WHAT'S IN SEASON: THE FALL EDITITION

The leaves in the valley are beginning to change, and so is the seasonality of produce available at the market! Typically when we think of autumn produce, we think of apples, pumpkins, and squash.
So why is seasonality important? And what can we expect to see at the farmers’ market this fall season?

Why is Seasonality Important?

The concept of eating seasonally is a historically-rooted concept. In ancient India, the practice of Ayurveda (an ancient alternative medicine system), had a special term for eating seasonally. It consisted of a list of seasonal foods and the best time to eat them, used in order to prevent disease and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Fruits and vegetables naturally grow in cycles, and ripen during certain seasons. However, modern-day agricultural practices has made farming fresh fruits and vegetables year-round easier, making many different kinds of produce more accessible, even out of season.
Although we are technically able to eat certain fruits and vegetables out of season, those that are in-season are considered to be fresher and more delicious. In fact, studies show that fruits and vegetables that are allowed to ripen naturally contain more nutrients than those that are consumed out of season.
Not only is eating with the seasons good for your own health, but it’s considered to be healthy for the environment as well. It allows fruits and vegetables to return to their natural cycles, and when you’re buying this seasonal produce locally, you help to reduce emissions from long-distance transport.

What’s Available at the Farmers’ Market this Fall

Locally grown produce that’s currently in-season are:

• Apples
• Beans
• Broccoli
• Brussel Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Cilantro
• Collards
• Endive & Escarole
• Ginger Root
• Kale
• Kohlrabi
• Leeks
• Leafy Lettuce
• Mustard greens
• Onions
• Parsnips
• Pears
• Peppers (Bell, Hot and Sweet)
• Potatoes
• Plums
• Pumpkins
• Radishes
• Rutabaga
• Spinach
• Winter Squash
• Sweet Corn
• Sweet Potatoes
• Tomatoes
• Turnips