A Local Seasonal Market = Local Seasonal Eating

You know that feeling, tasting something in season and it tastes the way that it is supposed to. An example we can all agree on is something like a strawberry that when in season, truly tastes like a strawberry, nothing like the bland watery ones you might find in the middle of winter. The magic of seasonal eating is that it does not just nourish your body, but it wakes up your senses. ​

But why does seasonal food taste so much better? And what does it mean to eat with the seasons, especially here in Southwestern Ontario? Let us dig in. 
Flavours begin to fade the moment something is harvested, the sugars in peas turn to starch, the crisp bite of a radish starts to soften. Produce bought that is grown close to home is usually picked within a day or two of reaching your plate/ You can easily compare imported produce with the offerings of your local farmers’ markets. It is often the case that produce is harvested early to survive the shipping time. There are other tactics that big grocers use to get food to their destination, food that looks fine but tastes flat. 
Out of season crops grown for export are often selected for how well they can travel, not much consideration given for how they taste/ Think of the January tomatoes that taste, they are grown to be resilient but not rich with flavor. 
Easting seasonally grounds us in the natural rhythms of the land and reminds us that things do not grow all year round. When you eat what the earth is offering you right now, your culinary awareness grows, and your meals echo the weather and the work of local hands. 
That means in spring, enjoying peppery arugula, earthy spinach, and tart rhubarb. In summer, sweet corn and tomatoes, blueberries, and juicy peaches. In fall, crisp apples, and hardy root vegetables. Each season becomes an invitation to explore what is growing, new flavours, and appreciate them more intentionally because they do not last forever.  
Not that you need to, but there is some fun to be had in limiting yourself to what is in season—rather than relying on the same ingredients all year round, seasonal cooking invites creativity. This kind of approach to cooking is intuitive, joyful, and rooted in discovery. By cooking with what is available at your farmers’ market you expand your skills and flavour vocabulary.  
Eating seasonally also aligns with your body’s needs. The greens from spring detoxify after a long winter of eating heavier foods. The summer provides us with the hydration we need from veggies and fruits to cool us down. Autumn foods comfort us as the weather starts to turn, with hearty squash and root veggies in soups and stews. With what we can store and preserve, we make it through the Winter in anticipation of the spring harvest again. This is nutritional wisdom passed down through generations. 
When you eat seasonally, the anticipation of what is in store for you at the start of each season makes waiting for the right moment a celebration, an event. There's no overexposure or burnout, just pure appreciation. So much about our modern food culture now is about convenience this and instant that—easting seasonally asks us to slow down and savour.  

---

Jacob Wilcox, EDC Summer Marketing Student

Jacob is a St. Thomas-born, Wallacetown-raised artist and writer who recently completed a BA in Visual Art at York University. An avid Elgin County enthusiast, he has a deep appreciation for local businesses, rural life, community connections, and grassroots initiatives. From a young age, Jacob has been involved in local theatre--most notably Dutton’s community theatre, WEDS. As a practicing artist, he blends photography, writing, and illustration in both his personal work and marketing initiatives, with a focus on visual storytelling and brand identity. He is drawn to the beauty in the mundane, finds art in everyday life, and hopes to carry that perspective into a future career in community stewardship and education.