The West Ohio Food Bank is making some changes to its senior food box distribution and wants to get the word out. The pick-up day for seniors to get their box of food remains the 3rd Tuesday of the month but will now be only an hour long. The commodities can be picked up from 9 am to 10 am starting in November. The boxes can contain canned vegetables, powdered potatoes, beef stew, noodles, milk, cereal, cheese, and more. The program is critical for hundreds of seniors in the region.

With grocery store prices on the rise, some people may decide to skip buying fruits and vegetables since they go bad so easily. But there are ways to help extend their shelf life, like buying frozen. Kristin Kirkpatrick is a registered dietitian for Cleveland Clinic. She says another benefit to buying frozen fruits and vegetables is they can stay in your freezer for months at a time. If you still prefer fresh though, it’s important to consider the types of fruits and vegetables you’re picking. For example, bananas, berries, and asparagus are known to rot quickly, while apples, oranges, and sweet potatoes have a longer shelf life. How you store them matters, too.

May 28, 2024, Press Release from the Hancock Park District: To register for any programs in June, July, or August, you may go to www.hancockparks.com or visit 1424 E. Main Cross in Findlay, OH, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. For questions, call 419-425-7275.

A Wapakoneta church is going outside and gardening with area kids for fun educational lessons during the summer months! St. Paul United Church of Christ, along with the help of over a dozen Wapakoneta kids, have built a bucket garden and recently planted a variety of vegetables ranging from tomatoes and potatoes to onions, cauliflower, corn and much more. St. Paul United Church of Christ is a site for the Ohio Summer Lunch Program, and with area youth gathering at the church for meals during summer break, church officials viewed planting and growing their own fresh produce as an opportunity to teach kids about where food comes from.

Shawna Johnson-Forehand has been putting together Thanksgiving dinners for others out of her own pocket for ten years. This year she made sure five families had a good Thanksgiving meal, and after receiving more donations than usual, she has decided to do the same for Christmas dinners. This is the first time she has handed out Christmas meals, and she looks forward to being able to make a difference for more people.

It's harvest time for many backyard yard crops. Tomatoes are filling the vines and knowing when to pick them to get the best flavors is tricky. Master gardeners say that since they are fruits because they have seeds, they can be picked early and they will still ripen once off the vine. The best time is when the tomato just starts to "blush" in color.

June 7th was the start of the Downtown Lima Farmers Market. It’s at a new location due to construction in the town square. You will find it at the Veterans of Foreign Wars post 12-75 parking lot at the corner of East Elm and South Main Street. Vendors are able to set up and sell right out of their vehicles. You can find in-season fresh fruits and vegetables, jams, jellies, jewelry candles, and more. Vendors are looking forward to the season.