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Dear Readers,
June is a special time of year. It’s a happy season of weddings, babies, and burgeoning farms and gardens. My own garden is in full swing; everything is filling out nicely, from the perennial beds to all the pots stuffed with colorful annuals and tender veggies (yes, I grow my vegetables and herbs in pots—no weeding or bending required). June is my favorite time of year to steal away and play hooky for a day by heading out east before the summer crowds create a traffic nightmare. I love visiting the North Fork, poking around the farmstands and nurseries for locally grown produce, fresh flowers, and plants to fill in whatever holes may still exist in the garden. It’s such fun to chat up the farmers, and see what’s on their minds and how the growing (and economic) conditions are affecting their business. It’s even more fun to indulge in their wares—foods as fresh as you can get them, just picked from the fields out back. There is nothing better than having access to locally grown goodies—the wilting, often tasteless supermarket fare that has often been shipped from clear across the country, if not the world, simply pales in comparison.
Even if it’s only for the occasional day of hooky, it’s important to have that connection to wholesome foods and the place from which they derive. Locally grown produce and other farm products taste better since they are fresher, hopefully grown in a responsible manner, and ideally grown from heirloom varieties that have not had the flavor and texture bred out of them as supermarket produce often has in the quest to extend shelf life. Relying on nearby farms rather than far-flung ones also helps us lower our carbon footprint. It supports local agriculture and boosts the local economy. And taking the time to visit your local farmstand offers the opportunity to connect personally with those who have literally put the food on your table.
In “Good Growing,” Suzanne Zoubeck explores the importance of connecting with these farmers, and sheds light on how responsible some local farms are when raising their crops. As she’s found—in her research for the story and from her tireless work with Long Island’s Community Supported Agriculture (CSA)—that while many Long Island farmers may not be certified organic, they have indeed been adhering to sustainable practices for many years as these are often more efficient both in cost and results. In fact, by visiting local farmstands or by joining your local CSA, you can be assured you’re getting the freshest ingredients while supporting local agriculture. It’s a great first step toward lowering your carbon footprint, not to mention serving healthy, nutritious, seasonal food to your family. (To find your local CSA, visit www.localharvest.org/csa.)
It’s so gratifying to get full-circle enjoyment from our foods, from selecting it to cooking and eating it. Knowing where our food comes from and who has lovingly labored over it makes the experience that much better. I hope to bump into you on my next foray to Long Island farmstands and farmers’ markets.
Diana Murphy
Editor in Chief
