The most healthful vegetables growing in your backyard could be weeds. Lambsquarters and purslane, described by Michael Pollan as “two of the most nutritious plants in the world,” are common wild greens. They thrive in urban environments, popping up in garden plots and sidewalk cracks from Toronto to Texas.

According to Taste of Home and their breakdown of state-by-state seasonal produce for the months from December through February, my native state, Montana, is listed simply as: Dormant. This is not surprising, as not much but snow grows and accumulates from November though April. This year, however, is my second winter spent away from Montana in the sunny state of California, and I’m embracing a growing season that lists no less than 60 seasonal produce options for December. 60! Zero to 60 in just a year and a half… not bad.

The end of November ushers in the holiday season. A stroll through the local market finds tables full with hardy greens, colorful squash and fragrant pommes. For me, it feels so natural and intuitive to craft a meal from this delicious bounty. This is when the fall fruits and vegetables are at their peak, robust and flavorful, just begging to grace the holiday table. And even if you aren’t hosting a holiday party or serving a big meal yourself, chances are you will be bringing something to share at the table, whether its a side dish, a dessert or even a bottle of wine.

With Halloween just behind us and Thanksgiving ahead, there are pumpkins everywhere (even in the Northeast where Hurricane Irene severely hampered many farmers). While most people automatically think of pumpkin pie for a fall dessert, another delicious item to consider is pumpkin cheesecake.

As the shortening days become colder, we are faced with a growing frequency of colds and other illnesses. What can one do against the army of microbes determined to slow our late fall workload? With the prospect of a cold scratching the back of my throat, I remembered what one friend advised: greatly increasing my intake of vitamins and minerals will help boost your immune system and combat those rogue viruses. My favorite means of accomplishing this is a carrot-ginger soup. Here is my slightly spicy recipe made with coconut milk.

Bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on earth, and it is notoriously challenging to contain. But if you master some simple harvesting techniques, it could be covering your plate instead of your yard.

Perhaps tossed salads are one of the easiest dishes to prepare, as they are simply a mixture of various chopped vegetables, but when one hits upon a delicious and visually pleasing combination, it only seems right to share. 90% of this salad came straight from the farmers’ market, through a few rinse cycles, and into my bowl. The rest was pantry basics.

With summer in full swing, strawberries are literally choking the farmers markets. We at Farm to Table put out a call for a way to make use of all these delicious, sun-soaked berries. This recipe is perfect not only because it is something other than the traditional strawberries and cream, a pie, or jam, but because it’s also a frozen treat, making it the perfect summer refreshment. And you can use any kind of berry you find in season at your local market! Enjoy.

I’ve fallen in love with lacto-fermented chutneys, so much so that I’m considering turning all the vinegar-based chutneys I canned into ketchup (ketchup is basically just pureed chutney). The flavor of these fresh chutneys is so good that I could, and do, eat them straight out of the jar. Plus you get all sorts of health benefits that aren’t in the vinegar versions; lacto-fermented foods have good-for-you bacteria in them, like with yogurt.

The recipe below is a Northeastern locavore’s variation on one by Sally Fallon (I swap in just a little vinegar to replace non-local lemon juice, and local honey instead of Rapadura). This chutney is an especially good use up for the storage apples we’re still getting from local farms at this time of year. But it’s also good made with peaches, cherries, and other fruit.

Saturdays are my market days and while it may seem odd, late winter is actually one of my favorite times of year at the farmer’s market. As you stroll past the tables week after week, more and more vendors setup shop as the spring approaches.