Local, seasonal, organic (part 2)

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Day. What a wonderful holiday to celebrate family, friends, health and food. Thanksgiving is a day of sharing the abundance of food from all our hard work that will feed us through the winter. At least I think that is how it used to be. It is the poster holiday of local, seasonal, organic food.

When I was a child our garden provided many vegetables for us. We always grew onions, tomatoes, peppers and squash. In the field we grew corn, pumpkin and cantaloupe. My parents were not into canning but we would freeze some of our harvest. Most of the time we ate from the garden what was in season. These days you can get pretty much anything, anytime no matter what the season. These products of course have traveled hundreds, sometimes thousands of miles. This food that is not in season will never taste as good as something grown in your garden or a local small farm. The best quality of these vegetables is the ability to ship well. No amount of chemicals, wax or dyes will make it taste better though. That tomato you buy in January will not compare with one picked from your garden in June. That tomato is not in season in January.

At Off Texas Avenue Garden my goal is to change varieties as the seasons change. This past Saturday we had our first light frost and my tomato plants suffered some damage. I decided to remove green tomatoes from the larger varieties and try to ripen them inside. I removed all the plants from this bed and will prepare the soil for the next season. I will plant some other crop in this bed as part of my rotation plan. Crop rotation will lessen the risk of disease by not growing the same crop again. It was not easy pulling up these huge plants or to pick green tomatoes but tomato season is over. I may even sow some lettuce seed in this bed before spring crops and extend my fall season a few more weeks.

I believe that growing seasonal vegetables keeps us connected to nature and the earth. Another good way to stay connected with our food is by cooking these seasonal foods. Learning how to use all this food connects us to our family, our past and ourselves. Eating good food not only nourishes our body but can help us stay healthy. If you don't garden you can visit a farmers market and support small farms. Supporting these small farms means that seasonal foods can be available to everyone. These farmers can then grow more food, more varieties and help preserve a greater plant diversity for future generations. I believe eating good food is good for our family, good for our health, good for our soul. I believe everyone can contribute something positive to the environment. Farmers can grow a wide variety of organic food. Chefs can use the freshest, locally grown food. Schools can teach alternative methods of growing good food. Schools can also provide healthier meals to our children. Parents can set an example and insist that their children explore and try new foods. I will continue to grow good food for my family and I hope others will do the same.