HARRISBURG — August is Pennsylvania Produce Month. For the 10th year, the Pennsylvania Vegetable Marketing and Research Program, along with vegetable growers across the Commonwealth, will celebrate fresh, local Pennsylvania vegetables at their best during August.
Most areas of the state have plenty of moisture this season, so the crops are producing abundantly.
For anyone interested in eating local foods, August is the perfect time of year. Pennsylvania’s 3,950 vegetable growers plant 49,400 acres of vegetables that produce more than 280,000 tons of vegetables for fresh and processing use. August is the peak season for many Pennsylvania vegetable crops, and all but the early spring and late fall vegetable crops are available this month. There’s sweet corn, potatoes, snap beans, tomatoes, peppers, cabbage, cantaloupes, watermelon, zucchini and other squash, lima beans, lettuce, beets, carrots, onions, fresh herbs and more.
Roadside farm markets are a favorite place to pick up fresh, locally grown vegetables — or even pick-your-own vegetables. Shopping at a community farmer’s market is also an enjoyable way to buy fresh, local “PA Preferred” vegetables from a variety of local growers.
To find a farmers’ market nearby, go www.paveggies.org and click on “Find PA Veggies.” Consumers can also call the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture at 717-783-9948 to request a copy of “A Consumer’s Guide to Pennsylvania Farm Markets.” The market list is also available online at www.agriculture.state.pa.us under “Online Services” or at www.pameals.com/MealsPublic/FarmMarkets/MarketSearch.aspx?PC=Markets. Four other valuable resources are the “PA Preferred” website at www.papreferred.com; Penn State University’s AgMap at http://agmap.psu.edu; the Pennsylvania Buy Fresh, Buy Local website at www.buylocalpa.org; and the Pennsylvania MarketMaker website at www.pamarketmaker.com.
Residents can often purchase Pennsylvania produce in supermarkets right along with other groceries. It will often be identified with the “PA Preferred” logo.
Among the largest crops in Pennsylvania are sweet corn, potatoes, snap beans, pumpkins, tomatoes, peppers, cantaloupes, cabbage, squash and watermelon.
Pennsylvania vegetables are not transported thousands of miles across the country in refrigerated trucks, which use a tremendous amount of fossil fuels. They’re grown by nearby family farmers who may be just down the road.
High quality, farm fresh produce is worth a premium price in terms of its superior taste and nutrition. Local growers need to change reasonable prices to cover their increasing costs of fuel, fertilizer, labor and other supplies, but consumers can often find real bargains on local produce in August when the season is at its peak.
Vegetables are also good for you. The latest nutrition advice is that half of a diner’s plate should be vegetables and fruits. Health experts recommend that the average American should:
• Eat two to two and a half cups of vegetables per day.
• Choose a variety of vegetables each day to get a good mix of vitamins and minerals.
• Strive to eat the following amounts from each of the five groups of vegetables each week: three cups of dark green vegetables, two cups of orange vegetables, three cups of legumes, three to six cups of starchy vegetables and six to seven cups of other vegetables such as asparagus, beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, green beans, peppers, lettuce, onions and tomatoes.
