by Clark Zimmerman, L.Ac.

Everyone seems to love spring! It is the season where everything wakes up and the potential of the coming year is evident. The fragrant blossoms remind us of the sweetness of life, and of new possibilities. Spring also marks the beginning of gardening season. Gardening has been a longtime love of mine. I enjoy seeing the seeds transform from tiny mysteries into sturdy plants and again into fruits and seeds. It’s one of the most tangible examples of magic that I know. Whether you grow your own food or you buy from a local farmer or market, eating locally grown, organic, in-season food is truly one of the healthiest things you can do for yourself.

We are so fortunate to live in the Rogue Valley where the climate is favorable for growing a huge variety of fruits & vegetables. Add in the availability of fresh seafood, wild mushrooms, and humanly raised dairy, eggs, and meats, and you have an entire medicinary of options. I encourage everyone to grow at least a little of their own food, even if you only have room for a few potted plants on the porch. I also recommend joining a local Community Supported Agriculture, or CSA. ACSA is an amazing way to enjoy local, organic food throughout the entire growing season. The way it work is: you “invest” in the CSA up front in the spring, the farms then use this capital to plant, maintain, harvest, and deliver a fresh assortment of organic food to a pickup site. Once a week you pick up a box of organic produce. Ann and I always joke that it feels like opening a birthday present every week. It is a thrill to see what goodies are going to be in the box from week to week.