Willits residents map out food security solutions for an equitable future

WILLITS, CA., 1/26/26 — Willits community members gathered in the Little Lake Grange Saturday to work on a year-long action plan for food security. The meeting was café style — eight discussion tables, each with a different facilitator, worked on topics related to how to help secure food security sustainably. 

After discussion sessions of 25 minutes, a handbell rang out, and participants were allowed to switch tables or stay at the same one. The end goal was to fill up posters with key points from each table. According to organizers, over 60 participants attended the workshop.  

To conclude the afternoon, facilitators from each table presented their posters with ideas and things that need to happen or change to support multiple aspects of food security in Willits and across Mendocino County.

The idea hub table’s presentation included the possibility of a mobile farmers market that could help close the gap for people, such as elderly or disabled folks, unable to travel to any of the current farmers market locations in the county. The idea hub table also suggested creating a way to share excess resources, such as extra produce or goods. 

Willits Mayor Tom Allman headed the emergency food table. He noted two major necessities that link with food and emergency preparedness: water and fuel. He said communication is key, and offered the idea of local media doing regular disaster preparedness articles. He also mentioned the importance of having an emergency stash of bottled water. 

Allman also talked about countywide ham radio in case all other communication goes down. Allman mentioned the Willits Amateur Radio Society, which meets regularly and can teach anyone to use a ham radio. 

 He also said that sticking with your community in a time of crisis can be critical. “Each community should have a hub, whether it’s an open field or somebody’s house, someplace to go when something happens to where we know whether your neighbors are okay,” Allman said. 

Local farmer Mike Adams led the discussion at the farmers table. His colleague Ryan LaPorte spoke about different aspects of farming that can create entrance barriers to the profession, like land and water access, as well as figuring out housing and a business model. LaPorte asked whether the community is willing to pay for locally grown, nutrient-dense food in a way that creates a sustainable local market for producers. 

“Are people willing to pay for supply and demand of their food production?” LaPorte asked. “Are there restaurants, schools, other people willing to buy local food from the local farmers?” He emphasized that first people needed to demand local food, and then farmers needed the ability to provide it, which means having land, water and housing for affordable prices. 

At the nutrition and medicinal table, naturopath Claudia Wenning mentioned the importance of having nutrient-dense food that can meet various diet needs. She suggested sharing healthy recipes and inviting chefs to do cooking demonstrations for the community. She also asked how we can create more spaces for public cooking and meal sharing, like the Grange, which she said is currently overbooked. 

Wenning also mentioned the importance of teaching children where healthy food comes from.“Food does not grow on the shelf at Safeway, it grows somewhere else,” Wenning said. “Ideally it could grow in this geographical area. Then there is the seasonal aspect.” 

The meeting was convened by a trio of Grange members; Little Lake Grange Vice President Annie Waters, Wenning and Adams. Waters and Wenning were two of four women who started the herb garden at the Little Lake Grange and put on a previous food security meeting in November. Waters also founded the local seed exchange that the Grange participates in, as do several other granges and libraries around the county. The next seed exchange at the Little Lake Grange will be Sunday, Feb. 22 from 10 a.m. to noon.