A green tip from A Fresh Squeeze | Seattle’s Seasonal Produce

[REPOST from A Fresh Squeeze]

Seattle’s Seasonal Produce

Eat Local All Year

You’ve probably heard about the benefits of eating locally produced and organically grown produce. But in the fall, as the days get shorter and the growing season draws to a close, it can seem more difficult to eat locally than in the hot summer months. Luckily, the Pacific Northwest has more options than ever for sustainable – and delicious – eating all year-round.

When you’re looking for inspiration, the first place to start is King Country’s Puget Sound Fresh, which gives information about local farms and CSAs, lists of what’s in season, hours and locations of local farmer’s markets, and more. And now’s the perfect time to sign up for their Eat Local For Thanksgiving Pledge, which asks local citizens to include at least one locally grown food on their holiday table. (If you take the pledge by November 21^st, you can be entered to win a locally grown turkey or a Puget Sound Fresh t-shirt.)

Where can you buy local produce this time of year? Check out your local farmer’s market, natural food store, or shop around online. A hidden benefit? Often, because stores don’t have to ship foods as far, locally grown produce is often cheaper than imported fruits and veggies. This time of year, look for apples, pears, and cranberries in the fruit section; beets, chard, cauliflower, celery, garlic, kale, spinach, potatoes, and carrots in the vegetable section, and salmon, clams, oysters, and mussels in the seafood department.

Finally, if you’re already supporting community agriculture with a CSA, don’t fret when it ends for the winter season. This year, look into local non-traditional CSA-type programs, like the weekly delivery of locally-harvested Cascadia Mushrooms, or a monthly delivery from Eastern Washington’s Blue Bird Grain Farms. Eating locally can require a little forethought – but it can be downright fun, too.

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This weekend, be sure to check out:

3^rd Annual ALIVE! Expo Seattle

Lynnwood Convention Center

November 8 & 9, 2008

Saturday & Sunday–10am to 6pm

FREE Admission & FREE Parking

Our mission is to inspire and encourage individuals to embrace a life of health, wellness and fitness through awareness of natural and alternative solutions, advanced medicine research, education, nutrition, exercise and lifelong benefits of living a healthy lifestyle.