Spring Seasonal Fruits and Vegetables

When it comes to food, there are a lot of messages being thrown about.

Eat healthy. Eat organic. Eat local. Eat seasonal.

You may think these messages are just another way for suppliers to sell their wares, but following these messages can produce a great deal of benefits.

Seasonal, organic and local produce is better for you, and it is also better for the environment.

It saves you money

When produce is in season locally, the excess in supply generally makes it less expensive. It is the basic law of supply and demand – more stock equals better prices. Think about it logically: eating seasonally means buying things that can be grown locally, in their natural weather and climate conditions. Less shipping times, lower fuel costs, and reduced energy costs are bound to be reflected in the price tag.

It tastes better

Taste is even more important than cost, being the number one reason why we buy the foods we do. When produce is not in season, it is either grown in non-traditional ways, shipped from other parts of the world or frozen, all of which will alter the taste. Look at tomatoes – a beautiful vine-ripened tomato still warm from the summer sun will pack a flavour punch that will send you into foodie heaven. A hothouse-ripened tomato on the other hand, one that’s barely red and somewhat powdery, will taste weak in flavour and not at all interesting.

When transporting crops, produce must be picked early and refrigerated during the travel period. This means their final days on the vine, in the ground or on the tree are stripped away, and so too is the intense flavour you want from your food.

Offers more nutrients

Many believe that when transporting produce, some of the nutrients are taken away. This can certainly be the case when transporting produce requires irradiation (a burst of radiation that kills germs) or preservatives (such as wax) to protect the refrigerated fruit and veg.

In short, eating seasonal promotes quality, flavour and texture and will save you at the checkout. It also means you will be treated to variety, which is hugely important if nutritional health is one of the reasons why you buy so much produce. Different vegetables and fruits contain different vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, and following the seasons may forces you out of your food comfort zone. Follow the seasons closely and you may just discover a new and exciting fruit or vegetable.

So, with all this in mind, what is in season this spring?

Spring’s best produce – September, October and November

Fruits:

• Avocadoes
• Apples
• Cumquat
• Lemons
• Blood-seville oranges
• Mandarins
• Grapefruit
• Strawberries
• Rhubarb
• Tangelos
• Tangerines
• Pears
• Bananas

Vegetables:

• Asian greens such as bok choy and choy sum
• Broccoli
• Beetroot
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Spinach
• Pumpkin
• Cauliflower
• Celery
• Leeks
• Lettuce
• Spring onions
• Garlic
• Kohlrabi
• Parsnip
• Peas
• Potato
• Silverbeet
• Artichoke
• Asparagus

Additional fruits and vegetables in late spring – November

Fruit:

• Watermelon
• Honeydew
• Rockmelon
• Papaya
• Cherries
• Pineapple

Vegetables:

• Green beans
• Broad beans
• Sweetcorn
• Asparagus
• Zucchini
• Tomato

Conventional vs organic

When it comes to growing food – that is the means in which a farmer grows crops – there are two main classifications you should concern yourself with – “conventional “ and “organic”.

Conventionally grown crops rely heavily on the use of chemical fertilisers, herbicides, insecticides, soil conditioners, and fungicides to help control weeds, pests, and crop diseases.

Organic produce, on the other hand, uses sustainable and renewable techniques to encourage crop yield, preserve soil and water, and reduce negative environmental impact. These techniques include crop rotation and using mulch, compost, and other natural fertilisers and weed inhibitors. As these techniques are generally more time consuming and costly, you should expect to pay a small premium for organic produce, even when it is in season.

Organic crops are good for the economy, helping struggling farmers to preserve their livelihood by nourishing their land. As organics fetch a better market price than conventional produce, organic produce also protects the financial gains of our farmers, and supports a good agricultural future for Australia.

Tips for buying at the farmer’s market

Following these tips will ensure the best experience at the farmer’s market and the freshest produce on your plates:

• Do your homework
  Do some research on what is in season in your area. Heading to the farmers’ market this weekend? Take the above spring produce list with you as a guide.
• Bring your own bags
  Many farmers’ markets don’t give out bags, so bring your own backpack or a couple of canvas tote bags. If you plan on buying plants while you are there, throw in a couple of reusable plastic bags too.
• Carry cash
  Many vendors only accept cash, so be sure to leave the credit card at home and bring enough cash to get everything you need.
• Arrive early
  The saying ‘the early bird gets the worm’ is certainly true when it comes to the farmers’ market. Get to the market early before all the local chefs do. This will give you time to browse all the stalls before buying too.
• Talk to the farmers
  No one knows the produce better than those that grow them, so if you have any questions, ask. Where is the farm located? Is the produce organic? What are the prefered cooking methods? They are the experts, so trust in their recommendations.

Email blurb:

It’s springtime! And with the warmer weather comes a whole new range of fresh produce that is now in season. But how to know which fruits and vegetables are freshly grown, and which have just been in cold storage?

We have put together this guide to the fruits and vegetables that are now in season so you can know the best produce to source from your local markets.

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