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Love Local Produce? Food 4 Thought will make your week!

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her twelve-year-old son, husband of 17 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works in the field of education and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
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Every time an out of state friend or family member visits, they always want to go shopping for fruits and vegetables, as they share that the produce they have access to pales in comparison to the fresh, ripe and generally affordable options we have here in the Central Valley. I love taking out-of-town guests to our Farmer’s Markets, especially.

We haven’t had guests since COVID-19 hit, however, our family still loves fresh produce and I recently learned of a great new way to acquire an abundance of local fruits and veggies at an incredibly affordable price! Food 4 Thought is a local business that specializes in providing locally sourced, in season produce to kids through school meal programs. Recently however Food 4 Thought began offering curated boxes filled with a variety of fruits and vegetables to the general public both via pop-up pick ups and home delivery (for a nominal delivery fee).

I decided to purchase one of their boxes and was super impressed with the quality and variety of items, especially for the price. For $19 I received 14 lbs of produce including mandarins, plums, plumcots, apricots, peaches, nectarines, blueberries, zucchini, yellow squash and broccoli. I chose to pick up my box from their pop-up location at 3938 Ann Avenue (nearest major cross streets are Willow and Ashlan. Pick up was super easy and there were additional pre-packed bags of specialty fruits like donut peaches that were available for purchase as well, if desired.

My actual purchased box of produce – all for $19. Isn’t it beautiful?

As of this week, Food 4 Thought is offering multiple types of fruit boxes which include a mixture of fruits and vegetables, just fruit, just vegetables and there are boxes with melons included now, too.

Image credit: Food 4 Thought
Image credit: Food 4 Thought
Image credit: Food 4 Thought
Image credit: Food 4 Thought

Food 4 Thought accepts multiple payment types including Venmo, which makes their contactless delivery service an especially great way to ensure high-risk or medically sensitive Fresno residents can still easily access fresh fruits and vegetables. Additionally, with so many encountering financial strain currently, this is also a wonderful way to ensure Fresno families still have access to great, fresh and nutrient-rich foods at affordable pricing – boxes are heartily packed and will feed a family for days.

Want to score a box of delicious local produce for yourself or send a box to a loved one? All of the details on pop-up locations (with some even as far as Coarsegold) and times as well as how to sign up for delivery are available on Food 4 Thought’s Facebook Page – so head on over, give them a follow and get your hands on a box pronto, I’m certain you’ll be glad you did!

Fresno County Wineries Welcome Back Tasters

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Sarah Soghomonian
TV Producer and fan of all things fabulous.Bulldog Born, Bulldog Bred!
Latest posts by Sarah Soghomonian (see all)

Staycations are all the rage this summer thanks to travel fears associated with COVID-19.

          Twelve wineries, two breweries and one distillery makes up the Vintners and Distillers of Fresno County. Each of the properties is back open for tastings and has social distancing and health precautions in place.

          FresYes has put together a list to help you plan your visit to these wonderful destinations located in our own backyard.

A. Nonini Winery

2640 N. Dickenson Ave., Fresno

Monday – Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Nonini family is fourth generation winemakers. They first started making wines in 1936 and offer a diverse variety to choose from.

Cardella Winery

41424 W. Panoche Road, Mendota

Monday – Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Cardella family has been involved in agriculture since coming to the Central Valley from Italy in 1902. Nathan Cardella studied Enology and Viticulture at Fresno State and in 2004 launched Cardella Winery with his dad. They are known for their premium artisan wines and picturesque tasting grounds.

A visit to Cardella Winery in Mendota is like a visit to the Italian countryside.

Engelmann Cellars

3275 N. Rolinda Ave., Fresno

Friday Evenings: Picnic in the Vineyard Park        

Weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday nights at Engelmann Cellars features live music. Guests 21 and over can bring snacks, but no outside beverages or ice. Upcoming concerts include: Charros of Rock Unplugged (6/26), Midnight Run (7/3) and The Killer Dueling Pianos (7/11).

Fresno State Winery

5638 N. Chestnut, Fresno

Monday – Friday from 9 a.m. to 6  p.m.

Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Fresno State Farm Market is open daily and offers wine tastings of the Department of Viticulture and Enology products. While you’re there you can shop the other Fresno State grown and produced products, including the famous sweet corn.

Kings River Winery

4276 S. Greenwood Ave., Sanger

Weekends from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Weekdays by appointment

Owner Bob Bagdasarian was raised on the 40 acre farm that now features a beautiful tasting room. There are several upcoming events taking place at the facility, including:  Reading Between the Wines (6/28), Yoga, Wine and Vines (7/12, 7/26) and 2020 A Night at the Chef’s Table benefiting the American Cancer Society.

Lomac Winery

2674 N. Westlawn Ave., Fresno

Weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Lomac’s refreshing Chardonnay and Rose are great for the hot summer days. The winery also features Moscato, Cabernet, Merlot and Pinot Noir wines.

Marechal Vineyards

1835 N. Zediker Ave., Sanger

Weekends from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Since the early 1900s the Marechal family has been farming in the Central Valley. This winery has small plates available for purchase, including: sandwiches, flatbreads and salads.

Marian Farms

2305 N .Rolinda Ave., Fresno

By Appointment: 559-276-6185

“From our soil to your glass” is the motto at Marian Farms. Their distilled spirits are made with the raw materials they grow, including Washington navel oranges and grapes.

Moravia Wines

3620 N. Bishop., Fresno

Friday from 6p.m. to 9 p.m.

Weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Bring your lawn chairs and enjoy the weekly entertainment, food and sangria specials Friday nights at Moravia Wines. There’s a $5 cover charge. June 26th will feature Rich & Rick Classic Country and food from Quesadilla Gorilla. July 3rd a Veterans Celebration is planned with Dixieland Music and food from Dog Gone Good Dogs. July 16th is Elvis Night, featuring Jeremy Pearce’s Tribute to the King and food from Big Rigz BBQ.

Ramos Torres Winery

1665 Simpson St., Kingsburg

Weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

This Friday, June 26th a special event is taking place at Ramos Torres Winery from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Vince Warner will perform and food will be available for purchase from Joe’s Steakhouse. A single plate is $15; a family of four can dine for $50. On July 31st, winemaker and owner, Oscar Ramos, presents Paella Night. This Taste of Spain will feature a Paella feast and live music by Merlinda Espinosa. Tickets are $25 per person.

Guests will have a Taste of Spain when they feast on Paella on July 31st.

Simonian Farms

2629 S. Clovis Ave., Fresno

Daily from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Taste wine in their Wine Tasting Saloon. While you’re there you can visit the Western Themed Town Museum and Animated Shooting Gallery.

Tioga Sequoia Brewing Co.

745 Fulton St., Fresno

Monday – Wednesday from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Thursday – Saturday from 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Sunday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.

This local brewery was one of the first to open in downtown Fresno. They’re patio is known for being a great place to meet with friends.

Valley Oak Winery

11809 E. Belmond Ave., Sanger

Weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Valley Oak Winery is the home of Ubick Vineyards. Their tasting room opened in 2017 and features eight red wine varieties.

Yribarren Family Vineyards

12333 W. Neilsen Ave., Kerman

By Appointment: 559-285-6122

The owners live on the property and are currently offering COVID-19 discounts on wines.

Ziveli Winery

5840 N. Biola, Fresno

Weekends from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The Nale Family opened Ziveli Winery in 2016. Ziveli means cheers in Croatian.

559 Beer

356 Pollasky Ave. #100, Clovis

Thursday & Friday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Saturday from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The first microbrewery in Clovis is family owned and operated and features eight beers on tap.

Local Blood Center is First in the Nation at Producing Pathogen-Reduced Plasma from COVID-19 Patients

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Sarah Soghomonian
TV Producer and fan of all things fabulous.Bulldog Born, Bulldog Bred!
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The Central California Blood Center is the first blood center in the country to produce pathogen-reduced plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19. It’s now being used at local hospitals to help save lives.

          To help stop the COVID-19 outbreak, the FDA has expedited an experimental treatment involving using the plasma of patients who have recovered from the Coronavirus and injecting it in patients who are critically ill with the disease.

          Blood centers from across the nation have been asked to draw the plasma from recovered patients. This process called Apheresis Plasma donation is an existing component of blood bank operations.

           “For us, the difference was that we’d been already set up to produce pathogen-reduced platelets,” said Ersilia Lacaze, of the Central California Blood Center. “So when the time came to collect plasma from recovered COVID patients, we knew we could move quickly, to make it pathogen-reduced plasma.”

          With the help of their partners at the CERUS Corporation, the Central California Blood Center became the first blood center in the nation to complete the process.

           “Simply put, it means that we are the leaders in the delivery of blood products for those who need it most: The patients of our Central Valley,” Lacaze said. “It also means that Fresno and the Central Valley were on the map nationally in the midst of several efforts to battle COVID-19.”

          Currently Community Medical Centers, Saint Agnes Medical Center and Kaweah Delta Health Care District are using the pathogen-reduced, convalescent plasma to treat hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Hospitals outside of the Valley could also use the treatment in the future.

          “The hospitals are working with us on follow-up, success stories that I hope to share soon,” Lacaze said. “We are asking anyone who has recovered from COVID-19 and has been asymptomatic for at least 28 days to head to our website and complete the interest form that allows us to determine if they qualify for donation.”

          To learn more about donating plasma and the efforts of the Central California Blood Center to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, go to their website, DonateBlood.org.

          The Central California Blood Center started as the Valley Blood Bank in 1949. It’s grown to serving patients at 30 hospitals in Fresno, Tulare, Madera, Kings and Mariposa Counties.

          Between 5,000 to 6,000 pints of blood must be collected per month to meet the needs of patients in our Central Valley communities.

          To learn more about how you can donate blood visit their website.

Are you as excited as I am?!

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Jason Farris
Head YES man at FresYes.com
I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES
Latest posts by Jason Farris (see all)

Sunny weather, the smell of BBQ on the grill, the sound of kids outside playing in the pool, more businesses being allowed to open up and serve our community, and of course the return of a hot real estate market!

Earlier this week I released some simple local real estate stats for the month of April – it’s a year over year comparison for existing single-family home sales in the cities of Fresno and Clovis. Check it out below –

Take a look at the first line, Average Sold Price is up almost $30,000! The Average Days on Market (how quick on average a home stays on the market before going under contract) is down by 10 days. So what’s going on here… it’s a supply/demand issue. With interest rates under 3.5%, it makes sense that there would be a lot of buyers looking to purchase a home right now (yes we are showing homes right now, we can do it virtual or with a private appointment). And while a buyer may pay a bit more for the home itself than a year ago, they are now able to escape high rent apartments and housing and build their own equity. Sellers are enjoying all the competition from buyers wanting to be the next owners of their homes. If you are thinking of selling your home, I kid you not, this is the time! We are putting more homes safely on the market each week using 3D tours and private showings with buyers that are required to wear masks and gloves. Text me if you have any questions on the market today 559-708-8768 – I’m here to help.

Local Love – The Complete Edition

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Jason Farris
Head YES man at FresYes.com
I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES
Latest posts by Jason Farris (see all)

Each week since the pandemic hit we have put out a different guide, entitled, Local Love. Each guide has promoted a local business that is in need of our continued support during this uncertain time. We started by featuring Valley restaurants, continued to the South Valley, then we raised up a glass in cheers with our Happy Hour Edition, showed you our sweet tooth with a Dessert Edition, and recently decided it was time to work it all off with our Fitness Edition. These businesses still need our help (now more than ever) so we put it all together for you in one big guide that you can print out and work from #buylocal

Health Crisis (≠) Housing Crisis

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Jason Farris
Head YES man at FresYes.com
I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES
Latest posts by Jason Farris (see all)

The COVID-19 crisis is causing different challenges across the country than the ones we faced in 2008. Back then, we had a housing crisis; Today, we face a health crisis.

COVID-19 has left us with a lot of unanswered questions and with the economic slowdown we’re experiencing across the country today, many are asking if the housing market is in trouble. For those of you that remember 2008, I get why you would ask.

Most all of us in one way or the other experienced financial hardships, some lost homes, and some their jobs – it was truly a great recession – a recession that started with a housing and mortgage crisis.  Today, we face a very different kind of challenge: Today we face a health crisis that has caused a pause in much of the economy and a major shutdown of almost every part of our country. 

Here are five things we know about today’s house market that differ from 2008.

  1. Appreciation

When we look at appreciation in the visual above, there’s a big difference between the 6 years prior to the housing crash and the most recent 6 year period of time. Leading up to the crash, we had much higher appreciation in this country than we see today. In fact, the highest level of appreciation most recently is below the lowest level we saw leading up to the crash. Prices have been rising, but not at the rate they were back then.

2. Mortgage Credit

The mortgage credit availability index (that’s a mouthful) is a monthly measure by the mortgage bankers association that gauges the level of difficulty to secure a loan. The higher the index, the easier it is to get a loan; The lower the index, the harder. Today we’re nowhere near the levels seen before the housing crash when it was very easy to get approved for a mortgage. After the crash, however, lending standards tightened and have remained that way today. In fact, many lenders have raised their minimum credit score requirement to 700 or above.

3. Number of Homes For Sale

One of the causes of the housing crash in 2008 was an oversupply of homes for sale. Today, as shown in the image, we see a much different picture. We don’t have enough homes on the market for the number of people who want to buy them. Across the country, we have less than 6 months of inventory, an under-supply of homes available for interested buyers. 

4. Use of Home Equity

Look at the difference in how people are accessing the equity in their homes today as compared to 2008. In 2008, consumers were harvesting equity from their homes and using it to finance their lifestyles. Today consumers are treating the equity in their homes much more cautiously (ag good thing). 

5. Home Equity Today

Today, 53.8% of homes across the country have at least 50% equity. In 2008, homeowners walked away when they owed more than what their homes were worth. With the equity homeowners have now, they’re much less likely to walk away from their homes. 

The Last Word: 

The COVID-19 crisis is causing different challenges across the country than the ones we faced in 2008. Back then, we had a housing crisis; Today, we face a health crisis. What we know now is that housing is in a much stronger position today than it was in 2008.  It is no longer the center of the economic slowdown. Rather, it could be just what helps pull us out of the downturn.

Announcing: The FRESYES Activity Book!

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Jason Farris
Head YES man at FresYes.com
I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES
Latest posts by Jason Farris (see all)

Coloring pages, Crosswords, Scavenger Hunts, a Maze, and more! All centered around Fresno, Clovis, and the San Joaquin Valley.

After the success of our coloring book and crossword puzzle we couldn’t resist creating more fun activities and putting them all into one packet for you to print and have fun with – so please, stay well and enjoy some inside fun!

Click image above for the whole book!

We’ve included the answer keys at the end so be careful not to reveal those last few pages too early.

Clovis Rodeo Cancellation Has Huge Impact on Community

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Sarah Soghomonian
TV Producer and fan of all things fabulous.Bulldog Born, Bulldog Bred!
Latest posts by Sarah Soghomonian (see all)

This weekend thousands of Valley residents would have been dressing up in their cowboy and cowgirl best and celebrating the 106th Clovis Rodeo.

          Due to COVID-19, the annual event has been canceled. The only other time the Clovis Rodeo didn’t take place was during WWII.

          “It was not an easy decision for the rodeo committee to cancel the 2020 Clovis Rodeo due to COVID-19, but one that we felt was necessary because the health and welfare of our friends and neighbors must come first,” said the Clovis Rodeo Committee in a statement to FresYes. “We have numerous charities and community organizations that benefit from the rodeo annually. The support of our fans, volunteers and incredible Clovis Rodeo sponsors make it all possible. The City of Clovis estimates that the economic impact of the Clovis Rodeo is almost $15 million annually.”

The Clovis Rodeo takes place the last weekend of April. It is canceled this year due to COVID-19.

          One of the non-profit organizations that rely heavily on funds raised during the rodeo is the Old Town Clovis Kiwanis Club. One-third of their yearly budget comes from the concession and beer booth they operate north of the area behind the grandstands.

          “Our club is grateful every year for the opportunity to fundraise at the Clovis Rodeo,” said Taylor Hillman, a board member with the Old Town Clovis Kiwanis. “100% of the funds we raise go back into the community to further the Kiwanis mission, to serve the children of the world.”

          The cancellation and postponement of other events such as the Clovis Rodeo Association’s golf tournament and Big Hat Days is also impacting fundraising efforts by the Old Town Clovis Kiwanis.

          “Our fundraising efforts fuel a wide array of events and donations throughout the year that benefit the children of our community,” Hillman said. “Our club supports groups such as the Special Olympics, Clovis Unified Schools and Sports, Boys and Girl Scouts, the Clovis Police Department, and more. Our club also donates time and money to Clovis parks and trails beautification and improvements, holiday food baskets and clothing, scholarships for students, and our local high school key clubs. In addition, the Old Town Clovis Kiwanis Club puts on one of the biggest events in the city, the Children’s Electric Christmas Parade. This yearly event is not a fundraiser for our club and is something we do out of our budget for the community.”
          The Old Town Clovis Kiwanis Board of Directors has already held a virtual meeting where tough decisions have begun to be made regarding planned donations.

          Anyone who would like to contribute to the Old Town Clovis Kiwanis Club can do so online. They have a Paypal account set up on the “Donate” page of their website.

          The Clovis Rodeo is traditionally a four-day event. This year it had been expanded to five days. In addition to the classic rodeo events, two concerts, a dance and large parade were set to take place.

          During rodeo week, every hotel room in Clovis and the surrounding area is typically full. The Clovis Rodeo Grounds have 10,000 seats available per day and the events sell out each year.

          All this activity is very important for local business. Julie Glenn and her family own the restaurants House of JuJu and Papa’s Place and On The Edge coffee shop in Old Town Clovis. Their revenue is already down 75% because of COVID-19 and with no rodeo this year; it’s going to be tough.

          “Old Town Clovis is about community so the shutdown of these events, including the events like the wine walk and antique fair are crucial to our community,” Glenn said. “They not only bring people into our town but also provide free family entertainment.”

          House of JuJu and Papa’s Place are open for takeout and you can still walk in for coffee at On The Edge.

          “Our community has been so incredibly supportive,” Glenn said. “We are so blessed with an amazing community all throughout Fresno County. Every bit helps.”

          As for the Clovis Rodeo, if you already had purchased tickets you have three options. You can receive a refund, exchange your tickets for the 2021 rodeo performance or in lieu of a refund, you can donate the face value of your tickets to the Clovis Rodeo Foundation.

          The 107th Clovis Rodeo is April 21-25th, 2021. You can learn more at ClovisRodeo.com