Make a practice of cooking with the seasons. When you shop at your farmers’ market, you won't have to do any research first to see what's in season. If your local farmers have it, it is in season! You'll be getting great prices and peak taste. You'll also be saving energy by reducing or eliminating the refrigeration, freezing, and transportation needed to get food from the farm to your plate.

Do it for the sheer pleasure of it all, too. Last Saturday was cool and breezy for a southern July day in North Carolina. At the market, farmers offered heaping tables of ripe tomatoes, juicy blackberries, peaches, and green beans. Families came with babies in strollers and younger children proudly carrying a single flower. I couldn’t stop smiling as I gathered the makings for gazpacho, cobbler, and pesto with green beans. I admired the dogs of some visitors and swapped cooking tips or simple pleasantries with others.

I used to dread grocery shopping. Now I look forward to the lively crowd at the market each Saturday morning. Yes, it takes more time than getting produce while I’m already at the grocery store for other items. But it changes the entire nature of the event from a chore to a field trip or a visit with friends. Wouldn’t you rather have 30 delightful minutes instead of 10 efficient but mundane ones? I would!

Stock up on local, organic basil, garlic, and pecans and try the recipe for Southern Summer Pesto below. Use organic olive oil, of course, and look for the new organic parmesan that's now appearing in some stores.

Do you shop at a farmers' market? Do you find a good selection of organic produce there? What do you find at the market that seems particular to your region? Share your thoughts in the comment section below. And come back tomorrow for a recipe and tips about keeping it organic while on the road.

Summer Southern Pesto Recipe

Here's a new twist on the classic pesto made with pine nuts or walnuts: basil with pecans. The slightly sweet, lighter taste of the pecans complements the full taste and aroma of the basil. This recipe uses more leaves and more nuts than my standard pesto recipe, making it better for your body and for your pocketbook. If you live where pecans grow but walnuts and pine nuts don't, this will also appeal to your inner locavore.

Try growing your own organic basil or buying armfuls of it in the summer when prices are low. Then make big batches of pesto, freezing some for quick meals in darkest February. Spread out the expenses by making the pesto you will freeze without the cheese. When the time is right, thaw pesto and stir in grated cheese.

Active time: 18 minutes. Total time: 18 minutes. Makes 16 servings, ¼ cup each.

Ingredients

6 ounces parmesan cheese, grated
8 cloves garlic
4 cups tightly-packed basil leaves
3 cup shelled pecans
2 teaspoons salt
2 cups olive oil
pepper and more salt, to taste

Method

1. Rinse basil well in a bowl of water. Let it soak until needed.

2. Grate parmesan if needed.

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