By Kimber Foreman

Summer brings sunshine, fruitful rains, buckets of tomatoes, and a rainbow full of fresh produce everywhere you look. When summer goes and winter comes around the corner, it can feel like all of that easy access to lovely local food tucks itself away for the season, too. 

Though avenues to eating green can be less and less evident as snow increasingly covers garden beds and farm stands close for the season, there is still a path before you. Here are my top suggestions to keep your dollars and diet local: 

• Buy bulk directly from local farmers:
  • Many farms in the area offer discounts on bulk fall/winter storage crops that will keep you well fed over time when stored properly – or even longer if you try out preservation methods like canning, freezing, or drying. 
  • Don’t shy away from veggies you aren’t used to preparing – ask your farmer for recommendations on how to use what they have in abundance, rather than opting for the more familiar grocery store option that’s from farther away. Simple swaps like opting for a farm’s celeriac in your soup over a supermarket’s celery can be easy but impactful!
• Purchase a fall/winter CSA:
  • Fall and winter CSAs can be a great option to support local farms during and following their wonderful final harvests of the year. Some farms even offer longer winter CSAs that include fresh greens with their storage crops. Classic CSAs that focus on getting veg directly to you abound, but there are also options for those that want to cook less and snuggle in more – try finding a farm near you that offers a fall soup or dinner CSA to reap the benefits of local produce even on days when peeling, chopping, and cooking aren’t in the cards. 
  • Take a look at NOFA-VT’s farm directory to find options close to you.
• Check out holiday and winter markets:
  • Farmers and gardeners will often appear at holiday markets with responsibly farmed meat, preserved produce, and even the vestiges of autumn harvests. Treat your holiday shopping as an opportunity to stock your kitchen too.
  • Keep an eye out for winter farmer’s markets – some, like the Norwich Farmer’s Market, make appearances into the shortest and coldest days of the year!
• Choose local stores over large chains:
  • Vermonters have the distinct advantage of living in proximity to wonderful locally owned grocery stores and co-ops that prioritize stocking locally produced and environmentally responsible goods. Choosing a local store not only financially supports your community, but it can help guide you towards environmentally responsible and locally sourced choices – they do much of the heavy lifting before you ever arrive!
  • When shopping in a store environment rather than a farmer’s market, take note of where your food is coming from in the grocery aisles and choose the best option for your area. There are local options for more products than you might imagine, like the Vermont Cranberry Company for your holiday sauces, flour from Red Hen or King Arthur for festive treats, or even popcorn from Hurricane Flats to make garlands – and munch on! The basic question is this: how far did your food travel to get where you are?
• Think ahead to next year:
  • Now is a great time to think about what foods you are really missing this time of year and start planning how you might be able to preserve that local produce so you aren’t stuck between going without for months or buying from far away producers. Focus on what makes sense for you and your household without overextending yourself when you first venture into preservation – it can be as easy as tucking berries away in your freezer!

Vermont is a beautiful place to be an eater, 365 days a year. As we settle into the snow, my final piece of advice for you is this – focus on what we can eat locally, not what becomes harder to source as days pass. Find joy in our local eggs, hardy greens, maple, dairy, bread, popcorn, mushrooms, and any unique gems that cross your path in your closest co-op, general store, butcher, or winter market. These short days are a beautiful season of rest, and wishing them away will not make our summer table sweeter.