• Beaverton Farmers Market opens
• Celebrate your Valentine at La Chona
• Vet clinic at Pet Barn
• Introduction to Zen Meditation
• PGE warns customers of deceptive utility scams
• Cornell Farm Events
• Sonder NW Weekend Warriors: Plaster techniques to refresh and delight
• Be Well…Financially

Beaverton Farmers Market opens

Saturday, February 7, 10 am-1:30 pm, 12375 SW 5th St, Beaverton

We’re excited to kick off the 2026 Beaverton Farmers Market winter season on Saturday, February 7, right in the heart of Beaverton. This early-season opening brings together around 60 local farmers, artisan food, and beverage producers, all ready to welcome the community back for another delicious year. We’ll be here every Saturday through November 21, with summer hours starting in April.

Shoppers can expect a vibrant mix of winter produce, baked goods, prepared foods, pantry staples, honey, flowers, and skincare items—perfect for both weekly shopping and special occasions. Visit the Market to see familiar faces and meet new vendors, try new dishes, and go back to your roots.

Celebrate your Valentine at La Chona

Friday and Saturday, February 13-14, $85 per person, 12535 NW Cornell

Enjoy a four-course dinner with a starter, salad, a vegetarian or beef main course, and dessert, each course paired with Argentine wine and cocktails. Be sure to reserve soon. Visit their website for more information.

Vet clinic at Pet Barn

Third Sundays, 9-10:30 am, 12675A NW Cornell

Bring your pet for vaccinations with exam, microchip for identification, and flea/tick/heartworm prevention. Care provided by Good Neighbor Vet. Call 503-641-9443 for more information.

Introduction to Zen Meditation

Saturday, March 14, 1-3 pm, 12020 NW Barnes Rd or Online via Zoom, Free

BrightWayZen will host its second session of the workshop Introduction to Zen Meditation. This is a beginner-friendly, free workshop that offers a gentle introduction to zazen, the core meditation practice of Soto Zen. The workshop is open to anyone, whether you are brand new to meditation or already have some experience, and offers a supportive space to slow down and practice together. Cookies and tea available after meditation for in-person attendees.

PGE warns customers of deceptive utility scams

Portland General Electric (PGE) wants customers to be aware of misleading practices and deceptive utility scams. There are recent reports of individuals posing as utility workers using high-pressure tactics for home entry or immediate payment. This is one tactic scammers often use to deceive unsuspecting customers, including making misleading phone calls, texts, social media messages and emails.

PGE encourages customers to always ask to see a visitor’s employee badge, then call PGE (503-228-6322) to verify they are a PGE employee or contractor. PGE always provides multiple opportunities for payment in advance of service shutoffs.

Often these deceptive practices reported to PGE target residential customers, but businesses – especially small business owners – can also be at risk.

If a customer thinks their information has been compromised or they have been victim to a scam related to a PGE account, report the incident to PGE at 503-228-6322. Learn more here.

Cornell Farm events

Established in 1987, the Cornell Farm Nursery & Cafe offers an impressive range of garden equipment and decorations, and hundreds of varieties of plants for your home and garden. They also offer a wide assortment of monthly classes and events for the garden enthusiasts of the Portland area and beyond! More events such as wreath, terrarium, and living arrangement workshops are coming soon, and details can always be found at their events page at Cornell Farm Classes & Events!

Valentine’s Day garden tea

Fridays, February 6 and 13, Saturdays, February 7 and 14, 8212 SW Barnes Rd, $75

Celebrate the season of love with a romantic tea-for-two! Includes a house-made spread of sweet and savory treats, all in the elegant venue of Cornell Farm’s Victorian Teahouse. Reserve your table here.

Cornell Farm: Prune-A-Palooza

Saturday, February 7, 8212 SW Barnes Rd, free

Sharpen your clippers; it’s time for winter pruning! The new Prune-a-Palooza event brings together the Portland Rose Society and Cornell Farm’s very own edible gardening expert for a series of free demonstrations on proper pruning techniques for abundant blooms, fruit, and berries.

Sonder NW Weekend Warriors: Plaster techniques to refresh and delight

Monday, February 16, 5:30-6:30 pm, Brush and Trowel, 8425 SW Terwilliger Blvd, Portland, Free

Join us for a hands-on, can’t-stop-watching kind of demo with the pros of wall glow-ups: Brush and Trowel. Their team will walk you through a few plaster techniques that can instantly elevate a space—whether you’re going for soft, modern texture or a more old-world, layered finish. You’ll get a behind-the-scenes look at tools, application tips, and the different product options available, including a plaster product designed to cover old tile (hello, easy refresh) and fireplace-friendly finishes that can modernize a vintage surround without losing its character. Come curious, ask questions, and leave with real ideas (and confidence) for your next home project.

Be Well…Financially

From Sunset Credit Union

Financial Wellness is defined as a state where you can confidently manage daily expenses, handle unexpected costs, and build security for the future, allowing you to make choices that bring enjoyment to life without significant financial stress. How does one reach this level of financial zen?

There are six key components to achieving financial wellness: 1) Make a spending plan; 2) Get insured; 3) Manage debt/credit; 4) Saving and investing; 5) Planning for retirement; 6) Knowing your consumer rights and avoiding scams/fraud.

Let’s talk about the first item. A spending plan is a way to allocate your income across your needs and wants, while working toward specific goals. It differs from a budget in that it is more flexible and goal-oriented.

The premise of a spending plan can be pretty simple: determine your monthly income, track and list your expenses, identify financial goals and compare and adjust. To determine your monthly income, list all the money you receive from employment, side-hustles, gig jobs, federal benefits, annuities, etc. If your income varies (hourly labor, gig jobs, etc.) estimate your income conservatively or average it over several months. A good way to track expenses is to record everything you spend for a period of two or three months. Use bank statements, credit card statements, spreadsheets, or even an app to categorize your expenses into fixed expenses (rent, cable, internet, insurance, loan payments) and variable expenses (utilities, groceries, entertainment, gas). Don’t forget to look for all those hidden expenses like streaming subscriptions and food or grocery delivery fees. Also consider the periodic expenses (car repairs, holiday gifts).

Next, identify your short-term (less than one year), medium-term (one to five years) and long-term (more than five years) financial goals. Do you want to pay off debt? Save for retirement? Take a vacation? Buy a house? Now it’s time to do a little math. Deduct your expenses from your income and see where you’re at. If you have extra money, you can allocate it to the goals you have identified, such as debt repayment or savings. If you have a deficit, you will need to cut expenses such as subscriptions, dining out, or delivery services or increase income with a side job.

Ultimately, a spending plan is not about restriction—it’s about intentional choices and discipline today to balance present wants with future financial security and opportunities. Feeling in control and having a plan for managing your finances is the first step toward financial wellness. In the coming months, we’ll discuss the other components of financial wellness. Visit us at Sunset Credit Union for more information, or sspfcu.com.