The Benefits of Fresh Local Produce

August is the peak season for many crops, and depending on where you live you can find an abundance of locally produced foods at local markets.

While local farmers produce many summer favorites, each state has different crops that are their particular specialty. These will vary according to a variety of soil types, growing season and climates. For example, in Pennsylvania in August, roadside farm stands are bursting with sweet corn, tomatoes, peppers, squash, cantaloupe, and watermelon just to name a few.

In Michigan I remember going to the farmer’s market downtown when I was a girl and finding an endless sea of sweet corn, tomatoes and pears following on the heels of cherry season. In Maine the wild blueberry season is about to take off, while in New Mexico Green Chiles and grapes are at their peak.

I could go on and on about each state and what they have to offer during each part of the growing season, but most people are familiar with what their area has to offer.

The important point is that during the summer months we have the opportunity to buy fresh produce directly from the people who grew it, and we should be taking advantage of that availability.

Pick-your-own and area roadside stands are great places to go to get fresh, picked the same day, produce. All but the early spring and late fall crops are available at these locations throughout the growing season.

Many communities also offer farmers markets. Both the open air, and enclosed varieties offer fresh produce from a variety of vendors all under one roof. This allows you to browse around sampling the choices that are available, and you can talk directly to the very people who have worked so hard to bring it to you. You can ask them questions about how the produce was raised, what their practices are for pest control and whether or not they use hormones and antibiotics. Most of these vendors love to talk about what they do because farming is their passion, and their way of life.

You can often find foods and other items that you may not be able to find in your local grocery store.

In our local farmers markets you can buy raw milk, and organically grown foods that you cannot find anywhere else. There are also locally unique offerings that won’t be at your local grocery or big box store, in addition to various ethnic foods as well.

There are many farmers markets that have a local diary offering freshly churned ice cream, and in my part of Pennsylvania you will also find craft stands. Here you can buy handmade Amish quilts, and other quaint and useful homemade items.

At our local farmers market we also have several butchers with fresh meats, who also run a deli. There are baked goods that are sold fresh from the oven which you can smell as soon as you step out of your car, and homemade candies.

Spending the morning at the local farmers market can be an exciting family outing as well as the best way to locate the freshest, best quality merchandise for your table. There are other benefits to be considered as well.

• Buying directly from the farmer means that your purchase has not had to be refrigerated and transported halfway across the country to reach your grocery store.
• This saves money and natural resources such as gasoline for the trucks that are doing the transporting
• Fruits and vegetable which have been transported many miles need to be pick early and allowed to ripen during transit. Freshly picked produce has been allowed to ripen naturally and will have more vitamins and minerals than their imported counterparts.
• Your dollars benefit your local community. For example figures found on the website paveggies.org revealed that for every $100 dollars spent at a local farmers market in Pennsylvania $62 of those purchases stayed in the local community, helping the local economy, while $90 stayed within the state in other nearby communities within the state. That is a huge benefit to the area farmers who work year around to provide fresh foods for all of us.

Many local restaurants feature local produce on their menus adding color and a variety of fresh choices to their offerings. This is often the most compelling reason to choose one restaurant over another because you know your meal will be wholesome and satisfying.

Grocery stores are also offering locally grown foods on their shelves. Fresh is best, and local is a healthy way for all of us to live whenever we can, so look in your grocery’s produce section for locally grown foods, and if they haven’t gotten the memo yet, then speak to the manager and let them know what you want. They exist to serve their customers and they want to give you what you want. If you don’t speak up they won’t know what their customers are looking for, and they won’t be able to provide it to you.

While I am not against larger stores, which have a place in our society, do not forget about the small farmer and local Mom and Pop establishments that are the backbone of our communities. They not only add a hometown feel to our communities, they are a vital part of what makes each community unique and without them our communities would be poorer and far less interesting and healthy places to be.

References

http://www.paveggies.org/category/news/2015-press-releases/

http://www.paveggies.org/category/news/2016-press-releases/

http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mda/MDA_Crops_Brochure_low-resolution_324586_7.pdf

http://www.pickyourown.org/MEharvestcalendar.htm

http://www.wildblueberries.com/blog/fresh-maine-blueberries-a-summer-tradition/