What is seasonal food?

Seasonal food is produce that is purchased and consumed around the time that it is harvested.

For example, purchasing fresh tomatoes & sweet corn in season in southwest Virginia means buying them

in the mid-to-late Summer shortly after farmers

have picked them.

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Why is it important to eat food

that’s in season?

Seasonal food is fresher, tastier and more nutritious than food consumed out of season.

Even though we all like to eat tomatoes year round, the best time to eat them is when they can be purchased directly from a local grower

shortly after harvest.

Seasonal fruits and vegetables produced

on local farms are often fresher,

as they do not require long distances for transport.

Also, unlike out-of-season produce which is harvested early in order to be shipped & distributed

to your local retail store, crops picked at their peak

of ripeness are also better tasting and full of flavor.

What’s more, studies have shown that fruits and vegetables contain more nutrients when allowed

to ripen naturally on their parent plant.

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Why is eating local food important?

    Local food benefits the environment.

Purchasing locally grown foods helps support local farms and maintains farmland & open space

in your community.

A recent USDA study also found that

direct-to-consumer producers were less likely

to apply pesticides and herbicides to control weeds and insects than conventional producers.

(with the exception of chemicals to control insects & weeds

in fruit, nut and berry crops)

    Local food supports the local economy.

The money you spend on products from local farmers and growers stays in the community and

is reinvested with other local businesses.

    Local growers can tell you how the food was grown.

When you buy directly from farmers,

you have the opportunity to ask what practices

they use to raise and harvest the crops.

When you know where your food comes from

and who grew it, you know a lot more

about your food.