Think winter in North America means you can’t find anything fresh and local? Think again. Your locavore-loving ways don’t need to end when the temperatures steeply pitch. You’d be surprised how dedicated and enterprising your local farmers are, trying to keep things growing throughout the coldest temps. I’m a dedicated farmers’ market shopper and in the past few years, farmers in my region (eastern Pennsylvania) are increasing in both number and in ingenuity; last year I saw kale grow (and survive), albeit slowly, in the middle of the worst winter of recent memory.
Why would you want to do this? Well, food that’s grown locally often tastes better and it’s odds are, it’s better for you; local farms tend to be more inclined to observe organic, biodynamic and/or natural methods that eschew chemicals. Buying produce this way is sometimes even cheaper—it’s traveled fewer miles and is often in better shape because it hasn’t traveled (most likely) from California or Florida to your local supermarket. Here are ten foods you can likely find in the winter. (The strawberries, persimmons, pomegranates and citrus you can find in warmer places need not apply—most of us aren’t blessed with such sweetness.)
Potatoes
Flickr/Glen
Ever since a local farmer told me that commercial farms employ the equivalent of rat poison to keep away critters, I can’t buy conventional ones anymore. It just creeps me out. This winter staple is available in abundance across much of the United States. I’ve seen the likes of blue, red and purple potatoes in various shapes, sizes and varieties, and I’ve eaten organic Russian banana and French fingerlings, which sound both exotic and confusing, right?
Greens
Flickr/Alex
Remember the kale I mentioned? It’s not uncommon to run across the gamut of them—lacinato, red and green curly kale, and specialty hybrids. (I know, I know: kale is a brassica, but for cooking purposes, I think of them as greens in terms of their uses.) You may also encounter red leaf lettuce, Swiss chard, spinach, mustard greens, and even a spring mix—the latter of which seems like a cruel misnomer when I’m wearing a winter coat while purchasing it. I have even purchased arugula in January. Scout’s honor.
If that’s not enough, winter often spawns microgreens such as sunflower, basil and cilantro, along with wintercress and watercress. A farmer near me grows something called claytonia, which tends to overspread like groundcover. Think of it as a milder, tinier baby spinach. You may see it as miner’s lettuce; miners used to eat it to keep away scurvy, thanks to its Vitamin C. Add a small handful to smoothies or eat it for lunch tossed with olive oil and topped with a fried egg.
Brassicas
Brussels sprouts, bok choy, tatsoi, cabbage, rutabaga and broccoli—I’ve seen it all in winter markets. These babies often pop up in late spring and early fall in the traditional spring-to fall market season, and sometimes even make appearances in mid-summer. There are plenty of uses for them—roast them, steam them, toss them around in stir fries, soups and then some.
