Stephen Albert
Spring ends and summer begins next week in the Northern Hemisphere.
There are more flowers in June than in any other month. Bees are at work now: “A swarm of bees in June is worth a silver spoon,” says an old rhyme.
The flower of June is the rose.
This month, fruit blossoms are starting to disappear and green fruit is beginning to form. In the next two months, field crops, trees, and other plants will reach their fullest maturity.
(In the Southern Hemisphere, fall ends and winter begins this next week. In Australia, the southern part of South America, and the southern part of Africa, now is the time for cold and rainy weather.)
In the Northern Hemisphere, the last of the tender vegetables should be going in the garden now—beans and vine crops should be planted now. And now is the time to harvest and thin onions, head lettuce, beet greens and to enjoy looseleaf lettuce, spinach and chards coming out of the garden.
Here is a list of the crops that you will find at the farm markets in Sonoma and San Francisco and many other farm markets around the country this week:
First of season: Apricots, basil, blackberries, blueberries, carrots, cherry tomatoes, cilantro, corn, cucumbers, fennel, French tarragon, garlic, green onions, green and yellow beans, lavender, nectarines, new potatoes, olalliberries, parsley, peaches, plums, raspberries, red onions, summer squash, wild salmon, zucchini, beets and turnips.
Peak of season: Arugula, avocadoes, beets, broccoli, cabbages, cauliflower, chard, cherries, collards, dried fruit, English shelling peas, fava beans, green garlic and onions, kale, leaf lettuce, leeks, mushrooms, olives, radishes, raisins, salad mix, snow peas, spinach, strawberries, Valencia oranges, wine and apple cider vinegars, fresh herbs including chives, dill, garlic chives, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, Russian tarragon, oregano, and culinary bay leaves.
End of season: Celery, chicory, grapefruit, hydroponic tomatoes, lemons and oranges.
