Post | 17 Local Fresh Produce in November
Much like thinking you cannot plant in November, many people think there is no fresh local produce here in Washington past October. Again, nay nay.
Many winter squashes ripen between October and December. Along with squashes, there are many root vegetables that ripen during those times.
Root veggies: turnips, rutabagas, potatoes, sweet potatoes, radishes, beets, parsnips, carrots, celeriac
Squash: butternut, pumpkin, acorn, spaghetti squash, red kuri, kabocha, patty pan, delicatta
Greens: kale, Swiss chard, Brussels sprouts, endive
Beets come in many varieties including: Red Ace, Early Wonder Tall Top, Detroit Dark Red, Lutz Greenleaf/Winterkeeper. And are excellent for growing in Washington state to be harvested throughout the winter. As a root veg, they also store nicely for use in months when fresh produce is hard to come by around here.
Beets could help improve brain and liver functions. They’re an excellent source of fiber, vitamin C, magnesium, folate, potassium, and manganese.And DON’T FORGET THE GREENS! Beet greens, like Swiss chard, and other red dark leafy greens are excellent detoxifiers and provide 10 times the antioxidants (or cancer fighters) as many other varieties of greens.
Due to betalains (one of the antioxidants that produces the bright colors) is particularly beneficial for people with high blood pressure.
One of my favorite ways to enjoy beets is to roast them along with a variety of other root veg. You can also purchase or make pickled beets to extend their shelf life until harvest next year.
Pumpkins also grow well around western WA. All pumpkin varieties are technically edible, but some are better than others including: Red Kuri Pumpkin, Cinderella Pumpkin, and of course, the Sugar Pie pumpkin.
Fun fact, pumpkins are actually a fruit!
They are high in nutrients with 59% of the recommended amount of vitamin A and 26% of vitamin C in one cup. They are also high in five B vitamins: B1, B3, B6, pantothenic acid, and folate.And DON’T FORGET THE SEEDS. Like a lot of other produce, we need to eat all of the other parts of the fruit as well. Pumpkin seeds are the most nutritious part of the plant!
One of the best ways to eat the pumpkin flesh is in muffins or roasted in the oven with other varieties of squash.
Parsnips are a great source of vitamin C, vitamin K, folate, and fiber. They taste a bit nutty and are wonderful roasted. While they look like white carrots, they are much less sweet and have a starchier texture.
They are also an easy vegetable to grow in a home garden and can be harvested throughout the fall and winter months. One of my favorite ways to cook parsnips is to steam them and then mash them like a much more robust, nuttier, higher fiber potato. Add some thyme, rosemary, and/or sage, with butter and milk or stock for a wonderful autumn mash.
Celeriac, also known as celery root, is another cream colored root vegetable that kind of looks like a giant white, hairy turnip. Despite appearances, it is quite tasty. It does taste a bit like celery, but definitely in a good way.
It is rich packed with fiber and vitamins B6, C, and K. as well as phosphorus, potassium and manganese. Enjoyed raw or cooked, one of my favorite ways to get this root into my diet is to scrub and peel it, then grate it raw into salads. It can also be roasted in the oven like many other root vegetables.
