Nutrition is a cornerstone of our health. In many ways it determines how much energy we have, how well (or not) we engage socially with others around us [at home and at work], and how our bodies moderate stress and our immune functions. And, we also know that there’s nothing more nutritious than fresh fruits and vegetables that have been locally grown. Thankfully, and in honor of June being National Great Outdoors Month, here in the Washington DC Metro area we have ample opportunities to access locally grown foods and engage in the Great Outdoors.
Healthy Eating Outdoors: Grow at Home
One of the first ways that you can kick-start the season with some healthy eating outdoors is to start the process of growing your own fruits and vegetables at home. You can do this in a variety of ways. If you have the space available (and it doesn’t take much), you are able to grow your own fruits and vegetables in a garden farm by yourself, or to make it more communal and fun, with your spouse/partner, friends,or your children (if they are interested). Other small-space farming opportunities for urban dwellings abound–even porches and balconies can produce fairly good yields. And, if you’re looking for a good book on the topic of balcony farming, check out The Edible Balcony by Alex Mitchell.
Healthy Eating Outdoors: Fruit and Vegetable Picking at Nearby Farms.
If growing your own fruits and vegetables isn’t quite your cup of tea, then you can always make a day of it and take a trip to a local farm in northern Virginia and Maryland. The Washington DC Metro area hosts dozens of farming communities that are as little as a 30-minutes drive from the Washington DC border. You can get outside for not only apple-, strawberry-, pumpkin- and tomato-picking (seasonally available), but raspberries, cucumbers, peppers, peaches, eggplant, and more. Many of these local farms offer pick-your-own and already-picked options, in case time is limited for your trip and you only want to pick a few fruits and vegetables yourself while still getting a variety. There are also plenty on the lists linked above to get locally grown and harvested honey, eggs, dairy, and meats!
Healthy Eating Outdoors: CSAs and Farmer’s Markets
If you desire to get outdoors more on the regular and have more consistent produce, there are many benefits for purchasing your fruits and vegetables from farmer’s markets, Also, if want something to do on the weekends, many local communities throughout the area offer farmer’s markets and CSA (or, community-supported agriculture) programs.
The Washington Post has put together this beautiful, interactive farmer’s markets map, showing the 169 available farmer’s markets near you with their schedules and locations, and this equally lovely CSA map, showing the 62 CSA programs available with their locations. The best part about all the CSA program varieties is that you have many choices in the vegetables and fruits you can subscribe to through membership in a CSA. Another worthwhile resource on farmer’s markets if you’re in or near to Washington DC, is Curbed’s Your guide to the best farmers markets in Washington, D.C., and for those in northern Virginia, check out Smart Markets.
You can undoubtedly fit in a little time in your busy schedules to get in some healthy eating outdoors in June. From purchasing your own fruits and vegetable plants to grow at home (or even in your home), to picking your own at any of the many local farms, to buying into a CSA membership or attending one of several farmer’s markets open in a neighborhood near you, you can do it. Let me know your favorite ways to get outdoors by yourself, or with others, and eating healthy!