Ukiah's Vibrant Market... and BEANS!

What a tasty August we had at the Saturday Ukiah Farmers’ Market! The BEANS teen peer educators were out in force, whipping up some tasty food samples, playing with kids, and coordinating the “Market Scavenger Hunt.” More than 400 shoppers tasted the BEANS "black bean and corn fiesta salad," the "edible plant part crackers." and the "very berry smoothie with spinach!" Over 50 kids and families participated in the scavenger hunt! They all found some great seasonal veggies, local meats and cheeses, and some beautiful plants and flowers. For those of you who may have missed our booth, feel free to check out our recipes now! BEANS is committed to sharing tasty, low-cost, healthy recipes with Mendocino County families.

Homegrown in Ukiah: Community Garden Tour!

Join our gardeners for the 2nd Annual "Homegrown in Ukiah: Community Garden Tour!" This year's tour will feature five gardens: The Cleveland Lane Community Garden, The Washington Avenue Community Garden, The Orchard Head Start Garden, The Plowshares Peace and Justice Garden, and The Orchard Apartments Garden.

The tour will begin and end at the Garden at Bella Vida (formerly Tierra). Reserve a ticket today: call 462-1955 or contact The Gardens Project

BEANS at the Willits Food Bank... and MORE!

Hi, I'm Megumi, the teen writer for the BEANS Program...

It’s summer! And what better way to celebrate than with a crisp, new, low-cost summer recipe for your friends and family to enjoy. Our gardens and the local markets that were once bare are now lush with the fresh fruits and vegetables that we so anxiously waited to pick since the winter. But, how do you find a recipe that’s delicious, quick, low-cost, and more importantly, healthy for your little kiddos?

Luckily the B.E.A.N.S. (Better Eating, Activity, and Nutrition for Students) team has not only one, but many recipes ready for you to try! So, stop by the Willits Food Bank on Wednesday, August 3rd and 17th for free taste-tests and recipes.

The B.E.A.N.S. team is a group of local teen peer educators working together to bring health awareness to the Willits community. These teenagers visit the Kids Club of Willits after-school programs for Brookside Elementary, Blosser Elementary, and Baechtel Grove Middle School. They talk to the students about healthy foods and also prepare a healthy recipe with them in hopes that the students will introduce these healthier eating habits to their families. In the summer, the B.E.A.N.S. team shares taste tests at food banks, farmers markets, and summer kids programs like Nuestra Alianza’s Plan Vacacional.

The B.E.A.N.S. team understands that choosing to eat “organic” or “healthy” can be seen as relatively expensive and that’s part of the reason why we chose to set up a booth at the Willits Food Bank. In fact, a lot of times, fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables are very affordable and can add so much to a meal. It’s tastier when something fresh is added to a meal and of course it gives your body much-needed vitamins. We want for people who don’t have as much of a financial luxury to spend on food to still have healthy food options available to them, especially during this economically challenging time.

I think most of us have gone through some sort of cut-back in one area or another; but, more specifically in buying certain foods. Have you ever been in a grocery store or farmers market, weaving through a crowd of fellow shoppers in search of something interesting and new to try, or something familiar to take home and curl up with? But as soon as you discover the price, you automatically think it’s too expensive? I know I have. I’ll occasionally tag along with my mom to the grocery store and every time I’ll come across something I’ve never seen before. Maybe it’s because I’m not a very experienced cook, but I like to try new things. So, I’ll grab it, taking it back to my mom like it was one of the stray pets I would find when I was a little girl, and beg for her to let me keep it. Anyway, as soon as I’d present her with my new discovery she’d ask how much it was (something I always overlook). And sometimes when I go back to look for the price, I’m disappointed. It’ll be too expensive to splurge on. But other times, my mom and I figure out that it really doesn’t cost that much when you think about how many meals it can be cooked with. We’ve had fun trying some of the simple, tasty recipes that the B.E.A.N.S. team has come up with.

If you are one of those people who like to try new foods and collect new recipes, or you just like food, please stop by the Willits Food Bank. We would love to share our fun recipes and you get a free sample of something yummy!