It’s National Fruit and Vegetable Month – how great is that?  Farmer’s markets are becoming ever more popular.  Certainly within my circle of friends and associates, the Saturday morning Farmer’s market provides the bulk of what’s on our weekly fruit and vegetable shopping list.  Local and fresh are not the only benefits of getting your produce this way.  There is the added benefit that farmer’s markets tend to offer what is in season locally.

 Eating with the season is a concept that, not so long ago, was taken for granted.  However, with the advent of shipping foods across far distances (in some cases half way around the world) we have come to expect our favorite fresh food stuffs on demand.  While it is great to be able to get asparagus whenever you want it for that special dish, did you ever think of the resources required to get it to you when it’s not naturally in season where you live?  It’s not only the consumption of resources that we should be thinking of however.  It stands to reason that food which has spent days or even weeks in transit must have been picked before it was ripe.  This unfortunately means that the foods have not been allowed to reach their optimal phytonutrient activity.  Phytonutrient components give fruits and vegetables their vibrant colors and fragrant aromas.  In addition, they provide the body with invaluable health benefits.  Many of them have powerful antioxidant effects which support cardiovascular health, immune function, vision health and many more – almost an endless list in fact. 

In my local area there is a fairly short peach season.  Every year, at that time, a local farmer shows up with her peaches freshly harvested from earlier that morning.  I swear, you can smell the sweet fragrance of those peaches bringing the farmer’s market to life.  There is always a buzz around her stand and I challenge myself to come up with as many creative ways to use peaches as I possibly can.  This year I am going for jam (then I can enjoy the peaches even when they are not in season while knowing they were preserved at the peak of ripeness).  So – why not stay abreast of what is in season where you live?  Try to purchase fresh, local food that has been harvested as close to the time of purchase as possible.  You’ll be benefiting your local farmers, the environment and yourself – what could be better?