Some products at the Cambridge Farmers' Market are only available during certain seasons because different crops grow at different times of the year. Below is a list of what's in season each month. Please note these are approximate dates and may vary according to local weather.
Be sure to check out our feature item each month for food tips and recipes.
April Feature: Spinach
A leafy green vegetable that can be enjoyed raw or cooked in a variety of ways. Spinach comes in three main varieties which are savory, medium/hybrid and smooth. Like most leafy greens, spinach is high in iron.
How is it Grown?
It takes most spinach 4-6 weeks from being planted to being ready to harvest. Farmers will pick early or leave longer based on the size of leaf that they want.
Spinach grows above ground much like lettuce
although leaves do not grow in a ball around the core. Instead, leaves grow out from the core that sits rooted just above the soil line.
What to look for when buying/picking:
Shop for vivid, dark green spinach with firm leaves and stems. Smooth-leaf spinach is most often sold in bunches. Medium and Savoy varieties are more likely to be found loose or washed and partly stemmed in plastic packages.
It is relatively perishable and should be wrapped and stored in the refrigerator. It is best eaten as soon as possible after buying.
What to Avoid:
Avoid those with excessively thick, tough or woody stem ends.
Other Facts:
In the 1930’s U.S. spinach growers credited Popeye with a 33% increase in domestic spinach consumption
Spinach is best eaten fresh. It loses nutritional properties with each passing day.
Just half a cup of raw spinach counts as 1 of the 5 servings of fruits and vegetables you should eat a day.
Spinach is a member of the goose-foot family which makes it a relative to beets and chard.
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Year Round |
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Learn about the benefits of buying local.