Eating Seasonally: Local Fresh Food
Eating seasonally and sourcing local fresh food can feel time consuming an inconvenient. It is an overlooked challenge of our time, nevertheless it is important to be aware of our consumption. If you are looking to be a conscious consumer, uplifting your community and taking care of your health then eating local fresh food is a simple place to start.
What are the benefits? To name just a few:
The nutrients in fresh food are far more superior than the nutrients in something that has been pumped up to last on the shelf. Eggs for example— a great source of protein, fresh eggs hold much more value nutrient wise than something thats been sitting on a shelf for 60 days.
If you are oh so concerned about climate change but buy lettuce that has been shipped across the country, how sustainable are you really? If you are eating locally this is not a concern.
Developing relationships with farmers at your local farmers market or with your neighbor are far more enriching than a relationship with an aisle in your grocery store.
Taste and flavor. I think sometimes our tastebuds have forgotten what real food should taste like. Have you gone to another country and felt like, “wow the food tastes so different here”? I can assure you it is likely because of the farming practice or the freshness.
If you find the task to be overwhelming then I would start with one item. For example, I live in New York, tomatoes don’t grow here in January but you will certainly find our grocery store stocked up with “fresh” ‘maters all year long. My challenge to the average consumer would be to stock up in the summer time with local fresh tomatoes and preserve them for the winter. Maybe that is too much for your schedule, then perhaps you just buy canned tomatoes instead of “fresh” boys and eat accordingly with the season you are dealt with.
The real suggestion is to pick one item you can obtain locally. Maybe you love cherries, so in the summer when cherries are fresh you only buy them from a local farmer. It truly feels a lot more gratifying to give your money to a real human who put real work into something than it does a faceless corporation.
Lastly, our societies issue with time. We have this notion that there is not enough of it! Can’t make it to the farmers market, don’t have time to prepare meals, whatever the excuse may be it is just that— an excuse. Farmers want to sell their products, if their hours don’t accommodate with your schedule than reach out and see if they will work with you to find a time so you can get your hands on their products. Don’t have time to prepare meals? Then lower the gaze and shoot for one meal a week or once a month where you source local ingredients and treat yourself to some real food. Consider it dipping your toes into caring for your gut.
Freshly picked biodynamic tomatoes from KK’s The Farm in Southold, NY