I admit it. I have a restless soul. I'm hard to please. It's (whatever it is) never enough.

Here I've been anxiously awaiting this time of year and that first strawberry of the season (which I indulged in yesterday, thank you very much!). And what happened this morning? It hit me that it's also time to think ahead.

The day after the farmers market opened last week, the local fruit stand opened. Driving by this morning on my way to work I saw their sign advertising Yakima asparagus. Yakima is in Eastern Washington which becomes "local" to me in Western Washington when the local food in question something that grows better there...like tomatoes, peaches, cherries, apples, etc. It's still within my state, at least. And less than 200 miles away. 

I see the sign and all of a sudden I'm thinking I should research how to can pickled asparagus when I get to the office.

Yes, I had that thought. Why? Because June is when you think January when you want to eat local more often.

June isn't only the start of the summer fruits and vegetables we've been craving. June is also the start of the preservation season.

We might do the small farm and farmers markets a lot of good if we buy when it's easy to do so, when the days are long and the crops are ripe. But I think we do a bit more good if we try to extend the locally grown food season, if you will, by canning, drying and freezing what we can.

And if you don't want to do to it, maybe someone else will? Last year I read about a business in Portland, Ore. that was offering canned goods as a type of CSA. You bought a membership and got canned jams and jelllies and more each week.

Or maybe a neighbor would like to make some extra money canning for you? Heck, once your kitchen is taken over by 80 pounds of tomatoes and dozens of quart jars, what's another box? 

If you don't want to can, try freezing. Freezing berries is super easy. All you do is spread them out on a cookie sheet. Don't wash them! Just pick over them to get out any bad ones or leaves that snuck in. Spread them on the cookie sheet, and freeze. Once frozen, put them into freezer-safe baggies. You can dump them straight into the baggies for freezing, but they're harder to separate later. Although to save time, I admit that's how I do it. Buy a flat of berries and get them frozen now, and you'll literally have a taste of summer in the middle of winter. Plus you'll put a few extra dollars in your local farmer's pocket...while keeping a few dollars out of the hefty bank accounts of corporate farming.

As for me being a restless soul, well, that's probably why I'm a localvore! There's always some new food adventure to explore!