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Winter Vegetables and Fruit: What’s in Season

Winter Vegetables and Fruit: What’s in Season

Winter Vegetables and Fruit

What’s in season at the farmers’ markets in the winter? If you are lucky enough to live where markets are open during the coldest months as I do, look for hardy greens, root crops, and vegetables that store well. You may also find greenhouse crops. See below for more on winter vegetables, with recipes to make the most of them. Note: winter for runs from December through February in central North Carolina.

I wish I could get organic winter fruit here, but I splurge on oranges, lemons, and limes from nearby Florida as well as organic apples and pears from the west coast. We also eat more dried fruit in the winter.

What’s in Season: Early Winter Vegetables

farmers' market vegetables December: lettuce, sweet potatoes, turnips, beets, tatsoi

At the farmers’ market in early winter, look for tender and colorful lettuce and Asian greens such as mizuna and tatsoi. I slice young white salad turnips into my salad, raw or pickled, and then cook the greens as I would kale. Beets are another two-for-one vegetable: enjoy the roots and the leaves. Get loads of vitamin A from sweet potatoes and winter squash.

What’s in Season: Mid Winter Vegetables

January vegetables from farmers' market: carrots, radishes, turnips, sweet potatoes, bok choi, kale, parley

January brings fresh carrots to the farmers’ market, cause for celebration. (Learn about choosing the best carrots here.) Lettuce and other greenhouse crops are strong. Young radishes add color and zing to our frequent winter salads. Collards and other hardy greens are at their sweetest. Enjoy Asian vegetables like bok choy raw, fermented, or in stir-fries.

What’s in Season: Late Winter Vegetables

 

farmers' market vegetables February: carrots, collards, kale, mizuna

Fresh carrots continue to be the bright spot at the market. You may be going crazy from eating so many greens, including collards, kale, and mustard greens, but spring is around the corner. Soon you’ll find early salad greens such as spinach, arugula, and pea shoots.

Winter Recipes