Green Sharlene

The days are longer, the weather is warmer, and area farms and gardens are bursting with beautifully, fresh, ripe fruits and vegetables. Moving to the Yuba-Sutter area and seeing so many farmers every day, thinking about what they’re growing, and paying attention to what’s in season has not only made me really think about what I feed my family, it’s made me realize how very fortunate we are to live in the middle of such a rich, agriculturally diverse region.

I’m so grateful that I need look no farther than my local Yuba City Midweek Farmers Market—or my own backyard—to find the freshest, most delicious offerings of the season. I’m determined never to take for granted the fact that I can actually talk to the people who grow what I don’t plant in my garden. That is so important, and worlds away from putting under-ripe produce in my grocery cart without a second thought!

Being ideally situated near the Sacramento and Feather Rivers contributes to the richness of this area. The rivers have spread fine, fertile silt along their banks over the years whenever they flooded. That silt, which contains organic matter, continues to increase the fertility of the soil. Our farming history dates back to the 1840s and John Sutter’s Hock Farm. One of the first people to recognize the potential of the Valley, Sutter experimented with peach, fig, and pomegranate orchards, vineyards, and wheat. It’s no secret that California is the nation’s top agricultural state. In fact, the Sacramento Valley is one of the world’s most productive agricultural regions, with both specialized and diverse farms, offering everything from peaches and plums to rice, almonds and walnuts. It's no surprise that California Grown crops nourish the nation and feed much of the world too.

I was a picky eater as a child (sorry, Mom!) and sometimes think I’m making up for that now, trying new recipes and experimenting with new ingredients as often as I can. Now that my children are older and a bit more adventurous when it comes to trying new dishes, I’m experimenting with different ingredients and the foods of different cultures. I worked in a Thai restaurant while in college, which started me thinking about cooking in a new way and sparked my imagination and appetite to try new things. As a nutrition major, it didn’t take long to realize that what I was learning in the classroom was something I could apply to real life: better, fresher food makes us feel better.

One of the best things about planting my own garden has been having fresh herbs when I want them. They’re easy to grow and I can use them in everything, from a simple egg dish for a relaxed family breakfast to a roast for a formal dinner. There’s nothing quite as satisfying as creating a fresh, nutritious meal for my family with a summer harvest of ingredients I’ve grown myself.  I like to try growing anything I can think of, which at the moment consists of onions, garlic and kale. I plan to grow more types of lettuce in the future.

I'm always happy when spring arrives; it’s like a promise of renewal after a long winter. It’s also the beginning of colors—in the garden, in the produce aisle, and at the local farmers markets. Everything is lighter, brighter, and popping with new flavors this time of year.

We’re so fortunate to live in an area where we’re literally surrounded by farmland. It makes it easy to eat seasonally and plan menus based on what local farmers have to offer. I get great joy from buying direct, seasonal, locally-grown foods because it’s tasty, healthy and it’s good for our local economy.  I like the relationship with our local growers and our food. Farmers make choices on how they can grow more sustainably, and this provides us with healthier foods and a healthier planet when they grow without harmful and very expensive chemicals. People are growing more and more interested in how and where our foods are coming from, and that is a good thing for our health and knowledge of our bodies.

Seasonal fruits and vegetables, picked at the peak of freshness, offer higher nutritional content an out of season, unripe foods. While it’s true that you can often find just about anything you’re looking for at a large grocery store, regardless of the time of year, that isn’t always a good thing. There’s a reason out-of-season produce looks and tastes so bland. It’s been picked early and shipped very long distances. 

Did you know that eating seasonally also helps to support our bodies’ natural cleansing and healing abilities? Leafy greens and vegetables like dandelion greens, spring onions, and spring garlic are great healing foods which detoxify the liver and cleanse the blood. By making conscious healthy eating habits, I have personally improved on my own health and well being, weaned myself off of BP medication (while consulting with my doctor), and I feel so good.

I look forward to all changes of the seasons and the flavors of each season’s harvest. After enjoying a winter of hearty slow-cooked soups and stews full of the earth tones of root vegetables, it is now time to spring into an explosion of color and crunch with sweet and fragrant ingredients. Some favorites are asparagus, spring onions and garlic, peas, lemons and cherries. Just like the weather, everything gets lighter and brighter. We all love quick and easy dishes, and with a few things from the garden and a bottle of your favorite olive oil you can toss together your favorite vegetables and herbs with pasta, local rice or beans for a perfect, healthy weeknight dinner.  Toast some fresh bread, and try a spread of mashed peas with butter, lemon and fresh herbs.

I was lucky to be brought up to think about the importance of eating fresh, local and in-season. My mother planted those seeds in me. She always cooked and we didn’t eat out, we ate at the dinner table. Dining out wasn’t in our family budget, and Mom didn’t believe that fast food was good for us. (she’s a smart cookie) Though I didn’t think it was cool at the time, I am so grateful now, that she fed and taught us well. I’m striving to teach my own children how important it is, to make good food choices, and make time together growing, preparing and enjoying real food. After all, the gift of health and enjoying each other are some of the greatest things we can give our children, and spring is the perfect time to begin the lesson.

The importance of eating with the seasons really can’t be overstated. Flavor and freshness are paramount, and living in California allows us to keep things close to home, whether it’s your favorite farmers market or your own backyard. In fact, roaming the aisles at the farmers market, or even scouting the produce section at your local grocery store can inspire you to get creative when you try things you’ve never cooked with before. For instance, I have no idea what I’d do with the stinging nettle I saw recently at the Yuba City Midweek Farmers Market, grown by farmer friend Lacie, of Robertson Family Farm. I’m going to search for recipes, experiment and find out. After all, I am Green Sharlene, as in always green with learning and getting out of my comfort zone to try something new. Why not challenge yourself to try one new ingredient every week and see what you come up with?

Tastefully,

Green Sharlene