chopped chard stems — sweet & crunchy!
I have been eating seasonally for about 25 years now. That “seasonality” is ingrained in my body, so I don’t even think about it anymore. There are loads of benefits to eating seasonally and I wanted to highlight a few that are both practical and healthful.
- Absence makes the heart grow fonder: taking a break from certain foods and only eating them in season can boost your “happy brain” mode. August tomatoes* are something to look forward to, to be excited about to fully enjoy in the moment. *insert strawberries, cucumbers, lettuce….
- Self-awareness: we all get cravings, but really listening to your body’s [healthy] cravings can boost your energy and health. For example, I crave greens in the spring (they are a good rotor router to get out all stale winter heavies and reset your gut for lighter, cooler foods). In the fall, I crave carbs. My body is needing extra fuel to stay warm and store nutrients for winter.
- Immune System: here in the north we equate citrus with summer flavors, but did you know they are a winter crop? The extra vitamin C helps to boost our immune system. Of course, we don’t have citrus here in Maine (sorry) but we DO have CABBAGE!!! It actually has more vitamin C than oranges. (And baked winter cabbage is just as sweet!)
- Wallet friendly: Eating seasonally and locally are budget friendly. Catering your meals to what shows up in your CSA and in your home’s cupboards, fridge & freezer saves you money. Augmenting recipes to use what you have on hand, rather than buying a particular item (ie subbing garlic scapes for garlic in the summer), saves you time and an extra trip to the store!
There are more reasons too…. Like flavor, nutrients (and supporting your local farmer). I am happy to share more if you have questions, reach out.
Although the Ag sector is finding ways to cater to folks’ out of season cravings (like tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce), be aware its affect on flavor, your body’s needs and the environment. Many of those crops are grown with a lot of energy inputs (electricity and propane). As with eating locally vs worldwide, it sort of defeats the purpose of saving energy. Just food for thought : )
Benny the “farm” dog
Benny was sooooooo excited to see his friends at pick up yesterday. Plus, the crew has been here more this week to help with harvesting, so he felt like it was “old times”, with his buddies working in the crops while he took on rodent patrol. He put himself to bed last night at 7:30, head fully on the pillow. Ahhhh what a life!
Alvin’s toes (and tail) are still cute as ever. His rodent patrolling is reserved mostly to the house for the winter. He then sits on his throne (cat tower) to soak in the woodstove heat and monitor Benny. They have made a truce it seems and have even been within a few feet of each other without incident. Benny’s early bedtime allows for kitty play late into the evening, chasing feathers and getting super snuggles. One day he may build up the courage to venture out to the CSA barn for customer love, but until then, he sends his puuuurrrrs.
THANK YOU for loving us the way we love you!
Reserve your Summer Veggies now!
There are still 3 pick-ups left, if you want to join in the Winter Fun!
