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Meat, Dairy, and Egg Education 5 min

What makes small-batch dairy and cheese special

Small-batch dairy and artisan cheese from local producers offer something commercial operations genuinely cannot replicate — and understanding why helps you appreciate what you're buying.

Recipe

Basil pesto

A quick blender sauce that turns a large bunch of fresh basil into something you can use through the week — on pasta, toast, eggs, vegetables, and more — and freeze for later.

Cooking with Local Food 1 min

Can You Save Money Buying a Whole Chicken From a Farm?

A whole pastured chicken from a local farm costs more per bird than a store-bought one — but the comparison isn't straightforward. Here's how the value actually breaks down when you look at the whole picture.

Buying Guides 5 min

Mixed tomato varieties, whole and sliced, arranged on a wooden board.

What do tomatoes taste like? Types explained

Tomatoes can taste sweet, tangy, savory, or deeply rich depending on the type and ripeness. Knowing the basic tomato families makes it easier to buy and cook them well.

Fresh basil leaves and stems arranged beside simple kitchen prep items.

Produce-Specific SEO 2 min

What is basil and how to use it

Basil is a tender herb with a strong fresh aroma and a clear place in simple everyday cooking. A little goes a long way, but a bunch is still easy to use once you know where it fits.

Fresh cauliflower head and florets arranged for cooking.

Produce-Specific SEO 2 min

What is cauliflower and how to cook it

Cauliflower is a mild brassica that takes on seasoning well and works in everything from simple roasting to soup and mash. Its strength is flexibility.

What to do with fresh basil

Fresh basil has huge flavor but not much patience. These are the easiest ways to use a full bunch before the leaves blacken or collapse.

What to do with kale

Kale is easier to use than its reputation suggests, especially when you stop saving it for one perfect salad. These ideas help you move through a bunch or bag without waste.

What to do with spinach before it wilts

Spinach wilts quickly, which means the most useful plan is the one you can do today. These ideas help you use a bag or bunch before it turns slimy.

Local food shopping for busy people

You don't need a lot of time to buy local food regularly. With the right setup, local food shopping can be faster and less effort than a weekly grocery run.

Buying Guides 4 min

Blog

Why farmers are shifting acreage between soybeans and corn

USDA's March 31, 2026 planting-intentions report showed fewer planned corn acres and more planned soybean acres. Here is what the public data suggests, and what it may mean without pretending every grower is making the…

Food & Farm Trends 5 min

Basil

Basil is the signature summer herb — bright, aromatic, and versatile. Growing it at home is the easiest way to have a good herb on hand, but local farm basil at a farm stand beats supermarket plastic-pack herbs by a…

Holiday and Occasion 5 min

Best local foods for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is one of the best occasions of the year to lean into local food. Here is what to look for from nearby farms and producers to make your table feel genuinely special.

Produce-Specific SEO 4 min

Blueberries

Blueberries are one of the more successful summer fruits — they store well, freeze perfectly, and the local varieties have a depth of flavor supermarket berries rarely match.

Carrots

Carrots are one of the most reliable local-farm vegetables year-round — harvested in fall and stored through winter. A fresh-pulled carrot from a farm stand tastes nothing like a supermarket bag carrot.

How to cook with squash, apples, sweet potatoes, and greens

Squash, apples, sweet potatoes, and fall greens are the backbone of autumn cooking — but knowing how to handle each one makes the difference between a good meal and a forgettable one.

Seasonal 7 min

Local Food Guide for Thanksgiving — Turkey, Sides, and Pies

Thanksgiving is one of the most food-focused holidays of the year. Here's how to source a local heritage turkey, find the best fall produce for your sides, and make a better pie from local ingredients.

Holiday & Seasonal 6 min

Local Honey vs Imported Honey — Taste, Purity, and What to Look For

Honey labeling is often misleading, and not all imported honey is what it claims to be. Here's what the research shows about local vs imported honey, and how to find authentic local honey near you.

Buying Guides 6 min

Produce-Specific SEO 4 min

Peaches

Peaches are the most short-windowed fruit of the year — and the one where ripeness matters most. A local peach at peak ripeness is the taste of summer in a way no other fruit quite is.

Spring herbs to start cooking with right now

Fresh herbs are one of the best purchases you can make in spring — and local farms often offer them earlier and in better condition than grocery stores. Here is what to look for and how to use it all.

Seasonal — Spring 5 min

Strawberries

Strawberries are the first real fruit of summer — and the produce where the gap between local and shipped is widest. A ripe local strawberry tastes of strawberry. A shipped one tastes of pink water.

Summer produce guide: the best fruits and vegetables in season

Summer is the most abundant time of year for local produce. Here is a practical guide to what is in season, what to prioritize, and how to make the most of it.

Seasonal — Summer 5 min

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are a fall and winter staple with genuine variety differences that most cooks never discover. From the familiar Beauregard orange-fleshed type to Japanese purple varieties, the range in flavor and texture…

What to buy from local farms in winter

Winter is quieter on the farm, but local buying doesn't have to stop. Here's what's genuinely available from small producers during the cold months and how to make the most of it.

Seasonal — Winter 4 min

Fall produce guide: what is in season right now

Fall is one of the richest seasons for local produce. Here is a practical guide to what is in season, how to use it, and how to make the most of the harvest window.

Seasonal — Fall 5 min

Producer Operations and Growth 4 min

How producers can tell their story without sounding salesy

Your farm story is one of your strongest assets. But the way you tell it makes all the difference between a buyer who connects with you and one who clicks away.