Seasonal Eating in July!

Photo by Kintaiyo via Wikimedia Commons

One of the easiest (not to mention healthiest and most economical!) ways to feel close to the earth and deity is to make a conscious effort to eat in season.

Peruse the local farm markets to find the most ripe, full of flavor fruits and veggies.  When you buy from local farms, you are not only supporting your community and avoiding the pollution associated with trucking fruit all over the country, you can ask the farmer directly exactly what s/he is putting on the plants offered.  Many small farmers these days are practicing sustainable, natural ways of planting, but haven't earned their organic certification yet.  Check out Local Harvest to find local farms offering a variety of seasonal foods, honey and eggs.  Check out Pick Your Own to see what local farms have in season for you to gather for yourself!

Find a local fishmonger that can supply you with fresh, healthy fish and seafood.  Buying fish at a shop that sells seafood exclusively will generally not only get you a better, fresher quality of fish, but will also get you a knowledgeable salesperson who can tell you what's at peak season, what the best sustainable choices are, and give you ideas for cooking.  Meanwhile, get your free, printable pocket guide to the best, most sustainable choices for your area here!   Find out what fish are most at risk or get an app for your iPhone as well.

At Eat Wild you can search for local farms that offer grass-fed meat and dairy products in both the US and Canada.  Those listed at Eat Wild certify that their animals and land are treated well and that their products are free of antibiotics and/or added hormones.  Products you can find through Eat Wild include meats, poultry, eggs, milk, cheese, produce, nuts, berries - even wild-caught salmon.

Though foods in season vary from area to area, here is a list of foods that are typically in season in the US in late July:

Veggies:  Beets, broccoli, cabbage, corn, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, lettuce, lima beans, okra, onions, potatoes, summer squash, tomatoes (yeah, it's really a fruit, lol!), zucchini

Fruits: Apples, apricots, blackberries, blueberries, cantaloupe, cherries, kiwi, nectarines, peaches, plums, raspberries, strawberries, watermelon

For a list of foods in season in your particular area, check out Sustainable Table.

And don't forget to add a bit of magic to your food before you eat!  

• Light a candle to honor your kitchen/cooking deity while you prepare your food.  Consider having an offering bowl to share a bit of your meal.
• Offer a word or two of thanks for the ability to have such fresh, nutritious foods available and to be able to afford it.  If you're partaking of meat, poultry or fish, honor the animal that it came from.
• While preparing your meal, concentrate on what attributes you'd like to add to it  and concentrate on your intentions - whether you'd like to increase the prosperity of your household or you'd just like to get through the meal with the kids not fighting, lol!
• Have a natural teaching moment with the kids: look up the origins of one of the foods you'll be eating and check out deities that come from that country.  Explore what types of religions the country has or what type of divination practices are traditional there.

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