Zucchini or Squash? Squash or Zucchini? What's the difference?

Green zucchini

Whenever I heard people say zucchini and squash, I never realized
that it was actually the same thing.  Zucchini is squash and squash is zucchini!  They are related to both the melon and the cucumber and come in many different varieties.  Even though they can differ in shape, color, size and flavor, they all share one common characteristic – You can eat the entire vegetable, including its flesh, seeds and skin.  For some squash plants the flowers they produce are also edible.  The best squash are the summer variety.  The zucchini is the narrow squash that looks like a cucumber in shape and can come in green or yellow in color and can actually have stripes or specks.  The Crooked neck and straight neck squash generally have yellow skins.  The natural state of this squash is crooked (swan like neck) while their straight neck cousin has been genetically engineered to lose the crooked neck shape.  The Pattypan Squash looks like a saucer with wavy edges.  This can come in green or a golden yellow.  This is probably my favorite of the summer squashes because it’s a bit sweeter in flavor than the others.   Squash is great sautéed, grilled and raw and especially delicious as bread!  It’s filling, satisfying and really, really good for you.

Pattypan and Straight

Zucchini is very low in calories and high in vitamin C, which is a powerful antioxidant and can provide protection against cardiovascular disease, and even cure asthma (due to anti-inflammatory properties).  This vegetable helps to prevent diseases like scurvy and bruising because of the Vitamin C.  Other nutrients include foliate, potassium and Vitamin A necessary for proper functioning of the human body.  Lutein coupled with the vitamin C is great for your eyes and vision.  Vitamin B6, riboflavin, manganese and phosphorus helps the body in the arrangement of capillaries and the building of healthy bones.  Manganese also helps to support a healthy immune system.  It aids in the digestion and use of essential fatty acids which is crucial for developing natural antibodies.  Magnesium in the vegetable has roles n increasing energy, metabolism along with improving muscle contractions and nerve impulse transmission.  Regular consumption can be beneficial in the prevention of colon cancer, heart disease and protects the cells from oxidation damage.

Crooked Neck 

Wild squash originated in an area between Guatemala and Mexico.  It has been consumed for over 10,000 years now and was first cultivated for their seeds because early squash was bitter and didn’t have much flesh to eat.  As time progressed, squash cultivation spread through the Americas and better varieties with sweeter tasting flesh were developed.  Christopher Columbus brought squash back to Europe from the New World.  Portuguese and Spanish explorers introduced their cultivation throughout the world.  Today the largest commercial producers of squash include China, Japan, Romania, Turkey, Italy, Egypt and Argentina.

I was surprised not to find California on the list, with all the squash and zucchini varieties sold at the Farmers Market each week!  Bon Appétit!

written by Autumn, 15 - El Camino High School

The Power Packed Pomegranate! Ultra-Healthy and Delicious!

As we enter the season of colds and flues, there is no better natural substance than the pomegranate!  This strange fruit with red rough skin and packed with tiny ruby-red juicy seeds is loaded with anti-oxidant nutrients, which act as an excellent immune booster.  Drinking pomegranate juice at the onset of a cold is a great way to prevent it from getting worse.  The anti-inflammatory agents in pomegranate juice will also significantly reduce the soreness and redness of your sore throat.


Pomegranates are categorized as a “super food” because of their many health benefits.  Other agents found in pomegranate juice have been found to fight against the hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) by reducing the oxidation of the bad (LDL) cholesterol that clogs and clots and causes hardening of the arteries.  In fact studies have shown that regular consumption of pomegranates can actually reverse the progression of this disease, protecting and healing you from blood vessel damage.

As I researched further, I learned that other studies positively proved that pomegranates contain a powerful agent against cancer, such as breast cancer and especially prostate cancer.  The anti-oxidant content protects the cells from damage of free radicals, keeping cancer at bay.

The Value of Good Salesmanship: A Teen's Perspective

Honestly, when I started working at the Farmers Market I was mostly focused and excited about the opportunity to make some money.  For that, I knew I would have to perform some tasks to earn it.  However, I had no idea how valuable the experience would be for me, both personally and professionally.

Austin Hall assists in Sales for Woodsong Herbs

Personally the experience has helped me to both test and challenge my ability to communicate with people of all ages, cultures and experiences.  As a teen I believed that my age limited my ability to get adults to want to listen and engage with me in conversation.  Through this experience I have found it to be completely the opposite.  In fact, they were extremely kind and interested in what I had to say and share.  It really boosted my confidence.  I realized that my age had nothing to do with it.  It all had to do with how I was communicating.  I found that my passion and belief not only in myself, but in the products/services I was selling at the market made the biggest difference.  I was actually enjoying the process as I worked and I appreciated the new relationships I was establishing with the market patrons (customers) as they would visit my booth week after week.

As my communication skills developed and improved, my confidence soared, and so did my sales!  I realized that I had an innate ability to effectively communicate with people and engage them in conversation.  People smiled at me, complemented me, and were responding positively to my words and body language.  It was a benefit of the job I was not expecting.

I realized that professionally I was developing and refining my sales skills.  Which are skills I will use and take into any job, career and relationship I enter into for the rest of my life.  By listening to my customers and recognizing their needs and doing a good job of explaining things to them, I was practicing good “salesmanship.”  No matter what career I pursue as an adult I will always be involved in some form of sales because sales is really all about effective communication.  If you can communicate you can engage people and get them interested and vice versa and from there forge a relationship.  I learned that being a good salesman is not just about making the “sale” or “meeting your numbers”, indirectly in business that does matter, but more importantly it’s about the relationship you forge with your customers and co-workers.  If your customers “trust" you and you are in tune with what they want and need and you know that because you “listen” and are “aware” and you can provide it, you will not only make the sale, you will also gain “loyalty” from that customer.  The relationship has  to be mutually beneficial and that’s what matters most.  As my parents say a lot “win/win”.

Healthy Choices: What's in Season? Citrus, Beets & Broccoli

Paradez Farms Oranges at Sunrise Mall
Farmers Market by BeMoneySmartUSA

I eat citrus fruits and broccoli frequently, and eat beets every once in a while, but I never realized how beneficial these few foods were to my health until recently.  If these foods aren’t on your menu at home already, after reading this article you’ll be inspired to expand your repertoire!

With summer just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to make cold, refreshing citrus fruits, such as oranges and grapefruits, your new favorite snack.  Citrus fruits not only contain vitamin C, but they also contain phytonutrients and antioxidants that are proven to decrease chances of heart diseases and some types of cancer.  In addition, eating citrus fruits once a day can reduce the risk of stroke by almost 20%.  While oranges are widely renowned for their vitamin C content, grapefruit is ranked among the highest for antioxidants.  Grapefruit also seems to help symptoms of inflammatory disorders, such as rheumatiod arthritis and lupus.

Stepping Out of Our Comfort Zone! BeMoneySmartUSA Teen Shares Her Experience

Autumn and Alyssa get into the Farmers Market Spirit
with Face Painting creations by April May

At the BeMoneySmartUSA Farmers Market we are asked to perform a myriad of different jobs. One of  the jobs we perform is Hospitality. In this job we greet customers who visit our market with a hardy and happy "hello" and then proceed to assist them with their groceries and/or to find a specific farmer or vendor they are looking for.  We also take the opportunity to sign them up for our weekly announcements and monthly newsletters where they have the opportunity to learn more about our markets and receive additional savings in coupons.  Engaging with customers in this way has really helped me develop my skills in both sales and customer service.  It's not always easy to walk up to a complete stranger and engage in conversation.  Getting this hands-on first hand experience affords me the chance to practice the skills we are taught in both the financial and business courses offered through BeMoneySmartUSA.

Before I could even begin to work at the Farmers' Markets, I had to first complete a financial and business workshop taught by BeMoneySmartUSA.  These classes were free and I was afraid they would also be boring.  Instead they were chock full of great information and facts about the economy that I had no idea about.  Most importantly I discovered that I had the power now at my age to begin the process of preparing for my own financial future.  My age was actually an advantage and I recognized both my own power to create my own future and my responsibility to understanding our own family's budget and spending.

What Constitutes A Certified Farmers Market in California

In the State of California there are three ways you can open and run a certified farmers market. You can either be an association, a government agency or a non-profit corporation. As a non-profit, BeMoneySmartUSA is permitted and licensed by the California State Department of Agriculture to run and manage a Certified Farmers Market (CFM) where all of the farmers and vendors are all certified by the State of California Department of Agriculture and under the regulation of the County Agricultural Commission. The CFM was created by the State of California to allow farmers the opportunity to sell their produce directly to the public exempting them from certain packing standards, labeling, and sizing requirements, which saves the farmers money and those savings get passed onto you! There are also regulations and permits through the County Department of Health that we must comply with in order to have non-certified products which would include prepared foods like bakery goods and sauces.

Patrons who visit any one of the Farmers' Markets sponsored by BeMoneySmartUSA can expect that everyone of the Farmers represented are certified and in many cases certified organic Farmers.  Each of them will display their updated permit - Certificate of Agriculture - that lists all of the produce they grow and sell at our markets.  They sell what they grow and they sell locally grown produce.  In addition to the local produce found at these markets, patrons can also enjoy gourmet specialty food items that include home made fresh pastas, sauces, and jams.  Other specialties include a variety of salsa blends, ground corn fresh baked tortilla chips, tamales, Soups to go, fresh breads, pastries and interesting healthy blends of dips, hummus, and many other delicious choices.  

BeMoneySmartUSA Farmers' Markets are locations includes: Saturday, 8 am - 1 pm in Citrus Heights, Sunrise Mall behind Sears; Sunday, 9 am - 2 pm at the Carmichael Park in Carmichael; Wednesday 9 am - 1 pm in front of the Veterans Hospital at Mather and in the evenings from 3 pm - 8 pm at the Fair Oaks Plaza Park on Main Street in the Old Fair Oaks Village. All markets are open all year round, rain or shine.

BeMoneySmartUSA supports farmers, community and youth as part of the mission to provide educational programs to youth in our communities! Thank you for your support!
Written by Austin, 18 – Sonoma State College

Meet the Winners of the Salsa Contest at the Carmichael Park Farmers Markets

On Sunday, September 18, 2011 over 1,000 tastings were offered to patrons who visit the BeMoneySmartUSA Farmers Market at the Carmichael Park.  They all had the pleasure, yet difficult task of voting for their "Market Favorite Salsa".  Participants included both commercial/business entities and amateur/individual entrants.  Awards were given to 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in both categories.  Lines formed to taste fourteen different salsas!  Salsas entered included sweet salsas made with mangos, onions, and cilantro.  Others were more traditional with a combination of red tomatoes, onions, garlic, cilantro and spices.  There were mild and hot salsas that included some of the season's best jalapenos too!  There was something for everyone.  But, there was no doubt who had the best salsa and voted the Market Favorite(s).