It's a Wednesday, the end of the school day at Burroughs Elementary in southeast Fresno.
As kids burst out of class. Grower Rubertina Pacheco is ready with her colorful temptations; Tomatoes, plums, avocados. Fresh from the farm, ready to sell.
Susana Cruz shops here every week. It's easy access to fresh produce. Her husband takes the car to work, so a trip to the grocery store is difficult.
"Today I pick out the peaches, avocados and guayabas. 'Are you going to cook them tonight?' Yes. Maybe in salad. Fresh yeah."
We're considered by many to be the fruit-and vegetable basket of the world. Our fertile land grows a multitude of crops. Yet not everyone in the valley has access to it.
"Even though we're tremendously productive, food is not often available fresh local food. It's often not available in our small towns and in our low income urban neighborhoods."
Dr. John Capitman is with the Central Valley Health Policy Institute at Fresno State. He does research and looks for health inequities and ways to correct them.
It's important work, our valley's waistlines depend on it.
"the predictions are if things don't change, that obesity increases.. Continues to increase and levels of chronic disease.. Diabetes, asthma, cardiovascular disease will also increase."
Dr. Capitman says reversing the obesity trend requires innovation.
Like the walking school bus up north in Ceres. Parents tag-team the walk to school with their kids. That way everyone stays safe, and active.
"If we want to be as healthy a society as we were and moving forward then changes are needed."
Simple changes that lead to success, like having a farm stand at local schools.
"It looks like when the market is open here at school, your daughters like to come. Yeah. All the time.. She remembers it. Mom today is Wednesday the farmers market. You remember to take the money.. Yeah."
TXT 24
Twitter
Facebook