Farmer's Market Fall: What to Buy When the Weather Changes

The weather is changing, Kansas City – but that doesn’t mean Farmer’s Market season is over. Wellness editor, Amy McDaniel, helps us explore what to eat + where to shop this coming season.

Photos by Anna Petrow

Goodbye to my beloved ice-cold, green smoothies and hello to cozier, more weather-appropriate dishes filled with warming spices, grounding root vegetables, and all of our favorite fall scents. Eating seasonally is a great way to adjust to the seasons – as well as connect to your body, community, and earth while doing so. And– many farmer’s market in KC stay open far later into the chilly months than you might expect! Let’s explore why, what, and where to eat seasonally this fall in Kansas City. 

Here’s why to eat seasonally:

The Taste + Nutritional Value

Although available year-round, there’s no comparison to the taste of a fresh, seasonally produced squash in the middle of fall. Vegetables taste their best + are most nutrient dense when harvested seasonally. Seasonal produce is produced closer to home, too! This means those veggies you picked up at the farmers market likely traveled a shorter travel time + are fresh as can be when they reach your plate. 

Supports Your Local Farmers + Economy

Purchasing locally grown food directly supports the farmers that produce those fruits and vegetables. The money you spend on fresh produce from local famers stays in the community, while generating jobs to help stimulate our local economy. 

You Know Where Your Food is Coming From

Local growers can tell you where, when, and how the food you’re purchasing is grown. When you buy directly from farmers, you have the opportunity to ask what practices they use, how they raise, tend, and harvest the crops, and if any sketchy chemicals are ever used. When you know where your food comes from, you know a lot more about your food.

Preserves the Environment

Our favorite foods can take a toll on the environment. Food production and transport can contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, leading to air pollution and even global warming. Shopping seasonally is a sure-fire way to lower your carbon footprint while supporting farmers that choose sustainability.

It’s Cost Effective

Eating healthy can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. When you purchase in-season produce, you’re buying food at the peak of its supply. Plan your meals around seasonal + local produce, explore your local farmers’ market, and look for in-season sales at your neighborhood grocer. 

Encourages You to Branch Out

Eating seasonally encourages you to branch out from your routine grocery list + helps you obtain a broader variety in your diet. Exploring what’s in-season can keep your diet from becoming mundane, while providing a diversity of nutrients. Your taste buds + body will thank you!

It’s What Your Body Wants + Needs

Our health thrives on eating seasonally and locally grown produce. The changing seasons and our subsequent changing diets are nature’s way of adjusting our bodies for the coming shift. In the spring, we detoxify with leafy greens after a heavier winter. In the summer, we naturally replenish and hydrate through cucumbers and melons. In the fall, we begin to ground for winter with root vegetables and warming spices. Nature sure is smart. 

Now, let’s get cookin’. 

Here’s what’s in season this fall in Kansas City:

Fruits:

• Apples

• Asian pears

• Cranberries

• Grapes

• Pumpkins

• Quince

• Raspberries

• Winter Squash

Greens:

• Arugula

• Beet Greens

• Chard

• Collard Greens

• Kale

• Mesclun

• Mustard Greens

• Spinach

• Sprouts

• Turnip Greens

Root Vegetables:

• Beets

• Carrots

• Daikon

• Fennel

• Garlic

• Horseradish

• Onions (red, yellow)

• Parsnips

• Potatoes

• Radishes

• Rutabagas

• Sweet Potatoes

• Turnips

Other Veggies:

• Bok Choy

• Broccoli

• Brussel Sprouts

• Burdock

• Cabbage

• Cauliflower

• Celery

• Corn

• Cucumbers

• Eggplant

• Green Beans

• Leeks

• Mushrooms

• Okra

• Peas (snap, snow)

• Peppers

• Scallions

• Shallots

• Tomatoes

Did I mention some of Kansas City’s best Farmers’ Markets are still open?

Here’s where to shop:

Brookside Farmers’ Market Winter Market

Select Saturdays 9am-12pm, November to March 

6675 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO

Downtown Overland Park Farmers’ Market

Saturdays 8am-12pm, until November 16

7950 Marty, Overland Park, KS

City Market Farmers’ Market

Saturdays & Sundays 9am-3pm, November through March

20 E 5th St, Kansas City, MO

Farmers’ Markets are your best bet for no-brainer seasonable produce, but you can use this guide at any local grocery store to find seasonal produce all year round! Look for in-season, local, and organic to be safe. So, fall is officially upon us– take advantage of these beautiful fall flavors, wherever you shop, while eating seasonally to celebrate and ground through the changing seasons. 

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