Alas, the end of summer has made its way into Dedham, signaling the beginning of yet another school year, the end of family vacations to Cape Cod, and far cooler temperatures than June and July had to offer.
For some, Labor Day weekend was a solemn reminder that our fresh fruits and vegetables will soon be making their exit as well, considering as the days get shorter and the leaves begin to fall, our Massachusetts native fruit and vegetable choices begin to dwindle.
The dread of autumn brings with it the dread of root vegetables. Potatoes, carrots, onions, garlic cloves, shallots, and radishes fill the minds of the weekly shopper, further motivating the creation of those ever-so-boring stews and other hearty meals.
It certainly sounds as if autumn is a drag, right?
Well, it’s really not all that bad, especially if you live in or around Dedham. Our town’s impressive array of locally-grown, organic focused residents and small business owners have committed their dinner plates to more unique and exciting dishes over the past few years while providing those who are like-minded with resources to do so.
Take the outdoor farmers market for example. Most outdoor markets are run only during the late spring and summer months, closing down just before the first bite of cool air is felt. Dedham’s, however runs through the end of October, providing plenty of alternatives to those dreaded stews we spoke of earlier. Additionally, the year round Dedham Country Store is another local, organic, and all-natural refuge for foodies who still desire the tastes of summer throughout the whole year.
Now that you’ve had a short lesson on where to shop, the struggle with cooking ensues. But have no fear, as Dedham provides yet another easy way out in the form of Dedham TV’s “Greater Boston Gala Girls,” a locally-produced and hosted show that provides viewers with tips and recipes for exactly what to do with all of those wonderful root vegetables, as well as ideas on how to entertain guests during the autumn months.
All of these impressive, yet relatively small and locally focused efforts are part of a direction I feel our country is moving toward, and Dedham is certainly at the forefront of this movement.
In order to promote growth and ensure the health of not only ourselves, but also future generations, we must always be conscious of where our food comes from, how it is grown, and who we are purchasing it from. In many ways, buying from larger, less local big box stores promotes the acceptance of quantity over quality and discourages the entrepreneurial spirit that will someday rescue America from the black hole of debt.
