What’s in Season and Where to Find It

Just because there is typically less sunshine during winter months doesn’t mean that there isn’t a delectable variety of appetizing produce available. In fact there are over fifty fresh fruits and vegetables in season, such as arugula, beets, cauliflower, grapefruit, and pears! While citrus fruits, root vegetables and cruciferous crops dominate produce stands, there truly is no shortage in selection. You can find a full list of fresh winter produce plus seasonal recipes here.

What’s even more exciting is that many of these healthy treats are grown right here in California. It’s becoming increasingly popular to purchase food from local farms, either through farmers markets, visits to local farms, by joining a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) or other channels of sustainable agriculture. There are many benefits of buying food locally, but here are a few that stand out:

  • Your Health – Local/sustainable foods are often fresher than industrial foods and are thought to contain higher levels of vitamins and antioxidants. Once harvested, produce begins to lose its nutrients. Buying directly from a local farm cuts down travel time, so food finds its way to your plate faster. Also, many factory farms use pesticides and other hazardous chemicals excessively. Research indicates that sustainable farms do not and often produce healthier foods.
  • Your Environment – Industrialized farming often uses more fossil fuels and energy and produces more air pollution, water waste and soil contamination. According to sustainabletable.org, industrial farms cause $34.7 billion worth of environmental damage a year in the U.S.
  • Your Local Economy – Buying from local sustainable farms supports local economies by fostering fair-paying jobs for local workers and promoting commerce for local businesses.

There is a lot of information available on the web about sustainable agriculture and the benefits of buying local produce. We’ve listed our favorite resources for you below, though we encourage you to dig a little deeper in order to decide what is best for you and your family.

Find Fresh Produce Near You

If you’d like a head start on hunting down local fresh fruits and veggies visit http://www.localharvest.org/. You can also make a morning or afternoon of it and check out these popular and fun year-round farmers’ markets.

Ferry Plaza Farmer’s Market in San Francisco

Mountain View Farmer’s Market

Happy and healthy eating!

Sources:

http://cuesa.org/

http://www.localharvest.org/

http://www.sustainabletable.org

http://www.foodroutes.org

http://cafarmersmkts.com/

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