There’s nothing more pleasurable for me than doing my food shopping at the farmers’ market. I don’t need a grocery list; I just get what’s fresh. I get to meet the people who grew my food—Liz, Jeff, Maggie—and see the pride they take in what they’ve produced. I’m outdoors instead of in a big, bright, sterile grocery store. And I don’t have to read labels because whole foods don’t have any.

Jeff from New Roots Farm at Exeter Farmer's Market

Farmers at the market take pride in their food and give me recipes and tips for cooking their fare. I try new things that I’ve never seen at the grocery store. And best of all, it’s fresh. There’s no comparison between a sweet, crunchy carrot just pulled out of the ground and a limp, bitter vegetable shipped 2,500 miles from California.

Eating local means appreciating what’s fresh and then coming up with a creative way to prepare it. That can be a challenge—you may end up with things you’ve never seen before and aren’t quite sure how to prepare. Sometimes less is best: start with a simple sauté of extra virgin olive oil and some onions and garlic, then add just about anything—zucchini, red peppers, potatoes, beets, carrots, chard, kale . . .

If you’re a true locavore who wants to rely on your season, that can add to the challenge. If you’re lucky, as we are in the seacoast area, you can frequent the winter farmers’ markets. But if not, you’ll need to learn how to preserve your harvest to make it last through the winter. There are many ways to do this—from freezing to canning and dehydrating. This takes time. But it also means that you can continue to enjoy the bounty of the local harvest throughout the winter.

I’ve met several moms who are living and learning the “locavore lifestyle” and have asked them to share their insights on the art and science of eating local. I’ll be featuring stories and tips from moms I admire for their commitment to themselves, their families, and their environment as they learn the ins and outs of stepping outside the supermarket and back to the farm. Stay tuned. We’ll hear from Leslie first.