What's In Season?
by Juanita Barr, MS, RD, LD|Nutrition Counselor, AIDS Outreach Center
What's In Season?
Growing up I loved gardening and making chocolate mint ice-cream from the chocolate mint in my community's garden. Growing herbs and plants teaches you patience and how to rotate crops to enrich your soil. Crop rotation is the practice of not planting the same crops in the same place in back-to-back years. By not planting the exact same vegetables in the exact same spot every year, you can avoid having pests and diseases continuously build up in the soil.
If you do not have a garden, you can purchase local seasonal produce at a farmers market such as the Clearfork Farmers Market in Fort Worth. Seasonal food you can purchase in September includes arugula, bok choy, and carrots. Seasonal foods are more likely to be fresher, higher in nutritional value, and cost less. Some anti-oxidants such as Vitamin C, folate, and carotenes will rapidly decline when stored for periods of time. If you do not have a local farmers market, you can find local seasonal produce at your nearest grocery store. For example, Kroger has a program called Go Fresh and Local Supplier Accelerator, which sells local items.
Let us know which seasonal foods are your favorite!
Sources:
https://www.almanac.com/crop-rotation-101-tips-vegetable-gardens
https://www.farmersmarket1848.com/
https://texasfarmersmarket.org/in-season/