Gretchen Scalpi, RDN

I usually try to write a short blog post every week or so, but lately I’ve been busy.  With the early spring and unusually warm weather here in the Hudson Valley, I’ve been spending my time getting my small garden going.  I must say that my efforts have been very worthwhile, because so far I have harvested a number of a number of herbs and vegetables and it’s only June 1st!  What I love about growing my own is that everything grown is truly organic (no pesticides or chemical fertilizers here) and the food is as fresh as you can possibly get!

So far here’s what we’re eating:

• Radishes
• Swiss Chard
• Sugar Snap Peas
• Lettuce
• Mint
• Cilantro
• Arugula

It’s only a matter of a 2-3 weeks before the fresh green beans will be here.  Later on, if I’m lucky we’ll have tomatoes, summer squash & cucumbers.

There are many rewards to gardening if you have a bit of time, and somewhere to plant.  Even small spaces or containers work well to get you started.  I can think of few things more gratifying than preparing and eating our own vegetables.

If vegetable gardening is not in your immediate future, buying local produce has it’s advantages. If you live near a farmer’s market or are lucky enough to spot a roadside farm stand near you, why not stop and check out what’s available right now?  You’ll be supporting local farmers, and enjoy the benefit of fresh, great tasting vegetables or fruit!  The nutritional content of  fruit and vegetables diminishes very quickly; the longer produce takes to get to you, the less nutrients are available.  So instead of buying produce that’s been shipped across the country (or across the world for that matter), buy local this time of year.  Here’s where you can find a local farm market near you.

Tags: fresh vegetables, garden, gardening