Your Guide to July Produce in New England
One of the most subtle but fascinating cultural phenomenons Mad Men documented was the modernization and democratization of the grocery shopping process. In “Red in the Face” (Season 1, Episode 7), Don asks Betty what she keeps in the freezer, not understanding how she doesn’t have enough food to feed a surprise dinner guest.
Frozen and canned foods were on the rise, convenience and perishability outweighing the benefits of buying foods fresh and in season. People were beginning to (literally) buy into the idea that expiration dates and seasons for food were a thing of the past.
Having a year-round harvest for all fruits and vegetables seems like a good idea. But while the differences between frozen and fresh produce are small, when and where something is grown can have a big impact on taste, cost, nutrient levels, and the environment.
The Benefits of Following Food Seasons
Food seasonality can feel like an old-fashioned ideal to live by. But before you write it off as some performative hipster trend, there are actually some benefits to buying foods during peak harvest time.
For starters, once produce is harvested, fruits and vegetables begin losing nutritional value. If fresh foods are stored for long periods of time, like the time it takes to ship out-of-season fruits and vegetables to your grocery store, produce begins getting more expensive and less rich in Vitamin C and other antioxidants. Chilling fruits and vegetables for transportation or storage will also mute their flavors.
Transportation isn’t the only part of the process that has a negative impact on the environment, either. When foods are grown out of season, growers have to use ripening agents – chemicals, gasses, and heat processes – to get fruits and vegetables to override their natural rhythms. These mass-produced fruits and vegetables can also be genetically engineered to look uniform, with taste and nutritional value being sacrificed for the aesthetic.
Fruits in Season in July in New England
In New England, the weather dictates the growing season. The length of time you have between planting and harvesting can swing plus or minus almost 100 days – something that has a big impact on how, when, and even if some produce is available.
Strawberries, for instance, are typically late spring and late summer fruit. However, most produce stands and farmer’s markets advertised strawberries finally hitting their shelves the first week of July.
Other locally grown fruits that should hit stands this month include:
Apples
Melons
Blueberries
Raspberries
Cherries
Plums
Blackberries
Depending on how growing seasons have been going, peaches may also start to appear but don’t expect these to reach peak ripeness until mid-late July at the earliest.
Vegetables in Season in New England in July
July is also when vegetables really start to make a showing. New Englanders will find fresh, locally grown:
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Onions
Summer squash
Zucchini
Tomatoes
Peppers
Peas
Garlic
Green beans, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, spinach, and sprouts are also being harvested this month.
While I normally think of heavy, warm, comfort foods when I think of eggplant, I personally want to start using this vegetable more in my cooking. Eggplant, Tomato, and Pesto, for instance, stack nicely in a fun, taste-filled alternative to Caprese salad.
Or, it can be cubed and used in a Mediterranean Eggplant and Barley Salad along with zucchini, tomatoes, and scallions, which should also be reaching peak harvest this month.
Happy cooking!
