The Benefits of Eating Locally Grown/Seasonal Produce on Long Island
by Donna Moodie RD CDN CDE
After a very long snowy, icy and cold winter; I’m sure we are all looking forward to spring and summer along with those delicious spring and summer fruits and vegetables that the warmer weather brings. Most of us are familiar with the great taste of a ripe, red, juicy long island summer tomato or an ear of crisp sweet bi-color corn, but a lot of Long Islanders are not familiar with the many other fruits and vegetables grown on Long Island or New York State or the benefits of buying and eating these foods.
Fresh picked produce, locally grown produce is always the best choice to ensure we get the best taste, quality along with nutritional value from fruits and vegetables. Purchasing locally grown produce is also a great way to support the environment through less energy use for shipping and possibly use of less chemicals in the production and shipping of produce. Farmers markets are now abundant on Long Island but not everyone knows how to find them so below are two resources to help you choose seasonal produce that is grown in New York State and Long Island and how to find a farm stand that is nearest to your house.
Keep your eyes open in late April and May for locally grown carrots, onions, potatoes, turnips, asparagus, radishes and spinach. Try to plan your menus around seasonal produce for the best flavor and nutritional value. I have provided the two links below to get you started on your journey towards eating locally.
- Long Island Farm Bureau: Provides comprehensive list of Long Island Farmstands http://www.lifb.com/BUYLOCAL/FindaFarmersMarket/tabid/69/Default.aspx
- New York State Department of Agriculture: This is a fruit and vegetable harvest map that is great to find out when NY produce is seasonal and should be available for purchase: http://www.agriculture.ny.gov/HarvestCalendar.html
Donna Moodie is a Registered Dietician and Diabetes Educator with Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County’s Family Health and Wellness Program. She can be reached at dm258@cornell.edu