The advantage of eating vine-ripened fruit and vegetables is that they are the most nutritious. The vast majority of nutrients enter the fruits and vegetables as they ripen in the soil or on the vine/tree. Fruit and vegetable nutrition is the best source of the thousands of plant chemicals (phytonutrients) that help to keep our bodies healthy and fight free-radical damage that occurs from our daily activities. So, whenever we hear “buy local” it’s probably a good idea for produce whenever possible. This gives us the advantage of getting the fruits and vegetables that have ripened naturally.
June is the beginning for the Farmer’s Markets and local farm stands and they will soon be full of beautiful, healthy choices:
Naperville Farmer’s Market (naperville.il.us)
Fifth Avenue Station Parking Lot
Saturdays, June 3 through October 28, 7AM – noon
Farmers Market at St. John’s (stjohns-episcopal.com)
St. John’s Episcopal Church, 750 Aurora Avenue
Wednesdays, June 7 through September 30, 3-7PM
Mayneland Farm (maynelandfarm.com)
27W265 Bauer Road, Naperville (Cash only)
Summer Hours: Monday – Friday 10AM-6:30PM, Saturday 9:30AM-5PM, Sunday 10:30AM-5PM
Wagner Farmstand (wagnerfarmstand.com)
9937 S. Route 59, Naperville (cash and credit cards)
Open Mid-July through October 31, daily hours vary
For the more adventurous, our own planting season is upon us. We can grow many vegetable choices in the ground or in traditional containers. A non-traditional approach (but one I have used for several years now) would be aeroponic gardening. A specially designed tower container showers nutrient rich water onto the roots of 20 different plants, giving a huge variety in a small space right outside our back door (minta.towergarden.com).
Whichever way we decide to get our “local” produce, getting that fresh produce onto our tables packs the nutritional punch we need.
