It's April! We haven't been grocery shopping yet. We go once a week and we went right at the end of March. But, from here until the 30th we're only to buy what's in season. I'll be trying to stick to Oregon and Washington, but I might make an exception (but never outside of North America) or two for things like citrus. I really don't want to miss out on the end of that season.
I'm a little sad about bananas. I recently rediscovered them with peanut butter. Usually, I'm not a banana eater. You know how it is. Now that they're off limits, well, I want them.
So, according to "eat the seasons," here's what's around in the beginning of April for North America:
Veggies
artichoke, asparagus, avocado, broccoli, broccolini, celery root, fennel, kale, mache, potatoes (maincrop), rhubarb, sunchoke, turnips
Fruit
blood oranges, grapefruit, kiwi fruit, pineapple
According to the app on my phone, here's what's in season for Oregon and Washington:
Veggies
bamboo shoots, cauliflower, green onions, herbs, leaf lettuce, mushrooms, peas, spinach, rhubarb
Fruit
winter pears
Not much agreement, right? It looks like I'm in need of more research. I'm not sure which sources to trust. In Korea, it was obvious when something was in season (prices dropped to dirt cheap and it became abundant) and when something isn't (it doubled or tripled in price and became scarce). Here, it's not easy at all. Anyone have some good, reliable resources for seasonal food by region?
You may just have to compare several sources and pick the things that are listed in all of them and throw the rest out. I know lettuce, spinach, asparagus, herbs are in season in april. fruit I have no idea on. Everyone should at the very least know where their produce and food in general comes from. And support local growers. We have become so used to finding anything we desire at the grocery store, and it was not that many years ago when you only found seasonal produce for sale. I know our environment was better for it.
ReplyDeleteThis year has seen exceptional oranges around here, both navels and clementines, and I think they are still barely in season.
ReplyDeleteI think the main reason to eat food in season is so that you are getting fresh food, not stuff picked green and kept in warehouses. (I do not feel particularly guilty about burning diesel to get it delivered.) So, I don't think you should limit yourselves to just WA and OR. It's not much more travel time from CA (the stuff gets trucked overnight), and there is way more stuff that's grown all year round in CA. As to what crap they put on it when they grow it, that's another story.
For finding out what seasons to grow stuff in, you might check out the seed companies. They probably have tons of maps for planting at least. Not quite as convenient as a phone app, though.
Go to a farmers market and ask there. Straight to the source!
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