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. 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 (napervillefarmersmarket.org)
Fifth Avenue Station Parking Lot / 7AM – noon Saturdays, June 1 through October 26
Naper Settlement Farmers Market NEW! (napersettlement.org) Tuesdays, June 25 through September 17 / Vendors, classes and live music
Mayneland Farm (maynelandfarm.com) 27W265 Bauer Road, Naperville (Cash only)
Spring: 10AM-5PM Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday / Summer: July 24-Oct. 31 – 10AM-6PM Monday – Friday, 9:30AM-5PM Saturday, 10:30AM-5PM Sunday.
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 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.
Editor’s Note / This post has been corrected. The printed copy for June includes two farmers’ markets no longer operating. We regret the error.
