Organic, Seasonal, and Local
For centuries, Ayurveda has upheld the principles of eating
organic,
seasonal, and local food. Ayurveda encourages us to limit our intake of
processed foods – which is anything not in its proper/natural
form whether frozen, packaged with preservatives, fermented, refined,
carbonated, microwaved, or genetically modified. If health is our priority, we should take more time to prepare our food!
The recent craze to eat organic, local, and seasonal food is certainly one to be praised. Given we are what we eat (or ultimately what we digest), it is in everyone’s best interest to eat fresh foods that are full of life and vitality and are not tainted by the indigestible residues of chemical pesticides, preservatives, and other processing agents. Eating organically, seasonally, and locally helps ensure that our food, and in turn our body, is full of nutrients and energy.
In addition, if we eat foods that are in season and grown traditionally in our local climate and community, we are able counterbalance the inherent environmental hardships in the most natural way. For example, squashes and root vegetables that traditionally grow in cold or winter climates are naturally heartier than summer greens and fruits that grow in warmer climates. Indeed, we all could use more grounding and warming foods in winter to endure the wind and cold, just as we need lighter and cooler foods during the summer to counter the dense heat of the sun.
With this in mind, the following is the San Diego Region Harvest Schedule*:
| January | Avocados, macadamia nuts, strawberries, broccoli, kumquats, lemons, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, rhubarb, carrots, beets, tangerines, snow peas, sugar snaps, lettuce, cherimoyas, guavas |
| February | Navel oranges, lemons, avocados, kumquats, strawberries, cauliflower, asparagus, artichokes, rhubarb, tangerines, tangelos, carrots, celery, cabbage, peas, beets, cherimoyas, guavas |
| March | Navel oranges, lemons, strawberries, squash, rhubarb, asparagus, carrots, peas, artichokes, tangelos, grapefruit, avocados, cherimoyas, guavas |
| April | Navel and Valencia oranges, grapefruit, lemons, avocados, strawberries, squash, snap peas, beans, carrots, beets, turnips, radishes, cherimoyas |
| May | Valencia oranges, grapefruit, lemons, strawberries, avocados, sweet corn, peas, beans, squash, potatoes, tomatoes, carrots, sweet onions, cucumbers, cherimoyas |
| June | Valencia oranges, grapefruit, lemons, peaches, plums apricots, avocados, eggplant, corn, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, cucumbers, raspberries, boysenberries, blackberries, sweet onions, cherimoyas |
| July | Sweet corn, melons, Valencia oranges, grapefruit, avocados, tomatoes, beans, raspberries, potatoes, onions, peppers, figs |
| August | Sweet corn, melons, Valencia oranges, grapefruit, peaches, plums, apricots, avocados, tomatoes, cucumbers, beans, carrots, squash raspberries, potatoes, boysenberries, blackberries, apples, figs |
| September | Sweet corn, melons, Valencia oranges, grapefruit, peaches, plums, avocados, tomatoes, grapes, squash, cucumbers, beans, carrots, raspberries, potatoes, apples, onions, peppers, figs |
| October | Sweet corn, melons, Valencia oranges, grapefruit peaches, avocados, tomatoes, grapes, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, beans, carrots, potatoes, apples, onions, peppers, figs, Asian pears, pears |
| November | Melons, Valencia oranges, grapefruit, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, beans, carrots, raspberries, potatoes, apples, onions, peppers, Asian pears, pears, pumpkins, persimmons, macadamia nuts, kiwis, cherimoyas, guavas |
| December | Tangerines, grapefruit, macadamia nuts, avocados, cabbages, cauliflower, broccoli, apples, kiwis, carrots, beets, lemons, cherimoyas, guavas All Year - Plants, flowers, mushrooms, eggs, fruit, nuts, lettuce, greens, honey |
Here are some links to local farmers and farmer's markets in and
around the San Diego area:
- Tierra Miguel Farm and Foundation – farm and foundation supporting local farming, farm to school programs, and community supported agriculture (CSA) in North County San Diego and throughout the greater Orange County and Los Angeles County areas.
- San Diego Farmer's Markets – schedule of local farmer's markets in and around San Diego County.
- Jimbo's – best natural food grocery store in San Diego area, supplying the finest of local, organic products when available.
The following are a few links to articles and websites that
provide general information on eating organically, seasonally, and locally:
- Center for Food Safety – advocates for food safety, including stringent organic standards, and restrictions on genetically modified foods.
- Roots of Change - collaborative of diverse leaders and institutions unified in common pursuit of achieving a sustainable food system in California by 2030.
- Locavores - provides information and guidance on eating within your bioregion.
- Slow Food USA - provides education and support for a future food system that is based on principles of high quality and taste, environmental sustainability, and social justice.
- Business Alliance for Local Living Economies (BALLE) – national non-profit organization that creates, strengthens and connects local business networks dedicated to building strong local living economies.
- Eating with the Seasons - Article in Organic Gardening Magazine on the importance of eating seasonally.
* harvest schedule provided by the San Diego Farm Bureau