When we visit supermarkets the Greengrocery department is stocked with produce from all over the world every single day. However when you visit the local independent Greengrocer, Farm shop or farmers market, you will tend only to see local seasonal fruits and vegetables.
Eating seasonal produce offers us great rewards when it comes to our health, well-being and the environment we live.
Around the world in one place or another individual fruit and vegetables are in season for example; Strawberries- peak harvest in -
Egypt - December to January
China - December to June
South Korea - November to May
The Netherlands - July to September
Morocco - November
Australia - October - December
New Zealand - November to January
Chile - April to May
Argentina - August to October
Here in the UK - late May to September
Allowing us to have produce all year around via transportation worldwide.
Another way we can access produce yearly, is to grow the fruit and vegetables within an environment that is regulated for example Hydroponically - a technique of growing plants using water based nutrient solution rather than soil, under heated glass houses.
Eating the food seasonally to the country we live in, saves us money, as the costs of specialised growing or transportation doesn't require adding to the produce. This also supports local farmers and the local environment as we are circulating money within the local economy, supporting our neighbours within our rural area and reducing emissions that have and are changing our climate on our fragile planet "Earth", which is affecting our health and well-being.
Food that is brought locally tastes superior to food that has been transported from afar, due to the fact the produce is harvested slightly earlier than it should so it is ready on arrival to the supermarket shelves rather than spoil, which affects the flavour and the freshness as travel takes time. For example;
Harvest
Package
Transported to shipping
Flown or Shipped
Transported to warehouse
Transported to Supermarket
That doesn't count for standing time in-between each process.
Eating produce at its freshest/local offers us the tastiest and healthiest produce available. Which is better for our health and well-being, as in many cases produce held in cargo holds or shipping containers for days, to get to us, loses nutritional content which causes harm to the produce, reducing the beneficial nutrients to us.
Eating seasonally is not hard just educate yourself to the produce seasonal calendar and take note when buying of the origin of the product you are looking for. In fact eating seasonally can surprise you with introducing new foods/produce and cooking new recipes that you might of not considered before. Eating seasonally doesn't limit you, it just means you enjoy the produce at its best when it offers you the right nutrients required for your health and well-being.
Seasonal Calendar:
United Kingdom Seasonal Fruit and Vegetables Calendar.
Vegetables
January Beetroot, brussels sprouts, carrots, celeriac, celery, chicory, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, leeks, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, red cabbage, salsify, savoy cabbage, spring greens, spring onions, squash, swedes, turnips and white cabbage February Beetroot, brussels sprouts, carrots, celeriac, chicory, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, leeks, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, purple sprouting broccoli, red cabbage, salsify, savoy cabbage, spring greens, spring onions, squash, swedes and white cabbage March Artichoke, beetroot, carrots, chicory, cucumber, leeks, parsnip, purple sprouting broccoli, radishes, sorrel, spring greens, spring onions and watercress April Artichoke, beetroot, carrots, chicory, new potatoes, kale, morel mushrooms, parsnips, radishes, rocket, sorrel, spinach, spring greens, spring onions and watercress May Artichoke, asparagus, aubergine, beetroot, chicory, chillies, lettuce, marrow, new potatoes, peas, peppers, radishes, rocket, samphire, sorrel, spinach, spring greens, spring onions, sweetheart cabbage and watercress June Asparagus, aubergine, beetroot, broad beans, broccoli, cauliflower, chicory, chillies, courgettes, cucumber, lettuce, marrow, new potatoes, peas, peppers, radishes, rocket, runner beans, samphire, sorrel, spring onions, summer squash, sweetheart cabbage, swiss chard, turnips and watercress July Aubergine, beetroot, broad beans, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, chicory, chillies, courgettes, cucumber, greengages, fennel, french beans, garlic, kohlrabi, new potatoes, onions, peas, potatoes, radishes, rocket, runner beans, samphire, sorrel, spring greens, spring onions, summer squash, sweetheart cabbage, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips and watercress August Aubergine, beetroot, broad beans, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, chicory, chillies, courgettes, cucumber, fennel, french beans, garlic, greengages, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mangetout, marrow, mushrooms, parsnips, peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radishes, rocket, runner beans, samphire, sorrel, spring greens, spring onions, summer squash, sweetcorn, sweetheart cabbage, swiss chard, tomatoes, watercress and white cabbage September Aubergine, beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprouts, butternut squash, carrots, cauliflower, celery, courgettes, chicory, chillies, cucumber, garlic, kale, kohlrabi, leeks, lettuce, mangetout, marrow, onions, parsnips, peas, peppers, potatoes, pumpkin, radishes, red cabbage, rocket, runner beans, samphire, sorrel, spinach, spring greens, spring onions, summer squash, sweetcorn, sweetheart cabbage, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, watercress, wild mushrooms and white cabbage October Aubergine, beetroot, broccoli, brussels sprouts, butternut squash, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chestnuts, chicory, chillies, courgette, cucumber, kale, leeks, lettuce, marrow, onions, parsnips, peas, potatoes, pumpkin, quince, radishes, red cabbage, rocket, runner beans, salsify, savoy cabbage, spinach, spring greens, spring onions, summer squash, swede, sweetcorn, sweetheart cabbage, swiss chard, tomatoes, turnips, watercress, wild mushrooms, winter squash and white cabbage November Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, carrots, cauliflower, celeriac, celery, chestnuts, chicory, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, leeks, onions, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkin, quince, red cabbage, salsify, savoy cabbage, swede, swiss chard, turnips, watercress, wild mushrooms, winter squash and white cabbage December Beetroot, brussels sprouts, carrots, celeriac, celery, chestnuts, chicory, Jerusalem artichokes, kale, leeks, mushrooms, onions, parsnips, potatoes, pumpkin, quince, red cabbage, salsify, savoy cabbage, swede, swiss chard, turnips, watercress, winter squash and white cabbage
Fruit
January
Apples and pears
February
Apples and pears
March
Rhubarb
April
Rhubarb
May
Rhubarb and strawberries
June
Blackcurrants, gooseberries, raspberries, redcurrants, rhubarb, strawberries and tayberries
July
Blackberries, blackcurrants, blueberries, cherries, gooseberries, raspberries, redcurrants, rhubarb and strawberries
August
Blackberries, blackcurrants, cherries, loganberries, plums, raspberries, redcurrants, rhubarb and strawberries
September
Blackberries, raspberries, rhubarb and strawberries
October
Apples, blackberries, elderberries and pears
November
Apples, cranberries, elderberries and pears
December
Apples and pears
Eating seasonally means the produce does not need to travel far to reach our table. Therefore the produce is tastier, fresher and more Nutrient dense when harvested at its riposte.
It so costs less to buy saving us money, and just as important keeping our hard earned money within the local economy supporting our local community.
Printout a seasonal calendar and support your health and well-being and that of the community around you.
Resources: