Buy Local and Seasonal Food
Eating local and seasonal food supports local producers and the production of crops that are appropriate to our environment. It alleviates the reliance on long-distance transport and refrigeration of foods that are grown thousands of kilometres away. Foods grown in sync with the seasons are more in tune with our intuitive nutritional needs; after all, who wants a cucumber sandwich in the middle of winter?
How to do it now!
Blue Mountains local produce
Do you have surplus produce from your garden? Do you want to buy fresh, locally grown vegies, fruit and herbs.
Sell, give away or buy local produce at a local produce stall:
- Lawson - Magpie Markets at Lawson Public School (third Sunday each month). Contact Louise at Mid Mountains Neighbourhood Centre 4759-2592.
- Blackheath - Community Markets at Blackheath Public School (first Sunday each month). Contact Deb 4784-3157.
Buy & eat local and seasonal food
Farmers markets are a great place to buy locally produced food and a directory is available from the Australian Farmers' Markets Association.
Foods in season throughout the year.
|
Summer |
Autumn |
Winter |
Spring |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apricots | Avocado (Fuerte) | Beetroots | Asparagus |
| Beans | Cabbage (& Brussels Sprouts) | Broccoli | Avocado (Hass) |
| Berries & Currants | Cauliflower | Cabbage (& Brussels Sprouts) | Beetroots |
| Celery | Celery | Cauliflowers | Berries & Currants |
| Cherries | Chestnuts | Celery | Broccoli |
| Corn | Cumquats | Cumquats | Cabbage (& Brussels Sprouts) |
| Cucumber | Figs | Fennel | Corn |
| Eggplants | Ginger | Ginger | Cucumbers |
| Figs | Leeks | Jerusalem Artichokes | Fennel |
| Green pea | Melons | Lemons & Limes | Green, Snap & Snow Peas |
| Leeks | Olives | Olives | Leeks |
| Melon | Parsnips | Parsnips | Lemon & Lime |
| Pears | Pears | Rhubarb | Peppers & Chillies |
| Peppers (& Chillies) | Quinces | Sweet Potatoes | Rhubarb |
| Tomatoes | Sweet Potatoes | Turnips & Swedes | Zucchini & Squash |
| Zucchini & Squash | Tomatoes |
(Southern Australian emphasis)
Grow your own food. The best way to eat local and seasonal food is to use your own backyard! You can have a veggie garden all year round with seasonal vegetables.
Slow Food.The Slow Food Movement encourages the use of local seasonal produce, provides support for local small food producers, encourages the restoration of time-honoured methods of production and preparation and promotes the sharing of food at communal tables. Slow Food also encourages environmentally-sustainable production, ethical treatment of animals and social justice. Check out the Slow Food Blue Mountains web page.
Why this action is important?
Changing our eating habits is a simple way to reduce our impact on the environment, address climate change (via reduced transport and industrial energy) and support local communities and farmers. You'll benefit from an interesting and diverse diet year round and support organisations like the Australian Farmers' Markets Association, which advocate low-impact farming and produce diversity.
