Viva Vitality: Get your produce here
By PAT MACINTOSH on June 3, 2022.
I am so excited that gardening season is back! Gardening has so many benefits for physical and mental health. It is a great form of exercise that keeps our bodies strong, helps reduce stress and anxiety, and may improve sleep and mood. But what I love most is being able to enjoy the fresh tasty produce. Can’t or don’t want to grow your own? There are several ways you can still enjoy the benefits and flavours of fresh fruit and vegetables. Community Supported Agriculture – CSA is a way for consumers to connect with local growers. Members purchase a share of the farmer’s locally grown seasonal produce. In return, they get a weekly share of various fresh fruit and vegetables from about July through September. Two CSA growers are listed in our Local Food and Producers Directory found at foodconnections.ca. Good Food Clubs – The Good Food Club is a group-buying club for produce in Medicine Hat and area. Produce is purchased from wholesalers and local growers, so members get lower-cost fresh fruit and vegetables once a month. You don’t have to buy a produce box every month and there are various pick-up depots in Medicine Hat and Redcliff. For more information see: http://foodconnections.ca/club or call 403-502-6096. Greenhouses – Many greenhouses in southern Alberta sell directly to customers. Options vary but can include peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplants, lettuce and herbs. Payment is made via cash boxes on an honour system; some also have Interac payment as well. Check out the greenhouses near you in the directory bit.ly/MHfood2020. If you can’t make it out to the greenhouses, Rubens Veggies now has several veggie huts in Medicine Hat and Lethbridge. U-Picks – Many local growers let you pick your own produce. Not only does it cost a little less if you do the picking, but it can also be a fun family activity. Most often you can pick fruit such as Saskatoons, black currants, sour cherries, raspberries, strawberries, and rhubarb. However, some producers grow vegetables such as beans, carrots, cucumbers, onions, peppers, tomatoes, or zucchini. To find a u-pick near you check your local papers and websites such as bit.ly/MHfood2020; http://www.albertafarmfresh.com; or https://www.pickyourown.org/CNALsoutheast.htm. Farmer’s Markets and Market Garden Stalls – Now Open! Farmer’s markets offer products that are home-made, baked or grown. The Medicine Hat Farmer’s Market at the Cypress Centre Fieldhouse runs every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. until Oct. 1, or every Wednesday 4-8 p.m. at the Carriage House and Park. For more info call 403-527-1234. The Brooks Farmer’s Market is held at Veteran’s Park every Thursday afternoon from 2-6 p.m. until Oct. 6. The Alberta Farm Fresh Producers Association represents growers across the province. Their members produce vegetable, berry and fruit crops as well as other specialty farm items. The association’s mandate is to bring fresh, healthy, local food and farm experiences to Alberta communities by connecting local farms and local people. Visit their website for a list of farms in your area: albertafarmfresh.com. Note: not all growers may be listed here. If you are a grower and have more than you can use, consider sharing with others at the food banks, meal programs, and churches. There is also a sharing site called http://www.ripenear.me. For example, if you have a bumper crop of crabapples this year, you can enter your location and details about how you can share your bounty with others and help reduce food waste. However your garden grows, I hope you enjoy the fresh fruit and vegetables that our sunny south grows this summer! Pat MacIntosh is a Registered Dietitian with Alberta Health Services, Nutrition Services. She can be reached by e-mail, pat.macintosh@ahs.ca. 14-13
