There’s a real thing called season fatigue. It happens when we enter a season full of excitement about what lies ahead, ready to fully embrace everything it has to offer and suddenly it happens. Fatigue sets it. We get tired and ready for something new.
Are you feeling summer fatigue? Dreaming of boots, warm sweaters and pumpkin spice lattes?
Hold on there.
Summer is still going strong. Don’t give up on it yet.
I’m talking about summer bounty, and Arkansas is still pushing out great watermelons, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, corn, peaches and the last leg of summer tomatoes.
Keep checking out your farmers markets, your CSAs, co-ops, and retailers who highlight local Arkansas farmers.
How can we take advantage of the last of the summer bounty?
- Keep visiting the farmers markets. Many keep going strong until October. I personally like to take a lunch run during the week for local farmers markets in Rogers and Fayetteville.
- Local grocery stores highlight Arkansas Grown produce.
- Plan your meals around what’s in season. It’s August and that means zucchini, squash, corn, watermelons, tomatoes, peaches and much, much more. Visits to your farmers market will quickly alert you to what is fresh.
- Browse this site. “Taste Arkansas” is focused on Arkansas, farmers, and everything fresh and local. A simple search on key ingredients will surprise you with all it has to offer.
- Experiment. Make it a family thing. These last days of summer deserve a little applause. Get everyone in on the event. Corn is plentiful right now, right? OK, talk with the family… get creative on how corn can become the main event. Like watermelon? Grill it, chop it, drink it, and figure out all the glorious ways it can become the main event.
In a nutshell, let’s keep summer alive.
It’s worth it.
Eat well, my friends.
Lyndi
Arkansas Women Blogger memberLyndi Fultz writes about living and eating well from her life in beautiful Northwest Arkansas at nwafoodie. Much of her blogging inspiration comes from this gem of a place, which she refers to as the proverbial land of milk-and-honey. Read more related to cooking, entertaining, gadget suggestions, ingredient explorations, local finds, local restaurant treasures, kitchen tour spotlights, and always with a healthy and simplistic approach.