I can't believe I never posted this. Back in July, I wrote about how to know when foods are "in season" and mentioned that I'd had trouble finding on the internet the market reports that I used to get by mail. Some of you kind and diligent people, however, rose to the occasion and supplied me with some of the internet links I was too inept (or possibly too lazy) to find. I wrote it all up to send out to you, but I just discovered that I never mailed it. I only realized this today, when one of you just wrote to me with the information I thought I had already emailed. So I did a little search in my computer and ... well, I screwed up. So here it is now.

Among those of you to the rescue was Joe Mizrahi, who you probably know as Smokin' Joe, the barbecue pit master/caterer (http://www.smokinjoesbbq.com). He'll pull his smoker trailer up to your house and do everything. He supplied the New York and New Jersey reports, as well as a general U.S. Department of Agriculture link, although I have yet to penetrate this "charts and maps" site to find any seasonal market report.

My dear, long-time friend Robin Zucker, who has her own exclusive public relations firm (mostly beauty product accounts - we call her The Queen of TV makeovers) cited several sites devoted to the seasonal, local, "sustainable" table. I am still not absolutely certain what "sustainable" means, but it's the current buzzword for purer-than-thou products, and these sites are excellent and easy to navigate.

Thanks also to Joe & Colleen Quagliano and to Judy Levin, who supplied a link to the USDA Washington D.C. market report, though I haven't found reports from other places. I know they must be there somewhere, but as you can see, I don't have a lot of patience for this.

Finally, thanks to Fran Kaufman, who reminded me I hadn't done this, and for supplying links to the New York's Farmers Markets harvests.

NEW JERSEY DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

http://www.state.nj.us/jerseyfresh/searches/availability.htm

 

NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS

http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/AP/FFGSearch.asp

 

NEW YORK FARMERS MARKETS HARVESTS

List for Vegetables: http://www.nyfarmersmarket.com/harvestcalendar.htm

List for Fruits: http://www.nyfarmersmarket.com/harvestcalendarfruits.htm

 

USDA CHARTS AND MAPS - MARKET REPORTS

http://www.nass.usda.gov/Charts_and_Maps/

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. MARKET REPORT

D.C. Market Report

 

THE SUSTAINABLE TABLE

http://www.sustainabletable.org/shop/eatseasonal/

 

EAT WELL GUIDE

http://www.eatwellguide.org/i.php?id=Home