Fresh fruit!

Summer is a great time for buying and picking your own fruit. You may be lucky enough to have your own garden, in which case you probably already know what's in season. But if (like most people) you're don't have one, you can find a local farm or produce stand that is selling the freshest fruit.

It's important to cook and consume produce that is in-season. The more local your food is, the more fresh it's going to be. The more fresh your food is, the more flavor and nutrients it will have. If you buy in-season fruit from a local seller, you know you're getting the best ingredients possible. Whereas if you're consuming blueberries in the middle of winter they are probably coming from far away and therefor have a lot of preservatives on them. It's healthier, less expensive, and more environmentally friendly to buy local. Plus it also helps support local farmers!

Strawberries are at their peak right now, so go out and pick some!

Here's a schedule of what's best when:

Crop	Start Date	End Date
Strawberries	Late May	Late June
Rhubarb	Early June	Late July
Summer & Fall Strawberries	Late July	Mid October
Raspberries	Mid June	Early July
Fall Raspberries	Mid August	Late September
Blueberries	Late June	Early August
Peaches	Early July	Mid September
Apricots	Early July	Late July
Plums	Early July	Mid August
Blackberries	Early July	Early August
Summer Apples	Mid August	Early September
Fall Apples	Mid September	Late October
Grapes	Mid August	Late September
Nectarines	Mid August	Late September
Pears	Mid August	Late September
Tomatoes, Peppers & Eggplant	Late July	Late October
Pears	Mid August	Late September

(Taken from Linvilla Orchards' website.)