Beans grown on county open space agricultural lands will be distributed to local families.

Media Invitation: Boulder County Parks & Open Space Agricultural Resources Division staff will be bagging pinto beans on Thurs., Dec. 22, 2-4 p.m. at Community Food Share, 650 S. Taylor Ave., Louisville.

Boulder County, Colo. - Boulder County is donating 10,000 pounds of pinto beans grown on county open space agricultural lands by local farmer Jules Van Thuyne, Jr., to Community Food Share to distribute to clients in 5-pound bags as a healthy, nutritious local food product.

Community Food Share will distribute the beans through Feeding Families, their onsite pantry that serves families with children participating in the free and reduced lunch program, Head Start, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).

Historically, Boulder County farmers grew several varieties of dry beans, particularly pinto beans and kidney beans, up until 25 years ago or so. Planting of dry beans by area farmers decreased due to increased weed pressure and disease, to the point that beans were not being grown at any level of scale. As conversations around growing local food for local institutions increased in recent years, Parks & Open Space staff started a conversation with a number of stakeholders to explore the feasibility of growing pinto beans for local donation and sale. After several years of planning and some failed growing seasons, Van Thuyne decided to grow beans again this season and the resulting crop was very healthy.

Contacts for more information:

Jennifer Kemp
Local Food & Public Outreach Specialist
Boulder County Parks & Open Space
jkemp@bouldercounty.org
303-678-6233 (office)
720-438-5140 (mobile)

Julia McGee
Director of Communications
Community Food Share
jmcgee@communityfoodshare.org
303-652-3663 ext. 227