News&Features 5

Seasonal food
is always grown
closer to home

he 2019 Canada Food Guide

recommends seasonal eating

and avoiding grocery shop-
ping at convenience stores - and
locals are listening.

Seasonal eating involves buying
foods grown in one’s local area when
they’re at peak supply. As a result, the
food is fresher, cheaper and better for
the environment.

On their website, the B.C. Asso-
ciation of Farmers’ Markets states
that local produce usually travels
less than 300 km from farm to plate,
while the “average North American
meal travels 2,400 km to get from
the field to plate and contains ingre-
dients from five countries in addi-
tion to our own.” They also include
a full list of B.C.’s seasonal produce
on their website.

Shoppers at the Cedar Cottage
Food Network Society markets are
benefiting from this dietary choice.

At the Kensington location,
shopper Susan Fong eats seasonally
because it’s affordable.

“When it’s not in season, things
are more expensive,” Fong said.

Bev Pellegrin, a shopper at the
Cedar Cottage market, doesn’t think

she’s sacrificing variety when she
eats seasonally.
“We supplement with peaches
that are not in season,” Pellegrin
said.

’ Welcome To

NETAN COMMUNITY

| KENS!

For those lack-
ing variety in their
produce, Yee said
that a program for

people who want to

learn how to grow
their own food is
underway.

“We actually
want people to
grow more food,”

Yee said, after
cleaning up from

the Kensington

market.

“TIf] they
don’t know how,
we have garden

workshops
to... let them
know how.”

Cedar Cottage Food Network board member, helps to set up the
nity Centre-located Community Food Market.

nterance to the Kensington Community Centre, where a Community
J every Saturday.

ge Food Network Society's Community Food Market coordinator

s bins filled with fresh produce for both markets Saturday, March 9.

WHAT'S IN SEASON?
IN SOUTH WEST B.C.

» March

Currently apples, cabbage,
cucumber, kale, kiwi, leek, red
and yellow onions, peppers and
tomatoes are locally in season.

» April

Next month kale, peppers, radish,
rhubarb, spinach, tomatoes and
cucumbers will be in season
locally.

» May

This month will bring local
rhubarb, asparagus, Swiss chard,
white turnips, peas, mustard
greens, cucumber, kale, spinach,
celery, green onions, and mustard
greens into season.

» Summer

Summertime brings a vast

local harvest, including apples,
apricots, beans, beets, blackber-
ries, broccoli, cabbage, carrots,
cauliflower, celery, cherries, corn,
fennel, garlic, lettuce, green onion,
peas, potatoes, raspberries,
strawberries, squash, melons,
plums, blueberries, peaches,
shallots, nectarines, rutabaga,
grapes, gooseberries, artichoke,
parsnip, leek, kale, pears, fennel
and zucchini.

» Fall

Next fall local produce may
include brussel sprouts, broccoli,
apples, carrots, celery, cranber-
ries, parsnip, peppers, potatoes,
pumpkin, rutabaga, spinach,
turnips and Swiss chard.

» Winter

During the peak of winter
(December-February) apples, cab-
bage, carrots, kale, leek, red and
yellow onions, parnips and pears
are in season locally.

SOURCE: BCFARMERSMARKET.ORG