Seasonal Eating and Why It Still Matters

We live in a time of incredible abundance. Strawberries in January. Asparagus year-round. Mangoes flown in from across the globe.

There are real benefits to that access.

But our biology hasn’t changed as quickly as our grocery stores have.

Our bodies still respond to light, temperature, and season. Research shows metabolism, appetite, and hormone patterns shift with daylight and climate changes. In colder months, we naturally crave warming foods such as proteins, fats, broths, and root vegetables. In hotter months, we gravitate toward lighter, hydrating foods like fruits and fresh greens.

We notice that it’s not only us, even our chickens out on pasture adjust to seasonal changes!

In summer, they forage more, eat lighter, and drink more water.
After frost, when pasture is limited, their intake shifts. Their bodies respond to the season instinctively.

We are not that different!

🌎 The Hidden Trade-Off of Year-Round Produce

Much of the produce grown for global transport is:

• Picked before full ripeness
• Stored for extended periods
• Shipped long distances
• Artificially ripened

Studies show vine-ripened fruits and vegetables contain higher levels of vitamin C, antioxidants, and plant compounds compared to those harvested early for shipping.

Once produce is picked, nutrients begin to decline. Imported produce may take 1-3 weeks to reach your plate. Local food often arrives within days.

Flavor is often the clue.
If it tastes vibrant, it likely carries more vitality.

For example, think of eating a black berry from the food store mid winter vs. eating a black berry straight off the vine mid summer after it's been warmed by the sun. It's a totally different experience!

🥚 What We See on the Farm

Seasonal nutrition isn’t just theory for us, and we can see it.

When hens are out on lush pastures in the warmer months, their yolks turn a deep golden orange, rich with beta-carotene and chlorophyll from fresh greens. In winter, when forage is limited, the color lightens naturally.

The same happens with beef. Grass-fed animals eating fresh pasture produce tallow that takes on a warm yellow hue, which is a sign of fat-soluble vitamins and plant compounds stored from those grasses. In colder months, it becomes paler.

Nature leaves clues.

All the color, the flavor, the richness reflect what the animals are eating and what the season provides.

And those differences show up on our plates.

🌱 Alignment Over Restriction

Seasonal eating isn’t about eliminating global foods.

It’s about awareness.

What is growing naturally right now?
What does your body genuinely crave in this climate?
What feels nourishing in this season?

March is a transition month. On the farm, we are rebuilding soil so green can return. In our kitchens, it’s a beautiful time to gently shift by adding fresh greens as they appear, keeping mineral-rich broths, choosing nourishing proteins and traditional fats, and supporting the body as the light changes.

Nature moves in rhythm.

And when we eat in rhythm with it, something in us steadies.