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Try your luck!

This year's winding down and soon we'll be ringing in 2020. In many cultures, certain foods are believed to bring good luck in the new year. In Spain, New Year's Eve revelers gobble 12 grapes at midnight—one for each stroke. Filipinos display 12 round fruits, one for each month. In Greece and Italy, pomegranates are lucky, while pork is preferred in Germany. Black-eyed peas are on the menu in the American South, while Italians eat lentils, both said to resemble coins and bring wealth. And even if it doesn't work, at least it's delicious!

Bountiful giving

In this season of gratitude and giving, why not share your love of this California life with someone you care about? With recipes, food and farm trends, and a front-row seat to learning where our food comes from, a subscription to California Bountiful magazine is a gift that keeps giving through all four seasons. Who in your life still needs to discover California Bountiful? Order a gift subscription today at join.cfbf.com/cabountiful.

Cultivating an interest in science

A recent survey by the National 4-H Council and Bayer Crop Science found that students could identify farming as an agricultural career, but not other related careers in pathways such as science, technology or veterinary medicine. To broaden students' perspectives on science and agriculture, they launched the Science Matters program. By investing in curriculum and hands-on activities for 25,000 students, they hope to ignite the passion of the next generation of much-needed agricultural scientists.