One of my favorite memories from childhood was the roadside summer stand – overflowing with fresh summer fruits (peaches, plums, berries) and fresh corn-on-the-cob and OMG, those New England summer tomatoes.  I don’t know why, but something about summer tomatoes in New England beats out about every other tomato I’ve ever tried (except perhaps on the island of Capri, but that’s a whole other story!)

The corporatization of the food industry (as explained very coherently in Food, Inc. the movie ) has created a world where we can often get fruits and vegetables year-round that used to be limited to their season, but the truth is, when we eat with the seasons we are getting the best that nature has to offer –rather than science.

I am so excited to be in the summer months when so many of my favorite fruits and vegetables are in their glory season!  And I love that it has become so easy for me to get much of my bounty direct from local growers and farms. Aside from the fact that I am a happy subscriber to a weekly delivery service (SloVeg) I also happen to live in an area that prides itself on a Farmer’s Market somewhere within the county every day of the week. And it is a community that has several very viable options for CSA (Community Supported Agriculture co-ops.) But on a national level finding local CSA’s has become easy with websites like LocalHarvest.com

I first tried a local CSA through Cal Poly about 2 years ago and what I loved about it was it really gave me inspiration to try new foods that I would not have ever tried.  It was my first introduction to a “watermelon radish” which I have loved and coveted ever since.  Not easy to find these little jewels, but so extraordinary they are worth the search!

When I was a kid heading to the fruit stand, it was worth the few extra miles we had to travel to get there.  And I believe that holds true for today.  It may take a little extra effort to find the CSA or the farmers market, or the grocery store that prides itself on stocking local foods – but the advantages are huge.  On the personal level we are talking better nutrition, better taste, fresher food.  On the global level we are talking about supporting local farming, less industrialization of food (meaning less chemicals, less processing and less genetically modified foods,) and less destruction of our land and environment.   It seems a pretty easy choice.

What do you think?

Stay Playful,

Karen

PS- If you ever have the good fortune to make it to the Baywood Farmer's Market in Los Osos on Monday's or the Cambria Farmer's Market on Friday's, don't miss Stephanie's "Farmer's Market Inspired Soups." They are brilliant!