California chili turns red when ripe

These locally grown chilies turn red when ripe

 

 

 

California is especially blessed with rich soil and that lovely Mediterranean climate with the near-perfect amount of heat and chilling that our agricultural products require.

 

 

 

Fresh Elberta peaches are firm and juicy, perfect for summer dessert

Just picked from the tree, fresh Elberta peaches

 

 

You might not know that Northern California leads the nation in production of nearly three dozen different commodities, including artichokes, strawberries, peaches, and walnuts. Many products can be found at local farmers’ markets. See http://www.pcfma.com/

 

 

Our state offers more than 350 farmers’ markets and many are year-round. With growing interest in healthy eating as advocated by First Lady Michelle Obama, whose position about the importance of healthier food for kids and their families has been highly publicized, community participation in local farmers’ markets is growing.

 

 

Ripe cherries will be made into preserves or mixed with oranges for a marmalade

Ripe cherries can be eaten fresh, made into preserves, or mixed with oranges for a marmalade

 

 

Buy fresh and buy local. I love that adage because in practice your dollars spent at farmers’ markets or in direct purchases from farms preserves our  farmlands, local growers, and small businesses selling locally grown fruits, vegetables, berries, nuts, and citrus.

 

 

Bowls of citrus and persimmons

Bowls of citrus and persimmons

 

 

The Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Association has produced a comprehensive listing of agricultural products available in our area for each month of the year. I’ve recapped the list of vegetables here. The fruit and berries will be the subject of a future blog.

 

 

Asian Vegetables: January-December

Asparagus: March-June

Beans:  January-December

Broccoli: January-December

Brussels sprouts: January-March; September-December

Carrots: January-December

Cauliflower: January-June; October-December

Celery: January-December

Corn: July-September

Cucumber: May-November

Eggplant: May-October

Garlic: January-December

Lettuce: January-December

Mushrooms: January-December

Onions: January-December

Parsnips: January-May; October-December

Peas: April-October

Peppers: May-November

Potatoes: January-December

Spinach: January-December

Squash (summer): May-September

Squash (winter): January-February; October-December

Sweet Potatoes: January; September-December

Tomatoes: May-October

 

 

Red onions grown from sets laid onto the dirt and barely covered with soil produced bountifully this yearprinkled with

Red onions grown from sets laid onto the dirt and barely covered with soil produce bountiful crops

 

 

Help preserve California’s rich heritage of plant diversity. Support your local farmers’ market by buying fresh, often just-picked vegetables and fruits, the result of our long growing season and rich soil. You’ll be supporting our state’s farmers and growers.

 

 

 

 

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