If you’ve been soaking in the warmer weather, playing (or falling prey to) some April Fools' Day pranks and loving the longer days, then you’ve been relishing in the arrival of spring. And now you can add enjoying new, seasonal produce to the list because the farmers market is overflowing with bounty!
With new varieties of fresh produce available, it’s a great time to increase your fruit and vegetable intake. Right now, citrus fruits and dark, Asian greens are taking center stage.
Citrus Fruits:
At the Atkins Nursery stand, Abel Vasquez showed me all the pesticide-free citrus fruits he had to offer.
“The Meyer lemons are a little bit sweeter than the conventional lemons in grocery stores,” Vasquez said. The peels are smoother too, he said. Vasquez also sells Eureka lemons—the kind you'll typically find in a supermarket.
“The Bacon avocado are creamier,” he said of the popular California treat.
And when it comes to grapefruits, Vasquez recommended the Pomelo because it is sweeter than the white grapefruit, which he also sells.
If you’re looking to add something different to your produce intake, try his cherimoya. “It’s a tropical fruit that is in season right now,” he said. It has white, soft flesh that tastes like a mix of tropical fruit and coconut.
Dark Asian Greens:
The Vang Farms are new organic vegetable providers at the market. Their family farm is located in Fresno, CA and farmer Pachua Vang said, “It’s the green season because we have a lot of greens.”
She means it—from bok choy, leeks, Chinese broccoli, broccolini, Japanese broccoli, dandelion leaves, chard, kale, collard greens, fresh herbs and more, there really are a wide variety of dark greens to enjoy. And for only $1 per bunch for the Asian greens, it’s a price you can’t beat.
As for preparation, Vang suggested using the greens in stir frys, soups or just raw in a salad. She said the Japanese broccoli were the sweetest.
Stop by the market on Sunday and add in those citrus fruits and dark greens so you can feel better as you enjoy the warmer weather!
