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What to Buy From Local Farms in Spring

Spring is the most exciting time to shop from local farms — the season kicks off with crisp greens, fresh eggs, and a wave of early produce you won't find anywhere near as good in a grocery store.

Seasonal 6 min

Fresh carrots, whole and sliced, arranged on a cutting board.

Produce-Specific SEO 2 min

What is a carrot and how to cook it

Carrots are one of the most flexible root vegetables because they can be eaten raw, roasted, sauteed, simmered, or grated into both savory and sweet dishes.

Getting Started with Backyard Growing

Whether you have a sprawling yard or a small patio, you can start growing your own fresh food today. This beginner's guide walks you through everything you need to know.

Growing Guides 5 min

Spring Opportunities — what buyers want this season

Demand signals from local food buyers in April–June 2026. What categories will move, what pricing windows exist, and which opportunities to commit to this season.

guide 4 min

The Spring Local Buying Guide

What's actually worth buying local this spring — and what's not ready yet no matter what the sign says. A member's guide to eating well from April through early June.

guide 5 min

A Beginner's Guide to Buying From Local Farms Online

Shopping directly from local farms and growers is easier than ever — but it can feel unfamiliar at first. Here's everything you need to know to get started confidently.

Buying Guides 7 min

A beginner's guide to spring CSA and farm orders

Spring is when most CSA programs open enrollment and local farms start taking direct orders. Here is what you need to know before signing up.

Best foods to freeze, store, or preserve in fall

Fall is the best window to build a winter food supply from local farms. Some crops need nothing more than a cool shelf; others freeze or ferment beautifully with minimal effort.

Seasonal 7 min

Best spring vegetables to buy locally

Not all spring vegetables are worth seeking out from a local farm — but some are dramatically better when grown nearby and harvested fresh. Here are the ones worth prioritizing this season.

First-Time Buyer Questions About Local Food, Answered

If you've thought about buying from local farms but have hesitations or unanswered questions, this post is for you. We tackle the most common concerns head-on.

Buying Guides 7 min

Search-Friendly Comparison Posts 5 min

Grocery store produce vs farm-fresh produce

Grocery store produce and farm-fresh produce are not the same thing — and understanding the differences can help you make better decisions for your kitchen and your budget.

Health and Wellness 5 min

How seasonal eating can encourage more variety

When you shop for what is in season rather than reaching for the same items year-round, you naturally end up cooking with a wider range of vegetables, fruits, and ingredients — often without trying to.

How to build a spring meal plan around local produce

Spring produce arrives fast and changes week to week. A flexible meal plan built around what is actually available makes cooking easier and reduces waste.

How to eat seasonally in early spring

Early spring is a transition season — not winter anymore, but not yet peak growing season either. Here is how to eat well with what is actually available right now.

Family and Lifestyle 4 min

How to get kids interested in local fruits and vegetables

Getting kids excited about fresh, local produce is more about small moments than big strategies. These practical approaches actually work for real families with busy lives.

How to Meal Plan Around Seasonal Produce

Seasonal eating doesn't have to mean chaos in the kitchen. Learn how to build a flexible meal plan that works with what's fresh, local, and delicious right now.

Meal Planning 6 min

How to Store Farm-Fresh Produce to Reduce Waste

Farm-fresh produce comes with different storage needs than grocery store produce. Knowing what goes in the fridge, what stays on the counter, and how to revive wilted greens can cut your waste in half.

First-Time Buyers 5 min

How to stretch a weekly farm order further

Getting the most out of your local farm order is both a cooking skill and a planning habit. Small adjustments to how you store, prep, and use your food can significantly extend the value of every order.

Budget and Pricing 4 min

Is a CSA Worth It?

A CSA subscription can save money, introduce you to better produce, and support a local farm — but it's not the right fit for everyone. Here's an honest breakdown.

Buying Guides 5 min

Produce-Specific SEO 3 min

Lettuce

Lettuce changes a lot by type: romaine is crisp, butter lettuce is soft, leaf lettuce is tender, and iceberg is all crunch. Knowing the difference makes salads easier and waste less likely.

A colorful array of seasonal vegetables including squash, peppers, and root vegetables at a farm stand.

Produce-Specific SEO 5 min

Mixed Seasonal Vegetables

Cooking with whatever is in season locally — rather than building a recipe and then hunting for ingredients — is how home cooks ate for most of human history. It is also how you get the best-tasting food for the least…

Produce Storage & Use Guide

Local produce spoils because people store it like supermarket produce. Four storage rules cover 80% of what you'll buy. Here they are.

guide 4 min

Spring farmers market favorites you can also buy online

Many of the best things you find at a spring farmers market are also available through local farm online shops — without the early-morning trip or weather uncertainty.

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.

Spring produce guide: what is in season and how to use it

Spring brings some of the most exciting produce of the year — tender greens, early alliums, fresh herbs, and the first sweet strawberries. This guide covers what is actually in season and how to make the most of it.

The Crop Planning Template

A one-page crop plan beats a spreadsheet nobody opens. Plan for what sells, not what grows easiest. Template for your top 5 categories.

tool 4 min

Blog

This week in food and farming: April 18, 2026

As of April 18, 2026, the most useful food-and-farming updates are about mixed cost pressure, planting intentions, and specialty-crop reporting deadlines. Here is what changed and what to do with it this week.

Food & Farm Trends 5 min

Cooking with Local Food 5 min

Weekend batch cooking with farm ingredients

Spending a couple of hours cooking on the weekend can turn your local farm order into effortless meals all week. Here is how to make batch cooking work with seasonal, farm-fresh ingredients.

What fresh eggs, greens, and early harvests say about spring

Spring's first farm offerings — eggs, leafy greens, and early root crops — tell you a lot about what the season is and why it is worth paying attention to.

Health and Wellness 5 min

Why local produce can make healthy eating easier

Healthy eating is easier when the food you bring home is genuinely good. Local produce, because it tends to be fresher and more flavorful, removes some of the friction that makes eating well feel like work.

Buyer Trust and Education 5 min

Why seasonal eating makes sense

Eating seasonally isn't about following a food trend — it's a practical way to get better flavor, lower prices, and more variety over the course of a year.