Get Your Fruit Fresh, Local and Sustainable Year-Round

Get Your Fruit Fresh, Local and Sustainable Year-Round
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By , Organic Lifestyle Magazine

We all know that fruit is good for us. The steady stream of research and articles on the subject reminds us constantly of the amazing antioxidant benefits of blueberries and how an apple a day keeps the doctor away. When we go to the supermarket, we know we are supposed to do the healthy thing and load up on fresh fruits, right? But are those fruits really fresh and really good for us? How far did those strawberries have to travel and what did they spray on them to keep them looking “fresh” in the middle of winter? Were they grown in a way that positively or negatively impacted the waterways and wildlife in that area, not to mention the farmers who grew them?

You can always make the choice to “vote with your wallet” as I like to say, and buy certified organic from the store, but this can be expensive for many of us, and the reality is still that if it’s not in season where we live, it had to travel a long ways to get to our produce section.

The good news is, there are many ways you can add more fruit to your diet, and still keep it healthy, local and good for the environment. There are plenty of small farms out there growing tree fruits and berries, and this is the perfect opportunity to get to know them. Buying, picking and growing fruit in quantity when it is in season is very economical, and although fresh fruit may not be available all throughout the year, there are some simple ways to store and preserve it at home so that you always know exactly where it came from.

If your town or urban neighborhood has a farmer's market, this is the place to find your local fruit. (<a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/29638108@N06/7714246618/in/photolist-cKFwL3-aqERYn-6XNqpU-oL4HJn-ajyjkp-6KPpCs-gRArg5-aqERYe-cKFB3f-ahsfbh-oVRy6o-oPZKwq-9ZXNpq-akdPYW-735gNc-35bkHZ-g7aTqq-38oDHp-g7aVvN-n8zxk3-xqJeZE-nFwwi-g7bppH-8GqPgL-6hkktY-dgWmQP-5bRcsS-aim62u-qM3jYA-5qJfwR-cMQzAd-2VpGuj-pBxrfK-apxLkM-a943XP-gQnrRe-qfUxT1-g1nuJq-kJTSVr-8HR2ot-8UyZha-9taW42-8ym5Pd-dmW5oU-4JqHd1-8CN9GD-uTbEkn-vTzEUj-9tdUzq-6NwxQG" target="_blank">Jennifer C.</a>/Flickr/CC BY)
If your town or urban neighborhood has a farmer's market, this is the place to find your local fruit. Jennifer C./Flickr/CC BY
Lara Colley
Lara Colley
Author
Out here in Oregon, I enjoy the rough-hewn life of a modern homesteader and mountain woman, weaving outdoor adventures into the fabric of everyday living. Whether tending my McKenzie River homestead hearth or a campfire up in the mountains, I find great enjoyment in the work of a self-sufficient life. I enjoy writing about my tales of camping, cooking, hiking, handcrafting, wildcrafting, canning, growing food, keeping chickens, and raising twin children. It is my hope to share some ideas and inspiration with other folks, to strengthen our connections with the land and wild places.