What’s ripe and ready to eat right now.
It’s been heard tell that Wilmington has 12 seasons, one for each month of the year. It goes like this: Fool’s Spring; Second Winter; Spring of Deception; Third Winter; The Pollening; Actual Spring; Summer; Hell’s Front Porch; False Fall; Second Summer; Actual Fall; Winter.
What that means for those who make it a point to eat fresh and local is there are seasonal choices with longer seasons. Watermelon and pumpkins are found at farm stands at the same time. In the beginning of September, some nurseries and vendors at farmers markets sell small tomato plants to set up a second crop in Second Summer. Peanuts are year round. Pecans start in Actual Fall. Here’s a list of what starts to peak in False Fall:
- Apples
- Blackberries
- Brambles
- Cabbage
- Chard
- Chili Peppers
- Collard Greens
- Corn
- Fennel
- Figs
- Grapes
- Green Onions
- Leeks
- Mushrooms
- Okra
- Pears
- Persimmons
- Pumpkins
- Radicchio
- Shallots
- Shell beans
- Summer Squash and Winter Squash
- Sweet Potatoes
- Tomatillos
This Story Originally Appeared in the Fall 2023 issue.
