Seasonal Tip

There is no denying that seasonal foods are fresher, healthier and tastier. These days you can find all the colors of the rainbow in your local supermarket - even in a Maine winter - and this is not a good thing.

Food that has been picked prematurely and then shipped thousands of miles away may look good in the produce section, but once you get it home you will find that it has no taste. It's most likely lost most, if not all, of its nutritional value by the time it makes to your table.

If you've ever had a ripe juicy peach right off the tree you know it tastes nothing like those weird rubbery things you find in the grocery store in January.

With all the conveniences of modern life, we tend to forget that we are part of nature. According to Chinese dietary therapy, eating seasonal foods keeps the body in balance while eating foods that are not in season is a major cause of disease.

I recommend you grow your own food and buy from local farmers as much as possible. Small local farmers will be producing what grows best in your region during that season. It's a great place to learn when different fruits and vegetables taste best. However, I realize that this is just not practical for everyone. Check out My organic acres.com where you can have your own personal garden and staff or simply buy top quality seasonal organic produce direct from the farm!

Seasonal cooking can be an adventure - it gives you a great opportunity to try new foods! Learn how to create seasonal dishes, such as celery root in winter, for a great mashed no-tatoes dish. Use local foods, such as honey or maple syrup instead of cane sugar, as a way of incorporating new foods in your diet.

How to get wholesome foods all year round. Fermenting your foods is an excellent way to be sure that you are getting quality wholesome foods in the middle of winter.

Dehydrating fruits in the summer when they are abundant is another way to enjoy food through every season. Dehydrators use a slow drying process to remove water from food allowing it to retain much of its nutritional value.

So you see, NOTHING is impossible! You really can do this no matter where you live!