by UASU Volunteer | Monday, December 4, 2023

With the weather getting chillier and sleigh bells starting to ring, knowing what foods are in season for the frigid holidays and cold months is important. A sustainable and eco-friendly choice you can make is to purchase local, in-season produce. 

Get cozy, and let’s dive in!

Here are the top 4 reasons as to why purchasing local in-season produce contributes to sustainability:

  1. You reduce your carbon footprint. Out-of-season produce generally arrives at your local supermarkets imported from faraway places. If you purchase fruits and vegetables that are not in season, you are contributing to carbon emissions associated with long-distance transportation (because of the gas used). 
  2. You save money. In-season produce tends to have a lower cost because of greater availability; out-of-season produce has a higher cost because of a higher cost due to sourcing. 
  3. You support your local community. If you purchase local in-season produce, you support our local farmers, and who doesn’t love that warm, fuzzy feeling? When you support local agriculture, you support the sustainable food practices of farmers who produce it. During the off-season, farmers in our local community may face challenges in maintaining a steady income. By purchasing from local farmers, you are helping preserve farmland and our local sources of highly nutritious foods. 
  4. The produce will be at peak freshness. In-season local produce is harvested at its peak, ensuring maximum flavour and nutritional value. Produce imported from other countries tends to sit long during transport and is generally not fresh. 

Buying local in-season produce is a very impactful way to contribute to sustainability. As a consumer, you can play a vital role in building a more sustainable and resilient food system. 

Although winter means the Canadian landscapes are (generally) transformed into serene wonderlands blanketed in snow, fruits and vegetables are still grown in greenhouses. Many greenhouse farms in Canada are working to reduce their carbon footprint and are able to produce fresh produce such as bell peppers, lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Some produce, like mushrooms, are grown year-round. On the other hand, some produce, like apples, aren’t grown year-round but can be sourced from cold storage during winter months. As well, some locally grown vegetables and fruits are available year-round because they freeze well and are frozen. 

Since we’re discussing produce, we thought we’d throw in some produce fun facts:

  • Oranges are technically considered a berry! As explained in Laura Geggel’s article, “Why are bananas berries, but strawberries aren’t?” oranges are, scientifically speaking, berries because of their three fleshy layers along with seeds. Geggel explains that oranges develop from “one flower with one ovary.” The ovary wall becomes the orange rind.
  • According to Apple Holler’s article, apples can improve your memory, mental awareness, and electrical activity in your brain. These benefits are because of an apple’s high levels of boron, which also helps with growth and bone maintenance. 
  • Bananas are actually berries. Bananas have the same three-layer structure that berries have. However, the exocarp is more rigid and is called the banana peel.
  • We all know that pineapples are a type of fruit, but did you know that out of the pineapple’s specific family, Bromeliads, pineapples are the only edible ones?

Let’s celebrate the beauty of seasonal produce. Choosing in-season fruits and vegetables not only supports local agriculture but also contributes to a healthier environment. So, the next time you’re at a grocery store or farmer’s market, consider buying whatever local produce you like that nature has to offer in the season.


Where can you find locally grown produce?
  • Local Famers’ Markets 
  • H&W Produce
  • Freson Bros (a personal favourite)
  • Earth’s General Store 

Photo of the exterior of a Freson Brothers grocery storePhoto by Leemah Sana (@leemahsanaphotography on Instagram)


Edmonton and Area Farmers’ Market List

A photo of people looking at produce at an Edmonton farmers' marketPhoto source: https://www.edmontondowntown.com/articles/the-best-downtown-markets/


Here is a list of local farmers’ Markets in the Edmonton area that you can purchase fresh produce as well as other locally made or sourced products from! I have provided websites for each farmers’ market where you can find season duration and the days & hours it’s open. Locations provided are subject to change, so double-check the location before heading out!

(*beside the name indicates that it runs year-round, however, keep in mind that farmers’ markets tend to only be open one or two days of the week)


124 GRAND MARKET EDMONTON
ARDROSSAN FARMERS’ MARKET
BASELINE FARMERS’ MARKET
BEAUMONT ALBERTA FARMERS’ MARKET
BEVERLY TOWNE FARMERS’ MARKET
*BOUNTIFUL FARMERS’ MARKET
CALLINGWOOD FARMERS’ MARKET
  • Location: 6655 178 St NW #238, Edmonton, AB T5T 4J5 (The Marketplace at Callingwood on the corner of 69 Ave. and 177 St.)
  • Website: www.callingwoodfarmersmarket.com 
CENTURY PARK MARKET
CURRENTS FARMERS’ MARKET
  • Location: 6284 Currents Dr. NW, Edmonton, AB T6W 0L8 (located in the Wine and Beyond parking lot)
  • Website: shopcurrents.ca/market
EDMONTON CAPILANO FARMERS’ MARKET
*EDMONTON DOWNTOWN FARMERS’ MARKET
  • Location: 10305 97 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 0L9
  • Website: yegdtmarket.com 
EDMONTON WESTMOUNT FARMERS’ MARKET
FORT SASKATCHEWAN FARMERS’ MARKET
GREEN AND GOLD COMMUNITY GARDEN MARKET
HAZELDEAN ARTISAN MARKET
LEDUC FARMERS’ MARKET
MILLER CROSSING FARMERS’ MARKET
MORINVILLE FARMERS’ MARKET
  • Location: 9913 104 St, Morinville, AB T8R 1R8 (104 St in front of the Morinville Rendez Vous Centre)
  • Website: morinvillefarmersmarket.com 
*OLD STRATHCONA FARMERS’ MARKET
  • Location: 10310 83 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 5C3
  • Website: osfm.ca 
ORCHARDS FARMERS’ MARKET
OTTEWELL ARTISAN FARMERS’ MARKET
SALISBURY FARMERS’ MARKET
  • Location: 52337 Range Road 232, Sherwood Park, AB (Salisbury Greenhouse, One mile South of Wye Road on RR 232) 
  • Website: www.salisburyfarmersmarket.ca 
SHERWOOD PARK FARMERS’ MARKET
  • Location: 401 Festival Lane (Community Centre across from the Library), Sherwood Park, AB, T8A 5T8 
  • Website: sherwoodparkfarmersmarket.ca 
SOUTH COMMON FARMERS’ MARKET
  • Location: IKEA – South Parking Lot (10142-13 Ave. NW ), Edmonton, AB
  • Website: southcommonmarket.ca 
SOUTHWEST EDMONTON FARMERS’ MARKET
  • Location: 2051 Leger Rd NW, Edmonton, AB (South parking lot (E) of the Terwillegar Recreation Centre)
  • Website: www.swefm.ca 
SPRUCE GROVE FARMERS’ MARKET
ST. ALBERT FARMERS’ MARKET
STONY PLAIN FARMERS’ MARKET
THE PUBLIC MARKET IN RITCHIE

Written By Leemah Sana and Luis Aguilar


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