How To Get More Fresh Vegetables

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Summertime is almost upon us and you all know what that means.

There will soon be an abundance of fresh and delicious produce!

Whether you are trying out different local farmers markets or growing your own produce this year, it is time to get ready.

Farmers Market

Shopping around for a local farmers market is much easier than most people think.

Simply asking friends and family will usually turn up a list of farmers markets in the area.

Local news stations will often promote them on the air or in print so keep an eye and an ear out.

Searching Facebook Events may help you find some as well as inquiring at local fair grounds or large community establishments.

Purchasing food from a local farmers market supports local businesses and gives you and your family fresh produce that was grown nearby.

Fresh vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals that our bodies need every day to be healthy.

If you are strictly looking for organic produce make sure to read labels or ask the farmer.

The best produce is purchased first so be sure to get there early!

Bonus Tip: Don’t forget to keep an eye out for specialty items that local farmers produce (sometimes in the off-season).

I have found interesting types of jerky and fresh local honey that farmers produced and packaged to sell.

Plan plenty of time to browse and see everything that your amazing local farmers have to offer!

Getting Your Garden Ready

Are you someone who loves to plant and tend to a vegetable garden?

I LOVE to grow vegetables to feed my family!

We worked very hard last summer to re-landscape our backyard and built five huge raised grow boxes for our vegetable garden this year.

I have been so excited to plant my vegetable garden this spring!

Don’t worry at all if you don’t have a big yard or raised garden boxes; there are SO many ways to grow vegetables in small spaces.

If you have a small yard, patio, or sunny windowsill then you have somewhere to grow vegetables.

Before we built our garden boxes I had to create places to plant my vegetables.

We built tiny garden boxes wherever we could, we filled in an old sandbox with garden soil, and I even planted sugar snap peas in my front flower beds.

They grew amazingly well and looked so pretty among my flowers!

There are so many products that can help you grow fresh produce in small spaces so don’t limit yourself!

Now that I finally have my large grow boxes, I have re-purposed my older smaller containers to be a flower box, an berry patch, and an herb garden.

It is SO fun to expand your garden and increase your sustainability!

One of the best feelings in the world is serving your family a meal made from produce that you planted, cared for, and harvested yourself.

If you are looking for a way to feel like a million bucks, this might very well be it (Ü) so make sure to look over your situation and decide what you can do to prepare for the upcoming growing season.

What Should I Do With The Vegetables?

Once a vegetable garden has been planted and carefully taken care of, it comes as a surprise to many people how quickly the vegetables grow and how many vegetables each plant produces.

If properly planted and cared for, one small zucchini plant can grow to produce many pounds of zucchini.

Note: Be patient with your learning process as a gardener; there is a lot to learn about how much space, water, fertilizer, and sunlight a plant needs to produce its very best results. 

As your vegetable plants mature and begin to fill your kitchen with healthy and delicious fresh organic produce, don’t let yourself get overwhelmed.

Keep up with your produce and either eat it, store it, or share it as it comes into your kitchen.

There are countless recipes on Pinterest with ideas to use your fresh produce.

My very favorite way to eat fresh produce is…….. As SIMPLY as possible.

The less you do to the produce and the less you add the better it will taste.

For example, we love to roast zucchini and yellow squash and serve it with spaghetti and meatballs.

Spray a pan and line the bottom with 1/4 inch slices of squash.

Brush olive oil lightly on top of each slice and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasonings.

Roast at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or until tender-crisp.

Serve as a side for your favorite Italian main course.

Simple Summer Squash

Delicious Italian dishes deserve delicious sides!

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 25 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings 6

Ingredients

  

• 1 Medium Zucchini Squash
• 1 Medium Yellow Squash
• 3 Tablespoons Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1/2 cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 1 Tablespoon Italian Seasonings

Instructions

 

• Spray a pan and line the bottom with 1/4 inch slices of squash.
  
• Brush olive oil lightly on top of each slice and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and Italian seasonings.
  
• Roast at 400 degrees for about 25 minutes or until tender-crisp.
  
• Serve as a side for your favorite Italian main course.
  

Bonus Tip: We also love to chop up any squash we have left and add them to the leftover meatballs for easy Meatball Subs the next day.

I love doubling recipes for a different dinner the next day (no extra work or dishes)!

Use your freshly picked produce as quickly as possible, can them for long term storage (follow canner guidelines for each vegetable), or store them in the refrigerator for use in a few days.

You can also dice, cube, shred, or puree vegetables and freeze them for later use.

Don’t forget to share the vegetable wealth with your family, friends, and neighbors!

A basket of fresh produce in summertime makes a wonderful gift.

You can also check with your local food bank to see if they accept fresh produce for those in need.

There are SO many blessings that come from planting and harvesting your own vegetable garden!

What are YOUR favorite vegetables to grow for your family?

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