Just in time for holiday shopping, the University of Nevada, Reno’s Nevada Wolf Shop has a stock of wool products from University-raised sheep and jerky from beef raised by its Wolf Pack Meats. Not only do the products offer an opportunity to buy local, but sales support student activities, education and research.

“We’re delighted to partner with the Nevada Wolf Shop on campus to offer these products produced by our College,” said College of Agriculture, Biotechnology & Natural Resources Dean, Bill Payne. “It’s a great way to show what the University is doing and how our programs offer real-world experiences for our students. And, at the same time, it provides the community with quality, locally produced products.”

There is an assortment of wool products sporting the University’s silver and blue colors and five flavors of jerky. The store is located at 87 West Stadium Way, and is open now through Dec. 20, Monday – Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 7 p.m.; and Saturdays, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. After that, winter break hours are Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. (closed holidays).

“We are so excited to be able to carry these products,” said Amy Lewis, store director at the Nevada Wolf Shop. “They’re really special because they are truly local. We are proud to showcase these top-quality Nevada Wolf Pack items that are the result of the efforts of our staff and students.”

Silver and blue products made from some of the softest wool in the world

Some of the wool products available include a variety of beanies, scarves, sweaters and blankets. Even for some people who normally can’t wear “scratchy” wool, these wool products are wearable, due to their silky, soft feel. They are from Rafter 7 Merino sheep raised by the College’s Great Basin Research & Extension Center in Eureka, Nevada, a breed that the University’s Experiment Station developed more than 30 years ago, now prized internationally for its fine wool and meat. The sheep have adapted well over time to rangeland production and to producing fine wool in spite of the harsh Nevada climate.

“That’s one of the things the College is trying to do with its work and research – provide animals and crops that can be raised in challenging environments, such as those we have here in Nevada,” Payne said. “Hopefully the work we do here can be applied in other parts of the world.”

Proceeds from the sale of the wool products at the Nevada Wolf Shop not only help fund student activities, but also help fund the Center in Eureka, which is a 644-acre ranch, where researchers address sustainable grazing management of rangelands, livestock production, water-limited crop production, and alternative irrigation strategies, among other projects.

Jerky from that ranch you drive by on McCarran Boulevard

The beef for the jerky is from cattle raised here in Reno, at the Experiment Station’s Main Station Field Lab, off McCarran Boulevard near Mill Street at 5895 Clean Water Way, home of Wolf Pack Meats. Wolf Pack Meats partnered with a local business to make the jerky, which comes in five flavors – teriyaki, sweet & spicy, garlic, smokey BBQ, and black pepper & sea salt.

“We’re really happy with it,” said Tom Kulas, operations manager for Wolf Pack Meats. “We’re getting great feedback. A lot more people are focusing on trying to buy local, and the jerky provides a great, affordable stocking stuffer or item for gift baskets.”

Kulas said that the new line of jerky is part of Wolf Pack Meats’ efforts to enhance its offerings of local meats and products to the community, which support the growth of its production capacity, along with its teaching and research missions. The facility provides students with the chance to not only see the commercial process in action, but also receive hands-on training and experience with a real commercial business in a critical industry. Students get experience in meat production, packaging and distribution.

The facility also works closely with local producers to process and package livestock, supplying the state with locally produced meat and keeping a way of life alive for many local ranchers. The facility is one of a few U.S. Department of Agriculture-approved processing facilities in the state.

For those looking for fresh meat products for their holiday tables, Kulas said Wolf Pack Meats is fully stocked with a variety of fresh beef and lamb cuts produced from cattle and sheep raised by the University, and is open to the public for retail sales Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. For more information on the fresh meat selection available at Wolf Pack Meats, contact us by email or 775-857-3663.

For more information on the stock of wool products and jerky, and pricing, at the Nevada Wolf Shop, contact the store at 775-784-6597.