A Quick Guide to What’s in Season in Texas
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What’s in season in Texas? Seasonal produce is more sustainable. Continue reading to know more.
Biting into a large, sweet, and juicy strawberry or munching on a handful of blueberries freshly picked from a local U-pick has become one of my favorite spring rituals in Texas. During summer, nothing beats eating a ripe and juicy peach from a local fruit stand or farmers market! Pumpkin patches, apples, and wine occupy my autumn cravings while hearty stews and citrus fruits fight off colds and keep the nights from feeling too cold during winter.
While all of the above is available from the local supermarket year-round, nothing still beats the taste and nutrition that one gets from homegrown fruits and vegetables at their peak! Seasonal eating is just that: making meals from the freshest seasonal fruits and vegetables available!
Does that sound like the farm-to-table craze that’s sweeping Texas and the nation? Well, in a sense, yes, it is a trend, but it’s not a new one. This is the way our grandfathers used to eat before the food system changed forever (and not for the better) by large-scale agricultural operations.
Today we’re going to talk about what’s in Season in Texas, where most of the Texas produce comes from, how eating seasonally could benefit your health, the environment, and the economy!
Texas-Sized Growing Seasons and Locations
Nothing can beat Texas when it comes to farms and ranches. In fact, we lead the nation when it comes to the number of family farms and ranches. Spread across over 130 million acres of planted land, Texas boasts a wide variety of opportunities for growing and it is shown by the amazing variety of local fruits and veggies that we can get year-round!
Here’s more information about the different growing regions in Texas according to the Texas Department of Agriculture.
High Plains - Located in the northern and western part of Texas which includes the Panhandle area, this region is known for sorghum (how long does sorghum last?) crops and winter wheat. Here’s a fun fact: This area of Texas holds more cows than people! So if you’re enjoying a nice grass-fed steak, then chances are that it comes from one of the many ranches in the area.
North Texas - Known for its mild winters and hot summers, you can expect okra, tomatoes, zucchini, onions, beans, cucumbers, eggplants, melons, and sweet potatoes from North Texas during the warmer months. Because of the mild winters, family farms in this area can have two warm season harvests! A summer harvest from crops planted in early spring, and a fall harvest from crops planted mid or late summer. For the cooler winter, you can expect Kale, lettuce, snap peas, spinach, cabbage, herbs, and other leafy greens!
East Texas - With a humid and subtropical climate, East Texas is one area that has a great climate for home gardening! Fruit trees grow well in East Texas since the ground here doesn’t freeze! If you see figs, apples, apricots, pears, plums, nectarines, and peaches, then there’s a big chance that they’re from this region of Texas.
Central Texas - Known for the hilly grasslands, large rock formations, many native Texan plants. The scorching sun and lack of rainfall limit the produce available in this region. That’s not to say that there isn’t a good selection of fruits and vegetables in Central Texas! We have Brazos blackberries, Methley plums, Orient pears, and Brown Turkey figs are just some examples of hardy fruits that make their home in the Central Texas region.
Coastal Bend - This area includes the counties that run along the Gulf of Mexico. Although the region is well known for its gulf seafood, it’s also home to many wildlife species as well as to many small family farms because of its relatively mild climate. Spring seasonal produce includes squash, corn, tomatoes, and watermelons from the Coastal Bend area while your best bet for winter seasonal produce would be radishes, kale, broccoli, carrots, and cabbage.
Rio Grande Valley - This is a floodplain that was once part of the Rio Grande River, this area pretty much contains all of the citrus production in Texas because of the ultra-rich soil, warm weather, and chill hours that are conducive for citrus production.
Winter Garden - Located at the Southwestern corner of Texas located north of Laredo and southwest of San Antonio, the Winter Garden is noted for its year-round production of vegetables! So if you’re wondering how we can get fresh local vegetables and produce in the middle of winter then chances are that they came from this region! In fact, the Winter Garden is still among the leading producers of winter-season vegetables in the United States!
Trans-Pecos - Located in West Texas, known for its wide open spaces, plateaus, desert, and mountains. While West Texas tends to focus more on oil production, cantaloupes (how long does cantaloupe last?) from this area have been noted to be some of the best in the world, if not THE best! In fact, the Pecos Cantaloupe has been making a resurgence and is being sought after around the country for its sweet flesh!
The Benefits of Eating Seasonal Produce in Texas
Knowing what’s in season in Texas goes a long way in planning your meals! Not only that, fruits and vegetables picked at the perfect time has more vitamins, minerals, and not to mention taste than their counterparts that have been factory produced and harvested early to survive shipping then forced to ripen off of the vine or tree!
Another benefit to eating seasonal produce is that it means that you will be eating locally. This benefits not only the local farmers that grow your food but the local community as well! Seasonal eating also benefits the environment because you’re cutting out middlemen and other transportation costs! Your fruits and vegetables don’t have to be flown across the country or the world to get to your tables!
And of course, just like what I said before, there’s nothing like biting down on a big, ripe, juicy, and super sweet Texas strawberry that’s been picked right off the bush!
Do you want to know what’s in season in Texas? Visit a farmers market today or check out our TexasRealFood Promptuary here.
Want to know which farmers markets are open today to shop for seasonal produce in Texas? Check out our updated farmers market update area here for the latest in farmers market schedules, dates, events, and more!
What seasonal fruit or vegetable is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
