It's Fall Again, Time To Bust Out Fall Veggies!!

I am so excited!  It's that time of year again when the weather will start getting a bit cooler, the leaves will start turning color, and those fun Fall holidays Halloween and Thanksgiving lend themselves to a festive vibe all over town.  Halloween decorations start popping up at your local stores and you wonder how you will decorate your home this year!  It is also a time of year when certain fruits and vegetables start becoming more and more readily available.  This is exciting as we can finally start making real pumpkin pies from real sugar pumpkins, we can finally start roasting our own pumpkin seeds!  As you walk around your neighborhood, you notice those pomegranates and persimmons are finally getting ripe on the tree!  Years back, one of our old neighbors had a Hitachi persimmon tree in her backyard, and every year around December, she would arrive at our door with a bag full of ripe, soft persimmons that were ready to eat.  Who says fruits and vegetables don't grow in the winter?!  I learned that these specific persimmons needed to be extra soft to eat or else my mouth would feel like sandpaper.  Pomegranates are another fall favorite fruit that is readily available in the winter months and bursting with vibrant red color and sweet, tart flavor.  The apple and orange trees become abundant with fruit ready to pick.  Eating the rainbow has never been so easy!  Fruits and vegetables of every different color become available in a new Fall variety of flavors.  Reds, greens, yellows, orange, and purple fruits and vegetables become abundant in the fall.  Such fall flavors include apples, bananas, beets, bell peppers, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, and carrots.  

One way to explore fruits and vegetables in season September through January is to check out your local farmers market.  In Southern California, we have farmers' markets running all year in various locations throughout the state.   Most of the farmers' markets have pesticide-free, organic local produce that has not been shipped for miles to get to the destination.  When you buy local produce, you cut down on the environmental pollution that shipping goods long distances creates.  When you buy local, you are supporting your community of local farmers.  But in addition to supporting your local community, when you buy your fruits and vegetables fresh from the garden, you are buying them at their peak nutritional value.  

Another way to check out what fruits and vegetables are in season is to go straight to the farm.  Many farms have a farm stand where they place their fruits and vegetables on display. It's always fun to look at all the different varieties of squash, pumpkin, persimmons, apples, pomegranates, and citrus fruits on display.  Some farms have a pick your own fruit or vegetable option where you can grab a bag and just start grabbing as many fruits and vegetables that will fit, right from the ground.  It's a fun activity to do with your kids on the weekend!  

One of the local farms that I love to take my kids to, with a yearly Harvest festival is Underwood Family Farms.  It is located in Moorpark, California, and is for sure a winner in my book for both produce and fun things to do with kids!  You are given the opportunity to feed the farm animals, play at their playground, engage in fun and festive fall activities, and then check out their market for an assortment of in-season produce.  This particular farm also has a pick your own vegetable option for those who would love to make shopping educational!  You can check out their website for more information!  https://www.underwoodfamilyfarms.com/

Another farm we had visited while on a pre-Covid school field trip was McGrath Family farm.  We were able to pick our own organic pumpkin and then shop at the small farm stand.  They also had a really cute chicken coop the kids were able to explore while checking out all the chickens and baby chicks!  I have to say this one was a winner in my books for both learning about fruits and vegetables, growing cycles, soil conservation and farm management.  

Hope you can visit your local farmers market or farm to learn about the many fruits and vegetables that grow during the fall and winter months to add more colors to your table this year!  Enjoy!