Green Tip

If you decide not to plant a vegetable garden this year or have friends whose gardens are overflowing and want to give you bushels of tomatoes, you might want to consider shopping at locally grown food stands. It’s that time of year again when eating foods that are good for us help our local economy, promote energy conservation and preserve the environment.It’s time to visit the local farmers’ markets. Most produce is picked several days or more before it even arrives on the grocer’s shelves and travels quite a distance (sometimes from different countries) by air and truck before you even see it. Local farmers’ markets display food usually picked that morning or the day before. How fresh and nutritious can your food be! Visit these websites for market locations and hours of operation: www.northunionfarmersmarket.org, www.westsidemarket.org, www.northernohiotourism.org/farmers_markets.htm. Check out growhio.org for a what’s-in-season chart of fruits and vegetables. Not only will you have fresher, healthier food, but you might introduce yourself and your family to some really wonderful fruits and vegetables.