One of my favorite things about summertime is all of the bounty it brings to my local farmer’s market. After all of the squash and root veggies of winter, and the greens of early spring, I’m ready for tomatoes and berries once the warmer months come around.  I stop by a market about once a week, and look for the things that are in season – that’s where you get the best deals.

First I do a loop to see which vendors have what, and are offering the best price. Then, I let my nose be my guide. If I can smell the peaches or the melons from a distance, it usually means they’re ripe.

To make sure the produce lasts, I get a combination of ripe – I’ll eat it when I get home things, and stuff that could use a couple more days to soften up. Buy fruits and veggies with the stem on. They’ll last longer. Check out this guide to what’s in season now:

• Bell Peppers
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Carrots
• Cantaloupe/ Muskmelons
• Celery
• Cherries
• Collard Greens
• Corn
• Cucumbers
• Eggplant
• Garlic
• Green Beans
• Honeydew Melon
• Lima Beans
• Nectarines
• Okra
• Peaches
• Plums
• Raspberries
• Strawberries
• Summer Squash & Zucchini
• Tomatillos
• Tomatoes
• Watermelon

Now go snap some up!