Buying locally is a convenient way to purchase seasonal produce at an affordable price point. There are a variety of benefits that make locavoring (n. locavore: a person committed to purchasing and consuming food produced in their community) worthwhile!
Local Buying Benefits
Buying locally benefits your community’s economy. By supporting local businesses and
farmers, you are investing money back into the community. This promotes the growth of local businesses and job creation in the area. Buying locally also benefits the environment! Much of the food found in grocery stores is shipped from all over the world! Transportation of food releases greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. It also means using more preservatives in food to maintain its quality while traveling. But buying locally ensures the freshness of produce without having to use such preservatives. And you’ll be able to taste the difference in quality as well. Now that you know a few benefits of buying locally, you may be wondering where you can buy food locally. Many cities have farmer’s markets, where farmers from the community gather to sell their produce and goods. It’s amazing the type of deals you can find at farmer’s markets. Another option is buying directly from a farm and/or orchard. You’d be surprised at the amount of local food sources in your area. There are 8 farmer’s markets in Las Vegas, and we live in a desert! A great place to check for local markets is through LocalHarvest.org.
Seasonal June Eats
Now that we’ve covered why and how to buy locally, let’s take a look at some seasonal June
produce to look out for on your next farmer’s market trip! Eating with the seasons is more budget-friendly and you will notice the quality of your fruits and vegetables is better. Talk to suppliers at your local farmer’s market because they will know what is freshest now too.
Cherries
Stone fruit (plums, peaches, nectarines)
Avocados
Corn
Berries (blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, raspberries)
Watermelon
Cantaloupe
Summer squash (yellow and zucchini)
Tomatoes
Follow these links to try some recipes that incorporate fresh summer produce
