Fresh Produce?

[Ruthanne]

What do you get in the Produce aisle of the stores you go to and where do you like to purchase it?

I usually get cauliflower, broccoli, kale, onions, celery, grape tomatoes, strawberries, blueberries, sweet potatoes. I sometimes get other things too but those are the ones I like to have on hand. I go to Aldi's, Lucky's and Bi-Rite but I'm thinking of going to a farmer's market and have to find out where it is in my area. I think it's very important to include produce in one's diet.

 

[Aunt Marg]

We're surrounded by farms and farming communities on all sides, so fresh farm grown produce is plentiful and we enjoy all that farmers have to offer, however over the winter months I find produce (as a whole) is the pits.

No taste, cardboard like texture, and overly expensive, so while a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is favourable, we tend not to consume as much over the course of winter as we do from late spring until early fall.

Cherries, strawberries, blueberries, apples (several different varieties), pears, apricots, peaches, potatoes, corn, peas, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, the list goes on... we enjoy it all, some from our own garden, with the bulk of what we eat bought locally or in-store.

In addition to the above, we go huckleberry picking and often come across patches of wild strawberries, which for anyone who is not familiar with or has never enjoyed a wild strawberry in their day, they're tiny and one packs the strawberry punch of a hundred regular strawberries.

We also go mushroom picking.

I just love cooking with garden fresh produce, everything tastes so much better (and is better).

As a side note, we also enjoy farm fresh milk from a local dairy farm. If you haven't had farm fresh milk before, boy, are you ever missing out.

We're currently anxiously awaiting the arrival of fresh farm grown hard-neck garlic! OMG, so good!

 

[Owlivia]

Cantaloupe, Grapefruit, Cucumber, Salad Mixes, Baby Spinach, Tomatoes, various Sweet Peppers sometimes, Potatoes, sometimes two or three small Bananas, Watermelon, Strawberries, Avocados, Celery, Carrots, Pears, Plums, Nectarines. The other veg/fruit is frozen, Blueberries, Broccoli, etc. makes it easier for me, so no waste.

I buy at local groceries.

 

[Aunt Bea]

I usually buy cheap, low carb, and in season.

The Sunday morning flea market has three or four produce vendors. The three for five guy sells three quart baskets of fresh vegetables for $5.00. There is a farmer’s market at the same location on Thursday and Saturday.

I also buy some fresh vegetables from the local grocery store but the quality and prices are not as good as the flea market.

Today I’m looking for some yellow or green summer squash to pan fry/steam or some green beans to stew with garlic, hot pepper flakes, ham, and potatoes.

My biggest problem is managing my fresh produce purchases to make them last from week to week.

 

[Ruthanne]

@Aunt Bea What is the problem you have managing your produce? Making it last as long as possible? If so I have found only 2 veggies so far that tend to last about 2 weeks when kept in an airtight plastic bag. Those are kale and cauliflower.

 

[Aunt Bea]

@Aunt Bea What is the problem you have managing your produce? Making it last as long as possible? If so I have found only 2 veggies so far that tend to last about 2 weeks when kept in an airtight plastic bag. Those are kale and cauliflower.

It just takes some thought over what to use first.
Today I bought strawberries, tomatoes, and summer squash.

I used a couple of tomatoes some onion, garlic, etc... to make a salad. Later in the week I’ll stew the rest of the tomatoes for a hot vegetable. I’ll sneak the summer squash in between the tomatoes and by then the week will be over.

 

[Ruthanne]

We're surrounded by farms and farming communities on all sides, so fresh farm grown produce is plentiful and we enjoy all that farmers have to offer, however over the winter months I find produce (as a whole) is the pits.

No taste, cardboard like texture, and overly expensive, so while a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is favourable, we tend not to consume as much over the course of winter as we do from late spring until early fall.

Cherries, strawberries, blueberries, apples (several different varieties), pears, apricots, peaches, potatoes, corn, peas, tomatoes, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, the list goes on... we enjoy it all, some from our own garden, with the bulk of what we eat bought locally or in-store.

In addition to the above, we go huckleberry picking and often come across patches of wild strawberries, which for anyone who is not familiar with or has never enjoyed a wild strawberry in their day, they're tiny and one packs the strawberry punch of a hundred regular strawberries.

We also go mushroom picking.

I just love cooking with garden fresh produce, everything tastes so much better (and is better).

As a side note, we also enjoy farm fresh milk from a local dairy farm. If you haven't had farm fresh milk before, boy, are you ever missing out.

We're currently anxiously awaiting the arrival of fresh farm grown hard-neck garlic! OMG, so good!

That must be fun going strawberry Huckleberry and mushroom picking- I'm guessing you know how to tell good mushrooms from poisonous ones.

 

[Ruthanne]

Cantaloupe, Grapefruit, Cucumber, Salad Mixes, Baby Spinach, Tomatoes, various Sweet Peppers sometimes, Potatoes, sometimes two or three small Bananas, Watermelon, Strawberries, Avocados, Celery, Carrots, Pears, Plums, Nectarines. The other veg/fruit is frozen, Blueberries, Broccoli, etc. makes it easier for me, so no waste.

I buy at local groceries.

You sure get a huge variety of produce and I think that's very good and good for you and you're reminding me that I need to get some watermelon

 

[Aunt Marg]

That must be fun going strawberry Huckleberry and mushroom picking- I'm guessing you know how to tell good mushrooms from poisonous ones.

I love the outings, Ruthanne. We usually reserve a good portion of the day when we go, I pack a light lunch, and depending on the time of year we have a fire.

Mushrooms are touchy, and while I have learned how to tell apart two specific varieties that we always pick, I have no knowledge on the others.

My husband is incredibly knowledgably when it comes to all things wilderness, so anything questionable I run it by him.

We even come across nut trees and will indulge.

For me, walking through the forest is heaven. There's a peace and calm that one gets that you just don't get anywhere else.

 

[Ruth n Jersey]

We have a few farm stands nearby but the prices are terrible and although they have farmland all around them they supplement their supplies with trucked in produce so you never know if its fresh from their farm.
Our local supermarkets have poor quality veggies.
Once in awhile we will go further away and get better quality from a small Korean run store.
Thank goodness for my veggie garden. I don't only do it for pleasure but I know its fresh and not loaded with chemicals.
Years ago I had apple trees and a grape arbor.
Blackberries and Elderberries grew where houses now stand. I'm not sure I could stand for all those hours canning and making jelly like I use to but but back then I really enjoyed it.

 

[Happyflowerlady]

I love the outings, Ruthanne. We usually reserve a good portion of the day when we go, I pack a light lunch, and depending on the time of year we have a fire.
Mushrooms are touchy, and while I have learned how to tell apart two specific varieties that we always pick, I have no knowledge on the others.
My husband is incredibly knowledgably when it comes to all things wilderness, so anything questionable I run it by him.
We even come across nut trees and will indulge.
For me, walking through the forest is heaven. There's a peace and calm that one gets that you just don't get anywhere else.

When I lived out in the country, I loved being out in the woods also, @Aunt Marg . Sometimes, I was walking through the woods with my kids, and we looked for mushrooms and berries, but a lot of the time, we were just out riding the horses through the trails in the woods and into the mountains.

I really miss being able to do those things, but I am so glad that I have the memories from when I could do that. There were morrel mushrooms, but we didn’t find many of those where I lived in Idaho, but after the rain, there was always a giant crop of what we called “sponge mushrooms”.
Instead of gills underneath the cap, it was little holes that looked like a sponge, and those were always edible. I forget what the actual name of them was.

There is a Farmer’s Market here in Huntsville, but not close to where we live, so we do not get there a lot. They do have wonderful press produce, and I really enjoy going there and getting the ripe fruit and veggies, and it has SO much more flavor and nutrition.

 

[katlupe]

I buy a large variety of produce. Mostly low-carbs so the only fruits I buy are berries. For Rabbit's morning breakfast of a small piece of a banana, I buy a few of those too. Sometimes in a weak moment I will buy melons or some other fruit that catches my eye. I try hard to stick to low carb ones though.

I usually eat meat and salad so I buy a lot of salad vegetables. Having a rabbit for a pet means I have to buy the spring mix several times a week. He and I share it. I can't begin to name everything I buy but I like to use fresh as much as possible. Not having my own garden anymore was a big adjustment for me. We do have a lot of farmer's markets around here and I go to those when I can.

I bought this salad keeper for the greens and am thinking of buying another one. I use a salad spinner after I wash the greens and then put it in this. It works great and I have never had anything not last in it.

 

[horseless carriage]

Mushrooms are touchy, and while I have learned how to tell apart two specific varieties that we always pick, I have no knowledge on the others.

It's easy to tell the difference between poisonous and non poisonous fungi. Just take them home, cook them to your favourite recipe and if you wake up in the morning they were non poisonous.

 

[Aunt Marg]

When I lived out in the country, I loved being out in the woods also, @Aunt Marg . Sometimes, I was walking through the woods with my kids, and we looked for mushrooms and berries, but a lot of the time, we were just out riding the horses through the trails in the woods and into the mountains.

I really miss being able to do those things, but I am so glad that I have the memories from when I could do that. There were morrel mushrooms, but we didn’t find many of those where I lived in Idaho, but after the rain, there was always a giant crop of what we called “sponge mushrooms”.
Instead of gills underneath the cap, it was little holes that looked like a sponge, and those were always edible. I forget what the actual name of them was.

There is a Farmer’s Market here in Huntsville, but not close to where we live, so we do not get there a lot. They do have wonderful press produce, and I really enjoy going there and getting the ripe fruit and veggies, and it has SO much more flavor and nutrition.

A lovely read, Happyflowerlady!

Yes, morels and shaggy manes, our two favourites!

Morel mushrooms are bountiful after a forest fire, often forming large clusters around trees. Surprisingly though, I'm not all that fond of the taste of mushrooms as I find them to be quite strong, but the morels and shaggy manes I find to be quite mild, especially when sautéed in a pan with fresh garlic and butter.

As for wild berries, I just can't get enough, with huckleberries being my favourite.

Over the course of summer and into the early fall, we drive to a neighbouring community to snoop around and bring back a little fruit and vegetables, and it's always such a nice change from shopping locally, being able to getaway for the day. Of course with Covid, we haven't been since summer before last, but once things settle down a little more we're hoping to start enjoying those little things again.

 

[Chet]

The farmer's markets here opened last week. PA has a senior's farmers market program and give 4 vouchers worth $5 each to be used for fresh produce. I'm saving mine for apple season because those at the orchard I go to are pricey, but they are absolutely perfect. They have peaches and plums too but sometimes it's iffy what you get and they don't keep like an apple.

 

[Aunt Marg]

It's easy to tell the difference between poisonous and non poisonous fungi. Just take them home, cook them to your favourite recipe and if you wake up in the morning they were non poisonous.

All jokes aside, my husband will occasionally put my knowledge to the test and hold up a mushroom and ask me me if it's edible or not. I fail badly. So scary how many mushrooms are not only highly toxic, but deadly.

 

[Jules]

Starting in June, whatever the Farmers Markets have in season. Right now it’s potatoes, lettuce mixes, spinach, carrots & peas are coming into their prime, radishes, strawberries. Asparagus is finished. My preference is to buy from the organic farmers. They’re a farmers that well ahead of anyone else even though everyone is supposed to grow all their own products. We have fruit/vegetable stands up and down the highway. Soon it’ll be tomatoes & cherries. And then corn!

 

[Ruthanne]

We have a few farm stands nearby but the prices are terrible and although they have farmland all around them they supplement their supplies with trucked in produce so you never know if its fresh from their farm.
Our local supermarkets have poor quality veggies.
Once in awhile we will go further away and get better quality from a small Korean run store.
Thank goodness for my veggie garden. I don't only do it for pleasure but I know its fresh and not loaded with chemicals.
Years ago I had apple trees and a grape arbor.
Blackberries and Elderberries grew where houses now stand. I'm not sure I could stand for all those hours canning and making jelly like I use to but but back then I really enjoyed it.

We had an apple tree in our backyard when I was a kid.

 

[dobielvr]

I'm always buying lettuce. A couple of diff kinds, usually romaine and iceberg. And arugula.
Cukes, tomatoes, a couple of onions. I have to be careful when buying fruits cuz i just don't eat them fast enough.

I had to toss a couple of nectarines and apricots a few days ago. They had gotten shoved in to the back of the fridge and I forgot all about them. I did eat my grapes tho...they were so good...no seeds.

I always buy yogurt. Back to the produce....I'll buy a container of blackberries, I'll eat those quickly.
Again, just careful with buying...cause I won't eat it. I don't eat that much.