diners, the staff, and Chef Giovanni. We ended up with a true Farm to Fork dinner with the freshest food imaginable. So many people came up to tell me they didn’t want their money back, and that whatever they could do to help, they were there.”

In an interview earlier this week, SNHD spokesperson, Stephanie Bethel stated that the main issue was the unknown source of the food.

“The issue in question was, I believe, an approved food source,” Bethel said. “There has to be information on where the food actually came from, and in this case, there was no information about the meat.”

When asked to comment about the possibility of the apparent over-reaction of the inspector in handling the situation, Bethel said, “First of all, the health inspector does not need a warrant to be there to inspect food. While I wasn’t there, I believe that the inspector probably behaved accordingly. The inspector was asked to leave [by the Bledsoe’s], which she did.”

This whole experience hasn’t soured the Bledsoes at all on the idea of hosting more events like this in the future. In fact, the turn of events makes them want to share the food even more.

The Bledsoe’s have scheduled a meeting this week with Tom Collins’ staff and the Southern Nevada Health District to resolve the issues brought to light on Friday.

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24 thoughts on “Health District Crashes Party At Quail Hollow Farms”

  1. terry Rawlinson

    I for one would love to be notified when the next dinner will be!! I will be there with bells on!!there is nothing as tasty as fresh off the farm beef!!

  2. terry Rawlinson

    I for one would love to be notified when the next dinner will be!! I will be there with bells on!!there is nothing as tasty as fresh off the farm beef!!

  3. The whole thing makes me so angry I could spit!!! As an everyday peasant, the fact that I am subject to this sort of tyranny without any recourse makes me literally sick to my stomach. HEAVEN FORBID WE EAT HEALTHY !! HEAVEN FORBID WE BE CAPABLE OF GROWING OUR FOOD OURSELVES… HOW WOULD THE GOVERNMENT MAKE A DIME IF I DIDN’T NEED THEM TO STAMP MY MEAT “JUST TAINTED ENOUGH NOT TO KILL YA” SNHD shame on you!! I truly hope this opens up a can of worms that leaves that agency with a new set of ideals… in fact let’s tear it down all together and start from scratch…. Leaving those power loving shrews without employment to speak of!! as a good friend of mine said ” How can we eat carbon friendly, locally produced meals with this type of governmental attitude towards such events? Perhaps the inspector would rather everyone join her at McDonald’s?!”

  4. The whole thing makes me so angry I could spit!!! As an everyday peasant, the fact that I am subject to this sort of tyranny without any recourse makes me literally sick to my stomach. HEAVEN FORBID WE EAT HEALTHY !! HEAVEN FORBID WE BE CAPABLE OF GROWING OUR FOOD OURSELVES… HOW WOULD THE GOVERNMENT MAKE A DIME IF I DIDN’T NEED THEM TO STAMP MY MEAT “JUST TAINTED ENOUGH NOT TO KILL YA” SNHD shame on you!! I truly hope this opens up a can of worms that leaves that agency with a new set of ideals… in fact let’s tear it down all together and start from scratch…. Leaving those power loving shrews without employment to speak of!! as a good friend of mine said ” How can we eat carbon friendly, locally produced meals with this type of governmental attitude towards such events? Perhaps the inspector would rather everyone join her at McDonald’s?!”

  5. It is regrettable that the SNHD had to act in the manner in which they did. However, the problem is not with the SNHD, it is with the food vendors who do not practice safe food handling methods. We, the general public, are the ones who pay the price for food vendors who could care less about our health or safety. Keep in mind, our country is the most regulated country in the world. This is a result of the freedoms that we enjoy daily that some of us use to our own advantage.

  6. It is regrettable that the SNHD had to act in the manner in which they did. However, the problem is not with the SNHD, it is with the food vendors who do not practice safe food handling methods. We, the general public, are the ones who pay the price for food vendors who could care less about our health or safety. Keep in mind, our country is the most regulated country in the world. This is a result of the freedoms that we enjoy daily that some of us use to our own advantage.

  7. I have a question. Shouldn’t have the inspector been there at an earlier time, like hours before the guests arrive to do the “inspection”? Isn’t the inspection intended to bring anything possibly out of order to light so that it could be attended to BEFORE guests arrive? What a horrible thing to do to such a wonderful event and our friends Monte & Laura

  8. I have a question. Shouldn’t have the inspector been there at an earlier time, like hours before the guests arrive to do the “inspection”? Isn’t the inspection intended to bring anything possibly out of order to light so that it could be attended to BEFORE guests arrive? What a horrible thing to do to such a wonderful event and our friends Monte & Laura

  9. Sounds like Commissioner Collins and the SNHD need to keep their damn noses out of other people’s business. I agree with Anne Brown. Good grief. what a bunch of crap. I have had Mr. Bundy’s beef and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. I would much rather have fresh beef than crap from a store. I think when it’s time to get Tom out of office, LET’S BOOT HIM OUT!!! He hasn’t done nothing for Moapa Valley people, but stir the pot every time he turns around. He needs to stay out of crap!!!

  10. Sounds like Commissioner Collins and the SNHD need to keep their damn noses out of other people’s business. I agree with Anne Brown. Good grief. what a bunch of crap. I have had Mr. Bundy’s beef and there is absolutely nothing wrong with it. I would much rather have fresh beef than crap from a store. I think when it’s time to get Tom out of office, LET’S BOOT HIM OUT!!! He hasn’t done nothing for Moapa Valley people, but stir the pot every time he turns around. He needs to stay out of crap!!!

  11. Mr. Joe C Public, it is apparent that you just do not get it. Local food growers are a whole ‘nuther kind of producer. Since they have total traceability they are more inclined to not poison their clients, unlike Cargil. I keep trying to tell people, get your underground food systems together now because pretty soon it is going to be too late. No, they don’t want us to eat healthy, they want us sick, dependent, needing pharmaceuticals. I believe Soylent Green is what they have in mind. Over this last year too many small farms have been harassed by local and federal health depts and the FDA.

  12. Mr. Joe C Public, it is apparent that you just do not get it. Local food growers are a whole ‘nuther kind of producer. Since they have total traceability they are more inclined to not poison their clients, unlike Cargil. I keep trying to tell people, get your underground food systems together now because pretty soon it is going to be too late. No, they don’t want us to eat healthy, they want us sick, dependent, needing pharmaceuticals. I believe Soylent Green is what they have in mind. Over this last year too many small farms have been harassed by local and federal health depts and the FDA.

  13. I grew up a poor country boy. Don’t think we could have survived had it not been that we ate from home grown veggies, hogs and chickens we raised,venison, and fresh whole milk from which we also made clabber and cottage cheese. Sure miss some of that though this year we had most of our veggies from our back yard (city lot), raised bed, intensive garden. Don’t tell anyone lest the garden police show up and shut it down!

  14. I grew up a poor country boy. Don’t think we could have survived had it not been that we ate from home grown veggies, hogs and chickens we raised,venison, and fresh whole milk from which we also made clabber and cottage cheese. Sure miss some of that though this year we had most of our veggies from our back yard (city lot), raised bed, intensive garden. Don’t tell anyone lest the garden police show up and shut it down!

  15. Guys the SNHD job is to keep the public safe from bad food. Because the farm charged for the dinner and was open to the public the SNHD had every right to shut down the dinner for not buying food from an approved vender. Had the farm made the guests sick from Ecoli everyone of you would have been calling the SNHD and wanting the farms owners heads served up on a platter.
    SNHD does a great job and did the right thing when she shut that dinner down.

  16. Guys the SNHD job is to keep the public safe from bad food. Because the farm charged for the dinner and was open to the public the SNHD had every right to shut down the dinner for not buying food from an approved vender. Had the farm made the guests sick from Ecoli everyone of you would have been calling the SNHD and wanting the farms owners heads served up on a platter.
    SNHD does a great job and did the right thing when she shut that dinner down.

  17. Morgaine JC Donohue

    @Joe Public, if you read the article, youll see that the issue the inspector had was not with the preparation of the food, but with the fact that the food was bought from private farms and ranches as opposed to USDA stamped meat from Lins. Keep in mind, the USDA stamps food filled with antibiotics, hormones, listeria, e. coli, and mad cow. The preparation of the food was not once brought into question.

  18. Morgaine JC Donohue

    @Joe Public, if you read the article, youll see that the issue the inspector had was not with the preparation of the food, but with the fact that the food was bought from private farms and ranches as opposed to USDA stamped meat from Lins. Keep in mind, the USDA stamps food filled with antibiotics, hormones, listeria, e. coli, and mad cow. The preparation of the food was not once brought into question.

  19. My cousin got food poisoning that very same night at McDonald’s. Do you see the SNHD pouring bleach on their food? Health departments were developed in response to negligence and irresponsible practice from the big food companies. At some point through careful lobbying, manipulative funding and passage of many well thought out laws and regulations orchestrated by the big food companies, they have turned the publics protection back on the little guy, shutting down the small local farmers all over the nation and eliminating competition. Did you know that animal cruelty laws don’t in fact apply to livestock. This is so that the big companies can produce mass amounts of low quality food and maximize profit. This food then goes on to our grocery stores and restaurants where we are now being forced to purchase our food by the health departments. Because they believe that without their magic stamp that the food grown in your garden is in fact a “bio-hazard” not fit for human consumption.
    The real issue at hand however is that you and I no longer have the right to choose where you get your food what you are allowed to put in your own body. Shouldn’t you be allowed to say “I don’t want the USDA or NSDA approved garbage. I want REAL FOOD. I want food that has been raised and produced with love and respect not only for the animals but also the people who consume the end product”
    Our liberty and freedom has been breeched my friends. It is time that we all stand together and fight back in order to regain that liberty and freedom. This is a war that must be united on and we MUST ACT. No change will take place until the laws are changed, and they must be changed. Call your government representatives, local, county, state and federal. Find out what they are doing to help our local farmers, and if they are not then get them to do so! We must have the freedom to make these choices and we must make these changes happen.

  20. My cousin got food poisoning that very same night at McDonald’s. Do you see the SNHD pouring bleach on their food? Health departments were developed in response to negligence and irresponsible practice from the big food companies. At some point through careful lobbying, manipulative funding and passage of many well thought out laws and regulations orchestrated by the big food companies, they have turned the publics protection back on the little guy, shutting down the small local farmers all over the nation and eliminating competition. Did you know that animal cruelty laws don’t in fact apply to livestock. This is so that the big companies can produce mass amounts of low quality food and maximize profit. This food then goes on to our grocery stores and restaurants where we are now being forced to purchase our food by the health departments. Because they believe that without their magic stamp that the food grown in your garden is in fact a “bio-hazard” not fit for human consumption.
    The real issue at hand however is that you and I no longer have the right to choose where you get your food what you are allowed to put in your own body. Shouldn’t you be allowed to say “I don’t want the USDA or NSDA approved garbage. I want REAL FOOD. I want food that has been raised and produced with love and respect not only for the animals but also the people who consume the end product”
    Our liberty and freedom has been breeched my friends. It is time that we all stand together and fight back in order to regain that liberty and freedom. This is a war that must be united on and we MUST ACT. No change will take place until the laws are changed, and they must be changed. Call your government representatives, local, county, state and federal. Find out what they are doing to help our local farmers, and if they are not then get them to do so! We must have the freedom to make these choices and we must make these changes happen.

  21. Having witnessed a health inspector attempt to shut a business down, only to discover it was her first inspection and she was trying to “make her bones” it seems to me based on news stories that the SNHD inspector was intent on doing just that.

    “Had the farm made the guests sick”, they would have cut their own throats and brought themselves down. In all honesty, I trust farms and chefs more than government agencies to act in their own best interests and make sure the food being served is safe.

    Look up “HACCP certification”, issud by the National Restaurant Association; chefs are required to have such before they are allowed to run a restuarant or serve food. I have it, and I’m fairly sure the chef involved in this did as well.

  22. Having witnessed a health inspector attempt to shut a business down, only to discover it was her first inspection and she was trying to “make her bones” it seems to me based on news stories that the SNHD inspector was intent on doing just that.

    “Had the farm made the guests sick”, they would have cut their own throats and brought themselves down. In all honesty, I trust farms and chefs more than government agencies to act in their own best interests and make sure the food being served is safe.

    Look up “HACCP certification”, issud by the National Restaurant Association; chefs are required to have such before they are allowed to run a restuarant or serve food. I have it, and I’m fairly sure the chef involved in this did as well.

  23. Real Food Guy, how do you know he got sick at McDonalds? did the doctor ask where, when and what he ate for the last 3 days? did the doctor take stool samples and have a lab test it? Do you know it can take up to 2 weeks for a person to get sick? Also did you know 75% of all food poisonings come from YOUR OWN KITCHENS?
    Dont fall off the soap box the doctors are out the get you too.

  24. Real Food Guy, how do you know he got sick at McDonalds? did the doctor ask where, when and what he ate for the last 3 days? did the doctor take stool samples and have a lab test it? Do you know it can take up to 2 weeks for a person to get sick? Also did you know 75% of all food poisonings come from YOUR OWN KITCHENS?
    Dont fall off the soap box the doctors are out the get you too.

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