Seasonal Spotlight

Specialty crops make up most of the produce you’ll find at the farmers market: fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs, and flowers. Specialty crops differ from commodity crops, such as corn, wheat, soybeans, and rice, which are mass produced and traded in large quantities, and are often used in processed foods, animal feed, or fuels.

California leads the country as the top U.S. producer of specialty crops, both in quantity and in diversity, with a total of over 400 different crops recorded. At the farmers market, you can experience the bounty, diversity, and freshness of California specialty crops. Through the Seasonal Spotlight program, we’ll be highlighting the many varieties our California farmers grow.

The food you buy at the farmers market is both seasonal and locally grown by California farmers, meaning it is being harvested when it is fresh and delicious and reflects the truest flavors. What does eating seasonally mean for you?

• Peak flavors: Seasonal fruits and vegetables are grown and picked for peak flavor. They are allowed to ripen fully in the field or on the tree before they are harvested, with no long-distance shipping, no gassing to simulate the ripening process, no sitting for weeks in storage. This food is as tasty as it gets—fresh from the farm.
• Peak nutrition: Produce that is in season and naturally ripened is higher in vitamins and minerals, and supports our bodies through the seasons (think hearty root vegetables and greens in the winter, and cooling and hydrating fruits in the summer). Consuming produce shortly after harvest helps to ensure you’re getting the most nutrition, since nutritional content tends to degrade over time. Eating with the seasons also means you’re getting a greater variety of nutrients in your diet.
• Better for your environment: Most food found in grocery stores in the U.S. travels an average of 1,500 miles to get to your plate, using large amounts of natural resources, contributing to pollution, and creating waste. (For example, tomatoes, which are a summer crop, must travel from warmer climates in the winter.) Local, seasonal produce takes less energy to grow, since it follows the cycles of nature. Food at the farmers market is transported shorter distances and is generally grown using methods that minimize the impact on the earth. 
• Better for your local economy: Buying seasonal produce directly from your local farmer gives them a better return for their produce. According to the Farmers Market Coalition, growers selling locally create 13 jobs per $1 million in revenue (compared to just 3 jobs for those not selling locally), and generate twice as much economic activity within the region (compared to to producers who are not involved in direct marketing).
• Better for your budget: Eating seasonally can also be better for your budget, since farmers will have more of a fruit or vegetable when it is at its seasonal peak. Some farmers may offer special deals at the farmers market when they have a bumper crop of a particular item.

Wondering what’s in season when? Check out our Seasonality Charts.

• April: Greens of Spring
• May: Berries
• June: Stone Fruit
• July: Tomatoes
• August: Cucurbits
• September: Peppers
• October: Fall Fruit
• November: Winter Squash
• December: Roots
• January: Citrus
• February: Brassicas
• March: Alliums

Customers who spend their CalFresh EBT benefits at Foodwise farmers markets can double their food dollars with Market Match. The Market Match program helps make farm-fresh, locally grown foods more affordable by matching CalFresh benefits dollar-for-dollar, up to $15, with coins that can be redeemed for fruits and vegetables at any farm in our farmers markets. Visit the Foodwise Info Booth to learn more.