John Myers
Seasonal fruits and vegetables are products that are naturally ripe and can be harvested at certain times of the year. What is meant here are products that also come from the region in which they are sold. Imported fruit and vegetables from other parts of the world, therefore, do not fall under the term “seasonal” – regardless of whether they are in season locally.
Seasonal vegetables and fruit from the region have the advantage that they do not have to travel long distances before they reach the consumer.
In some cases, you can also get fruit and vegetables from the surrounding area outside of the main season: some varieties can be stored well, and others thrive well under a protective film or in greenhouses. There are both heated and unheated greenhouses, with the latter having less ecological benefit from seasonal vegetables despite the short transport distances.
A seasonal calendar gives you orientation as to when fruit and vegetables are harvested in Germany. Of course, there are also certain fluctuations within the regions in Germany. Thanks to new cultivation methods and ever-improving storage conditions, fresh fruit and vegetables that can be stored are increasingly being offered outside of the harvest season. In autumn you will find, for example, freshly harvested apples, pears, potatoes, quince, onions, mushrooms, and pumpkins from the region in the fruit and vegetable department. In the winter, there are fresh root vegetables to enjoy year-round from stock, as well as numerous cabbage varieties. In spring, the first asparagus, fresh herbs, spinach, rhubarb, various salads, and the first strawberries lure you in. Tomatoes and zucchini are in season in summer. You will also find a wide range of ripe, sweet fruit and berries such as cherries, blueberries, currants, gooseberries, raspberries, apricots, peaches, flat peaches, and plums or plums.
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