By Maddy Johnson & Jessi Bustamante

Have you ever wondered why peaches, strawberries or green beans are so much better in the summer?

It’s because they’re in season! There are a multitude of benefits to eating seasonally: eating produce that is in season is fresher, it tastes better and is even more nutritious! It also allows for a varied diet in accord with the Earth’s changing seasons.

Eating in season is very much tied to buying locally. Although buying locally grown produce reduces one’s carbon footprint and supports one’s community, this practice has historically been inaccessible. Local produce tends to be more expensive, as smaller-scale, local farmers may not share the same advantages of government subsidies to mitigate their costs. Additionally, studies have shown that farmers’ markets and community gardens tend to be located in wealthier and gentrifying areas, often excluding people of color and the poor.

Food to Power, alongside the Southeast Colorado Springs community, is fighting back.  The recent opening of the Hillside Hub is testament to this.  Through our own community-cultivated farm, we are able to add seasonal and healthy produce options to our no-cost grocery program. We are also exploring other ways to share this produce with Southeast Colorado Springs, a community which has historically and continues to experience food apartheid. More to come as harvesting continues!

We are not the only ones pushing back. The Colorado Farm and Art Market chose to host their spring markets at the Hillside Community Center and continually ensure that their market accepts SNAP benefits. They also match the first $20 spent in Double Up Food Bucks to stretch every dollar further. Other community partners such as Solid Rock CDC are also working to change the story by bringing a monthly Free Farmers Market to Southeast Colorado Springs at the Mission Trace Shopping Center. Stop by these markets for fresh, seasonal produce that is also affordable!

Fruits and veggies that will be in-season this July (and some recipes we enjoy):

A graphic depicting vegetables and fruits that are in season during July

  • Apricots

  • Arugula 

  • Beets 

  • Broccoli 

  • Cabbage 

  • Cauliflower

  • Cantaloupe 

  • Celery 

  • Chard

  • Cherries 

  • Chinese Cabbage 

  • Collards

  • Cucumbers 

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