Wondering which ingredients are in season now in the Pacific Northwest? This Fall Seasonal Produce Spotlight is the perfect place to start!
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Introducing... the Fall Seasonal Produce Spotlight
Here in the Pacific Northwest we are pretty blessed when it comes to experiencing the seasons. We have rainy fall days, cold winter mornings, spring days with thunder showers mixed with sun shine and the most amazing warm summer nights.
Because of our beautiful 4 seasons, we also have pretty impressive seasonal produce.
My cooking has always been inspired by what's in season locally and it only seemed fair to make a list of the fruits and vegetables I enjoy each season here in Oregon.
The Seasonal Produce Spotlight is a project I hope to continue for each season this year, to spread knowledge about what is in season.
That said, what's in season here in the PNW may be different to what's in season for you, depending on the climate where you live.
Why Eat Local Produce?
Growing up in a small town, eating local produce is something I've always been encouraged to do. Only recently have I started to really understand the benefits of doing so.
Here are some of the benefits that ring true for me:
- fruits & veggies have the highest nutritional value when they are f r e s h. this means the longer they have to travel to get to your plate, the less nutrients you're getting.
- to bounce off the first point, the less travel time it takes for the produce to get to me, the less natural resources are being used to get it there. eating local produce reduces your ecological footprint; i.e. it's good for the environment.
- eating local produce usually means supporting the local economy. not only is this a cool thing to do for your home town farmers, it also means you have proximity to the food you're eating. contacting local farms or even requesting a visit would be much easier than it would be with the farm that grows your Avocados from Mexico.
At the end of the day, eating locally grown food is better for you, the environment, and the local economy. So why not #supportlocal?
Fruit
Let's dive in with some of my all time favorite fruits that also just happen to be ripe for the Fall Seasonal Produce Spotlight:
- apples
- grapes
- melons
- peaches
- pears
Berries
Catch them while you can! These berries linger to the end of berry season but are on their way out by mid to late September:
- blueberries
- raspberries
Veggies
Some of the most colorful veggies are ripe for harvesting in early Fall. My favorites from this Fall Seasonal Produce Spotlight include all varieties of peppers, tomatoes, pumpkins, and squash. Here's the complete list for veggies:
- tomatoes
- broccoli
- brussels sprouts
- cabbage
- cauliflower
- corn
- cucumber
- eggplant
- green beans (on their way out)
- lettuce & salad greens
- peas (on their way out)
- peppers
- potatoes
- pumpkins & assorted squash
- radishes (on their way out)
Root Veggies, Fungi, & Alliums
These Fall Seasonal Produce Spotlight items are part of the root veggie, fungi, and allium families:
- garlic
- onions
- mushrooms
- carrots
- parsnips
- turnips
- rutabagas
Nuts
- hazelnuts
Ready to start shopping at your nearest farm stand? Check out my favorite reusable produce bags here.
And don't forget to subscribe to my mailing list so you don't miss the Winter Produce Spotlight!
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Some of the information used in this post was found via Oregon Fresh
