Gifting Food

JustCurious68 · Post by **JustCurious68** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:23 pm

According to the BM website, it says that "gifting food or fresh juices to the public, requires a permit from the Nevada State Health Division".
The link to the Nevada State Health Division does not work...so when I went to the Nevada State Health Division website and searched for Burning Man, I got this long boring HEALTH DIVISION BIENNIAL REPORT 1999 - 2000.

Can someone let me (and others) know what constitute "food", or another words...when would we have to fill out this permit?

Mixers (coke, cranberry/tomato juice, lemonaid) that goes into etoh drinks
Garnishes (olives, celery, cherries) that goes into alcoholic drinks.
What if we want to hand out lollipops, popsicles, candy or other such items? Do we need to fill out one of these silly permits?

Sorry if this has been posted already!
Thanks,
JustCurious!!

SonOfUgly · Post by **SonOfUgly** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 10:48 pm

i gave tons of food out without a permit, didnt know i needed one

Post by **mdmf007** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:06 pm

Prepared food - is a no no without a permit to the public. Technically bars are fucked as well, but BHPS looks other way. If your bar is exceptionally sloppy - you will get tuned up but thats rare.

Random Pizza place was shut down last year for no permit. BHPS calls them "Rogue Food Vendors" Only 20 permits in 2005 - these poor bastards are inspected daily by BHPS.

You can serve whatever you want to your campmates, the general public is off limits though.

heres some light reading I had in my lists:
BHPS 2006 BMAN debrief with a list of violations and what constitutes food vendor etc...
http://health2k.state.nv.us/index.php?[ ... Itemid=292[/url]

mk-ultra · Post by **mk-ultra** » Mon Feb 09, 2009 11:13 pm

*HEALTH DEPARTMENT*

Are you planning anything requiring large amounts of water?
Are you hosting a large kitchen?
Are you giving away food?
Are you serving quantities of drinks over ice?
Are you thinking you may need to get a Health Permit?
If so, this is important information to read.

WATER

Burning Man does not provide water for any projects.
You must bring your own.

Large quantities of water (250 gallons+) being used for projects that entail
full body contact or consumption by people must be "potable" and come from
state health department approved water sources. If you are bringing in a
water truck or are hauling in large amounts of water you should speak to us
directly. There are health department regulations that you need to be aware
of. Email us at placement at burningman.com

Water being used for misting systems, slip and slides and things that do not
involve consumption do not need health department clearance. It is wise to
make sure that you have "potable" water and the source is reputable!

Large public pools and showers will not be permitted. Art pieces involving
water are not considered showers unless they are labeled such and encourage
bathing. If you have questions about this, email us at
placement at burningman.com

KITCHENS/ BARS or DRINKS

If you are providing beverages and/or food for your camp and friends, no
health permit is needed.

PUBLIC kitchens of any sort need a permit. Remember, Burning Man does not
tolerate the sale of anything at the event, including food. We have
cultivated a gift economy. If you are caught selling or bartering food like
currency the health department will shut you down -- if your neighbors don't
get to you first!

If you are giving food to the public you need a permit. Your CAMPMATES and
FRIENDS are the only people you can give food to without health department
clearance. If you have any questions, please contact us at
placement at burningman.com

FRESH SQUEEZED JUICES

If you are giving away freshly-squeezed fruit drinks to anyone other than
your CAMPMATES and FRIENDS, you must get a permit.

ICE

Ice is considered food by the health department. Although there should be no
permits needed for "free bars" or "barter bars", your ice source must be
approved by state health. The easiest way to comply is to purchase your ice
from commercial sources in the surrounding towns as you enter our city, or
from us at the event. (Money from our ice sales goes directly back to the
town of Gerlach as a gift.)

APPLYING

The health department has forms ready to send out to you. It costs about
$50.00 to apply for a basic permit. The process is simple and the health
department is easy to work with. They are genuinely concerned about the
health of our citizens and prevention of food-born epidemics, so it is their
duty to inspect food preparation areas. Like the other public safety
agencies on the playa, they can issues citations and fines for violations,
and/or shut you down for non-compliance.

If you know you need a permit you can call the health department directly at
(775) 687-7548 and ask for Richard. Or email him at
relloyan at nvhd.state.nv.us

JustCurious68 · Post by **JustCurious68** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:04 am

"KITCHENS/ BARS or DRINKS

If you are providing beverages and/or food for your camp and friends, no
health permit is needed.

If you are giving food to the public you need a permit. Your CAMPMATES and
FRIENDS are the only people you can give food to without health department
clearance."

So does that mean if people come to your camp and become friends...you can give them food and drinks w/out a permit?!

Post by **Sham** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 2:25 am

At our camp, we always cook too much food and offer it to passersby. We always have guests at our camp and serve dinner to anyone who wants a nice meal. We NEVER turn away hungry people.
I don't speak as an expert here, but if you are not setting up a camp that specifically gives away food, such as "pancake-breakfast camp", you can offer extra food without being swatted by the fee charging authorities. I bring lots of extra english muffins to offer to hungry hippies in the morning and never had a problem giving them away. Now, if I set up a sidewalk cafe' and offered food, I would most likely be visited by the jack-booted food police to be shut down and fined.
Keep your head down and stay low key. Also, consider prepackaged foods for gifting. Who doesn't love a coffee cake, factory sealed in seran wrap? Costco in Reno sells oodles of things prepacked that are not only dust proof, but delicious!

Post by **AntiM** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 6:41 am

we had a group serving naked brunch in Hushville, they were directly on the street. The health department had a word with them, and they turned inward into the village. Naked brunch was a yearly tradition for a while, no one turned away, but you had to know about it.

thisisthatwhichis · Post by **thisisthatwhichis** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 7:45 am

As a Bar serving alchohol (with mixers), you don't need a permit, we've checked with the HealthDept. Drink condiments, are a no-no, but you can prolly get away with it if you keep them cool and fresh. They are moopy anyway, so we don't usually have them.

Any packaged treats, candy, etc don't need a permit, but any other food item opened and prepared on Playa, would.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 9:46 am

I define food as something that I would swallow that might be spiked with LSD or Agent Orange or some shit.
Don't eat it if you don't trust the source.

Igneouss · Post by **Igneouss** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:18 pm

Sounds like making and providing food to camp mates is ok.

I have 50,000 camp mates.

Cheers,
Igneouss

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:36 pm

I think the permit costs $10.00 and then you can gift food and advertise it.

I think the health dept wants to make sure you are aware of the rules on how to store, prepare, serve and clean your area in which food will be prepared.

Did you read about the salmonella and the peanut recall? 500 people sick, 8 dead (that they know about, and I heard of a dog getting sick from dog peanutbutter cookies)

In the long run the health dept has peoples health as the main concern, since foodborn illness is a reality it is probably a good idea to learn about food service and approach your food gift at Burning Man as a professional.

Especially since you are checking things out early enough to do it right. Good luck and

I WANT YOUR FOOD!! FEED ME! (just don't make me sick, k?)

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 12:41 pm

Speaking of food, we really don't go out looking for food, even if advertised, but a few years ago... we were going down a street and some people offered us a drink, margarita I think, we hung had a few, made plans to see some of them after the burn as they were coming to where we lived.. then we left, went around a corner, one of us (my bride or myself) said, "I'm hungry"... and like things happen at BRC, here we are drink in hand and someone yells at us.... PIZZA! so, we played with those people for a while, had a great time, and just felt really satisfied.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 2:11 pm

Igneouss wrote:Sounds like making and providing food to camp mates is ok.

I have 50,000 camp mates.

Cheers,
Igneouss

I'll be right over.

Post by **mdmf007** » Tue Feb 10, 2009 3:43 pm

Permits are 50 bones not 10

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 9:10 am

Those of you who aren't a little grossed out by dirty silverware, raise your hands.
Those of you who remember your last case of food poisoning as a fun time raise your hands.
Those of you who don't have hep vaccines raise your hands.
Those of you who want to spend hours in the JotS clutching your stomach through a fifth wave of diarhea raise your hands. Raise both if you're looking forward to praying to that not-quite-porcelain god.
ad nauseum

No pun intended.

Post by **mdmf007** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 10:26 am

theCryptofishist wrote:Those of you who aren't a little grossed out by dirty silverware, raise your hands.
Those of you who remember your last case of food poisoning as a fun time raise your hands.
Those of you who don't have hep vaccines raise your hands.
Those of you who want to spend hours in the JotS clutching your stomach through a fifth wave of diarhea raise your hands. Raise both if you're looking forward to praying to that not-quite-porcelain god.
ad nauseum

No pun intended.

Good points, but with the amount of Gin, Vodka and other libations in my system that week - any bug strong enough to survive that mess deserves a shot at making me pook. (Poop and Puke at the same time)

But seriously - you know if what your about to stick in your mouth is edible or not. Use your better judgement, and error on the side of caution.

another good item to pack (no product endorsement here) SImply santize your hands - that has got to be the majority of bacteria transportation.

Burp! · Post by **Burp!** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 1:19 pm

Gag! (to use a pun)

And yet another rule.

Curious, since I haven't received my ticket yet, does it even have the words "Dangerous" in the disclaimer anymore? Is Burning Man considered a Safe and Sane, event now adays?

What's next? Sex, Nudity? Large wood structures? Freaks?

We all need to stand up and say "NO, to your stinking permits!!!" else we like the BORG are just as guilty of bringing BM to his knees.

Your rebellion is expected!

Bring Fire and grilled cheese sandwiches back to the Playa!!!

T.

JustCurious68 · Post by **JustCurious68** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 2:15 pm

Good gifting idea! If people eat these hopefully NSHD will not have a fit!!

penguin · Post by **penguin** » Wed Feb 11, 2009 3:47 pm

Burp! wrote:Curious, since I haven't received my ticket yet, does it even have the words "Dangerous" in the disclaimer anymore? Is Burning Man considered a Safe and Sane, event now adays?

Don't see anything saying "dangerous" -- does mention "death" a couple of times, but even non-dangerous things can cause death

Elorrum · Post by **Elorrum** » Tue Feb 24, 2009 8:24 pm

gift boiling water

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 8:22 am

Elorrum wrote:gift boiling water

ouch

Toolmaker · Post by **Toolmaker** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:14 am

Make them a fire and they'll be able to cook for a day.

Set them on fire and they'll cook for the rest of their life.

Ugly Dougly · Post by **Ugly Dougly** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:27 am

How about a cup of ice cold famine?

Post by **mdmf007** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:39 am

Ugly Dougly wrote:How about a cup of ice cold famine?

I prefer my famine warm, with a side of despair and hopelesness.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 1:14 pm

mdmf007 wrote:
Ugly Dougly wrote:How about a cup of ice cold famine?
I prefer my famine warm, with a side of despair and hopelesness.

You've forgotten the sparkling flies.

wedeliver · Post by **wedeliver** » Wed Feb 25, 2009 10:44 pm

mdmf007 wrote:Permits are 50 bones not 10

I am having trouble with the Nevada States website at this time, but.. we might need to organize and "petition for change" as we have a right to do. Humm, I wonder how our residency in the state can be defended even if only for a week.

But what I wanted to speak about was the fee. It looks like "non Profits" only pay $25.00 and it also is implied that any food from these establishments is being sold.

It appears that an event could get one temp food permit but have more then one kitchen. Perhaps we could do the same thing.

Badger · Post by **Badger** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 10:19 am

Can someone let me (and others) know what constitute "food", or another words...when would we have to fill out this permit?

Probably a good rule of thumb is that anything prepared by one or more individuals for consumption by the general public. Camps cooking for camp mates doesn't fall into this category - at least not yet.

theCryptofishist · Post by **theCryptofishist** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 10:37 am

wedeliver wrote:It looks like "non Profits" only pay $25.00

"Non-profit" may refer only to 501-3(c) organizations. Probably not worth the hassle to save $25.

penguin · Post by **penguin** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 2:12 pm

Seriously, I'm not trying to be funny here...

What about if you were to bake some cookie and leave them sitting out on a table near the road and people happened to come by and "swipe" one or two -- would that be considered at the level where you should legally have a health permit? I'm all for safe food handling/food safety, I'm just trying to figure out where the state of Nevada draws the line? Is it being open to the general public (as opposed to being a "private" party)? Is it in the advertising? Or???

Igneouss · Post by **Igneouss** » Thu Feb 26, 2009 5:11 pm

Based on my non-BM food permit experiences and what I've read here:

I'd say common sense prevails. If you are feeding your camp mates and it looks like a camp, you are fine. No permit.

If you have a set up that looks like a commercial kitchen and you are feeding a mob, be prepared for scrutiny no matter who you are feeding.

If you set up a theme camp that has any sort of food orientation then you would likely need a permit.

If you are a small camp and you make a batch of cookies and gift them to the neighboors, no worries.

Etc.
....my opinion FWIW...

Gifting Food

Gifting Food

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