What’s In Season

Eaters must understand that eating takes place inescapably in the world, that it is inescapably an agricultural act, and that how we eat determines, to a considerable extent, how the world is used.

~Wendell Berry, 1989

I try to eat in a way that reflects how I’d like the world to be used, but sometimes I end up with a bag of Doritos in my grocery cart anyway.  For the most part, I’d rather make something myself than buy it in a box, a bag, a can, or a tube.   And although there are certain things I’m not prepared to give up (lemons, olive oil, and parmesan spring readily to mind), I think eating locally is one of the most beneficial things we can do for our planet and for our communities.

So I thought I’d keep a running list of what’s in season here in Northern Michigan, since this plays a major role in what I’m cooking.

From My Garden

cilantro | mint | parsley | rosemary | sage | thyme

Available Elsewhere

rhubarb | strawberries

arugula | asparagus | garlic scapes | herbs | radishes | salad greens | spinach

In the Wild

mint | ramps | watercress

Always Available

beef (which we don’t eat) | beer and wine | bison (also no) | bread | cheese | chickens | eggs | fish | honey | milk and cream | preserves | pork | sugar* | turkey

*Yikes!  We recently discovered that our Michigan beet sugar comes from Monsanto’s RoundUp Ready Beets, so although it’s available, we wouldn’t touch it with a ten foot pole. Really, there’s not a long enough pole with which we could be convinced to touch it.