In Lincolnshire there is locally grown produce available to pretty much all year round - take a look at the Taste Lincolnshire guide to eating seasonally in June and July.
Sometimes it can be easy to forget that ‘year round’ availability is a modern-day luxury, and not something a few generations before us would have been aware of. We are used to seeing strawberries on the shelves 12 months a year, and asparagus readily available in the winter months.
The international food chain and logistics of today are mind-blowing and the convenience and quality they provide us with are fantastic – we’ve never had more choice and the world has never been smaller and more accessible. However – there are a number of reasons why eating seasonally is a great choice; and why with a little bit of thought it is easy to slot buying seasonally into your routine.
WHY EAT SEASONALLY?
Low Food Miles. Buying locally helps to reduce the carbon footprint of food items, and the energy it takes to grow and vitally transport the food we eat. It’s good for the planet!
Support the local economy. Local food and drink producers, and those businesses that sell and serve local produce are some of the lifeblood of local economies, often living in the area, employing local people and using the services of other local suppliers. If you are lucky enough to have a primary producer near you – ‘farm gate’ prices and local farm shops etc are often cheaper than globally sourced items too.
Feel connected. Appreciate your food, and feel connected to the process its taken to end up on your plate. Savour the anticipation of waiting for the first crop of Boston New Potatoes, or Pick Your Own Strawberries. This can often lead to less food waste too.
Get Fresh! Many seasonally available items are time sensitive – they need to be picked, produced, or processed straight away. The speedy, uncomplicated food chain often means that food arrives with you fresher, and therefore tastier and often retaining more nutrients too.
Look for the Taste Lincolnshire logo to help identify great locally sourced food and drink from Lincolnshire.
WHAT TO EAT IN THE SUMMER
Vegetables: artichoke, asparagus, aubergine, beetroot, broad beans, broccoli, carrots, chillies, courgettes, fennel, french beans, garlic, new potatoes, kohlrabi, lettuce & salad leaves, mangetout, new potatoes, onions, pak choi, peas, radishes, rocket, runner beans, spinach, spring onions, tomatoes, turnips, watercress,
Fruit: cherries, gooseberries, greengages, strawberries, rhubarb
Herbs: basil, chervil, chives, coriander, dill, oregano, mint, nasturtium, parsley (curly), parsley, rosemary, sage, sorrel, tarragon, thyme
Meat: lamb, rabbit, wood pigeon
Try foraging elderflowers and samphire too.
