What’s in Season: May!

The anticipation of freshly picked produce begins the night before I head to the market; I have a cooler set out along with my produce bags ready for the morning. I check the fridge and freezer to see what I have stocked and make a mental note of a few specifics I will try to find at market if the weather has proven to be favorable.

Now and then you are in for a surprise: a farmer who started a Summer vegetable early and tended to it with loving care in the greenhouse, taking all the steps to provide something earlier in the season than expected. This was the case last year when I was surprised with early Summer squash available slightly ahead of the season. But generally, I am focused on what should be available early in the year as the days lengthen. As the sun starts to shine more often I start to anticipate more varieties and options.

The freshness of the produce at market can’t be beat. It is impossible to get something so recently harvested at the grocery store. Much of the produce is picked the night before and now and then picked that morning. Fresh produce lasts a great deal of time when stored well also. I love to open my fridge and see how fresh everything looks a week or two after purchasing – if it doesn’t get eaten first. Farmers markets are a great way to become familiarized with what is available seasonally in your area.

It gives you a chance to talk to the farmers directly. They are often happy to discuss what is growing and what they will have available as the season continues. They can also offer up information on how each season affects the plants: having more rain than usual, an onset of hot temperatures, no rain…all these things can alter crop availability.

Are you looking to purchase products using organic methods? It costs quite a bit of to receive the paperwork for Organic certification. As a result many farmers may not be certified but are using organic practices and often are going beyond the requirements, focusing on the best sustainable options. If you are unsure of a farm’s growing practices the Farmers Market is a great place to ask those questions. I recently relocated and as I get settled into a new area it has been part of my family’s adventures to visit new farmers markets that surround the area. As we visit each market I start to recognize the farm names. I am getting a feel for where their farms are located, and how far they drove that morning to share the fruits of their labor. The excitement is always there even when I know exactly what to anticipate.

Now that we are nearing the end of May, there are more and more Farmers Market options opening for the season around the nation. Each opening day is dependent upon the area, as is the length of the growing season. There are several ways to locate a market near you and often social media is a great resource. When our family decided to relocate I dove into Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. It might sound funny but here I could get more information on each farm as well as follow where they are located and what they are working on. It provided a great connection as our family packed boxes and headed into a new area.