On the East Coast, we are fortunate to have a variety of locally grown produce options available to us. From peaches, watermelon and blueberries to tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers and a variety of leafy greens – there’s no shortage of good for you fruits and veggies here!

Why purchase locally grown?

1. Full of flavor: Local produce is picked at its peak of ripeness and can often make it to shelf within 24 hours – now that’s fresh!
2. It’s seasonal which translates to freshness: Although you can find many fruits and vegetables such as strawberries for instance year round, they are not at their “in-season” best in January. However, when they are at their seasonal peak, they are full of flavor and color which means they’ll taste their best!
3. Local = Nutrition: Since local produce has a shorter distance to travel from farm to store, it is less likely that the nutritive value will have decreased. Food that has a longer distance to travel will lose more nutrients along the way.
4. Local food benefits the environment and wildlife. Well-managed farms provide ecosystem services: they conserve fertile soil, protect water sources, and sequester carbon from the atmosphere. The farm environment is a patchwork of fields, meadows, woods, ponds and buildings that provide habitat for wildlife in our communities.*

*Source: University of Vermont. Cultivating Healthy Communities extension.

Here’s a list of top Local Produce options:

Vegetables- Tomatoes, Green Pepper, Cucumbers, Green & Yellow Squash, Eggplant, Green Beans, Corn, Cabbage, most leafy Greens (Spinach, Basil, Chards, Chicory/Escarole, Cilantrillo, Dill, Leeks, Scallions, Collards, Kale, Mustard, Turnip Tops, Radishes, Parsley)