Food fanatics come in all shapes and sizes with differing opinions about spice selection, protein of choice, and matters of doneness. However, all people interested in quality meals will agree on one point……FRESH IS BEST! There is nothing better than beginning your weekend with a Saturday morning trip to your local Farmer’s market. These markets provide an incredible selection of fresh fruits and vegetables that cannot be matched by the big business grocery stores. By necessity these markets provide only the freshest of what’s IN SEASON. What you may not know is that these people are also a cornucopia of useful information about all aspects of food - from growing their vegetables, to selection of new and perhaps unusual varieties, to storage, and even new recipe ideas for you to try. Where do you think the famous chefs of today get there ideas?

In order to achieve the maximum profit in today’s market, a grower must maximize his production. They do this in part by picking fruit early (like when tomatoes are still green). This is done because during this stage the fruit or vegetable is harder and more resilient to damage during the shipping process. This also lessens the time the product is on the vine lessening the chance for destruction by insects or animals (what self respecting insect would eat fruit not yet ripe!).

By not allowing the fruit or vegetable to ripen as it naturally would, essential vitamins and minerals are not developed. This underdevelopment of the fruit/vegetable leads to a less complete food product. These substances are also essential to the consumer for our health. Furthermore, the fruit never attains its highest quality taste and texture. Finally, in order to increase production, genetic engineering and selection of pretty and more productive varieties are chosen over those that actually taste good and are better for you. To them, it’s not about producing the best product for the consumer; it’s about producing the most profitable product regardless of the nutritional value or taste.

Another concept to consider when you eat IN SEASON is savings. It’s hard for us to save money at the grocery store. Sure, we can use coupons or choose a product simply because it is on sale, or even justify buying larger quantities at the super stores as a way to save. But if you buy what’s IN SEASON, by the shear magic of supply and demand, you will save money. That’s right, even though the super producers try to tweak the market and modify Mother Nature’s wisdom, they are unable to overcome this fact - fresh produce likes to grow, and is most productive, when it grows IN SEASON.