Fall is an abundant harvest time in Santa Cruz. While tomatoes and eggplant may be going out of season, we are blessed to have so much to choose from at the many farmers’ markets in Santa Cruz County. Whether you want to make an impressive appetizer for a holiday party or a nourishing soup for a cozy night in, the way to ensure that your dish will be gourmet-level tasty is to start with the best fresh, local produce.
It helps to know what’s in season before you hit the market, so we’ve created this handy guide with a few helpful preparation tips and tricks. Many items such as kale, cabbage, spinach, chard, arugula, root vegetables and herbs are grown year-round in Santa Cruz and always available. Here we’ve listed a few of the more fascinating veggies and fruits that are specifically cool-season crops. Get your fill while our local farmers are harvesting them.