Feelin’ gourd about harvest season? Lettuce know what you’ve been growing!

From pumpkin patches to apple picking, cool weather and cozy sweaters, October is one of our favourite times! It’s also the start of the fall harvest, when food and crops are gathered, picked and stored for winter months.

During the season, you can harvest and enjoy in-season fruits (raspberries, blackberries, apples, pumpkins and pears), vegetables (squash, carrots, zucchini, potatoes, eggplant, corn and beans) and herbs (basil, chives, dill and parsley).

Nothing tastes better than homegrown produce! If you’re interested in growing your own vegetable or herb garden, start with what you’re interested in growing, determine how big of a space you have to plant and do a little research about the best approach and timing.

Storage

Different storage conditions, like temperature and humidity, are needed for vegetables. Some vegetables, like cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes, require cool and moist storage. Refrigerators are cold and dry and are better for longer-term storage of specific types of vegetables. Basements and cold rooms are usually cool and dry places to store vegetables if there is some ventilation.

Cooking

From sweet potatoes, pumpkin, cabbage, cauliflower, squash and carrots – there are many reasons to love fresh fall vegetables. If you’re looking for fall recipes, Ecosource has provided a few to share (tested for tastiness by a few Mississauga residents). These recipes use different herbs and vegetables from gardens grown around Mississauga. Nutritious, healthy, heartwarming and cozy, these fall vegetable recipes make the most of what you’ll find at the markets this autumn.

• Recipe 1: Maple squash quinoa salad
• Recipe 2: Beet chocolate cake
• Recipe 3: Apple, cheese and thyme muffins

Urban Agriculture in Mississauga

Mississauga’s Urban Agriculture Strategy aims to grow more food locally to ensure residents can access healthy foods in their neighbourhoods.

The strategy encourages healthier lifestyles, empowers the community to learn new skills about growing and harvesting produce, and strengthens relationships between the community.

Community gardens

Planting edible gardens is a good way to stay active outdoors. It’s also a healthy way to enjoy fresh and nutritious fruits, vegetables and herbs. Community gardens are a shared space to plant and grow food. They encourage active, healthy living and help green the city.

Through a partnership with Ecosource, the City supports and maintains community gardens across Mississauga. In 2022, 10,600 pounds of food was grown on Mississauga-owned land through individual and community plots. Approximately 37 per cent of crops in community gardens were donated to local food banks to provide families with nutritious food options.

With the fall harvest well underway, don’t forget to enjoy fresh flavours, check out local farmers’ markets to see what’s in season and try some delicious fall recipes. Who knows, you might even get inspired to grow your own big or small indoor, outdoor or balcony garden and enjoy the fruits of your labour next harvest season!

Learn more about the City’s Urban Agriculture Strategy: mississauga.ca/publication/urban-agriculture-strategy/

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• Climate Change