Eating with the Seasons
Pictured Above: Yes, these are real CSA shares from our local farmers, reflecting the growing seasons of June, August, and October in Ohio.
We love local food.
That’s why we organize our CSA program, where members can get a bag of local produce from June to October, and Winter CSA into January. Members will experience a wide variety of produce since the produce grown in spring, summer, and fall varies. We also host a Farm Market, Fridays from 3:00 - 6:00 PM, during the growing season so that the community beyond our CSA members can buy local produce too.
In early spring in Northeast Ohio, you’ll find a surprising amount of fresh produce.
Asparagus, lettuce, radishes, and broccoli all start to appear. Spring is the season of greens because the cool, rainy weather allows green leaves and shoots to stay tender. This is unlike summer, when the hot sun and dry days cause greens to turn bitter. The growing seasons are directly affected by rain, temperature, and the past winter. Sometimes, a cold winter with lots of snow will kill perennial plants. An easier winter might mean the produce is ready earlier.
Early spring produce is usually either perennial plants (like asparagus and strawberries) or cold-hardy plants (like spinach, broccoli, carrots, and beets). Farmers might have planted these cold-hardy crops as early as January or February. Other produce that’s available in April and May might also have been grown in a hoop house or greenhouse to lengthen the growing season and protect it from the harsh weather.
During Ohio summers, you’ll find a lot of warm-loving foods… like fruits!
Tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and eggplants are actually all fruits (botanically speaking). This is because they are a flower that grows into a seed, producing a fleshy part of the plant. But they are better known as vegetables. Seasonal summer veggies include sweet corn, green beans, zucchini, cucumbers, bell peppers, and tomatoes. We also have lots of sweet fruits, including blackberries, watermelon, cherries, and peaches.
Fall brings different seasonal abundance…
This is when long, slow-growing fruits and vegetables are ready. Fall fruit that grows in Northeast Ohio includes apples, pears, plums, and grapes. Veggies ready in the fall are leeks, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, potatoes, acorn squash, and pumpkins. Fall is also known for root vegetables (since the plants are storing energy for winter). These root vegetables include potatoes, beets, rutabaga, carrots, and more!
By eating local, you are eating with the seasons.
You’re reminded of past weather events as you bite into your veggies. Eating local means you’re eating with the seasons and that the food is especially fresh and tasty, containing the maximum amount of nutrients. Eating seasonal food helps connect you with nature and the growing world. You’re also eating more sustainably because seasonal food doesn’t require as many pesticides and fertilizers. Local seasonal food also doesn’t have to travel as far, reducing the environmental cost of transportation.
In anticipation of what’s coming ahead, please enjoy this spring recipe for ASPARAGUS PUFF PASTRY TART with GRUYERE & FRESH THYME.