Photos by L.G. Patterson

With the arrival of spring, it’s exciting to think about all the amazing seasonal produce Columbia has to offer! My love for fresh, high-quality ingredients started during my time in culinary school in San Francisco, where I would visit the farmers markets weekly. One of my favorites was the market on the piers. Walking for what seemed like miles, you could hear the ocean while exploring vendor booths filled with locally grown eggs, almonds and fresh produce. After living in Columbia for over a decade, I’ve come to know and deeply appreciate the farmers here and their incredible products.From local honey, grass-fed and grass-finished beef, and cage-free eggs, to a variety of seasonal produce and mushrooms, the local offerings are endless.

As the chef at Nourish Cafe & Market, I worked with over three dozen local farmers to create our menu items. After leaving Nourish, I reopened Happy Food Meals and Catering, continuing to source from local farmers. Inspired by their passion, my husband and I launched Happy Food Farm in 2024. Our farm supplies organic produce, chicken and duck eggs, and we are adding beef cows this spring to expand our offerings. This past year, we harvested a variety of produce including bell peppers, cucumbers, tomatoes, green beans, zucchini, bokchoy, kale, cabbage and jalapeños, all used in HappyFood Meals and Catering to provide nutrient-dense meals for the community.

Did you know produce is most nutrient-dense within 24 to 48 hours of harvesting? After that, nutrients decline rapidly. This means the apple sitting in a warehouse for months before reaching the store shelves lacks its original nutrition. I often tell my clients that frozen produce is likely more nutritious than”fresh” produce at the grocery store. Thankfully, our local farmers harvest the morning or day before supplying my business or the farmer’s markets. The difference in taste is undeniable.

Another incredible benefit of supporting local farms is the impact on seasonal allergies. The grass that chickens, goats, cows and sheep graze on enriches their eggs, milk and meat with beneficial nutrients. When visiting T’s Bees Honey Farm, I saw how the color of honey changes depending on whether the bees are feeding on clover or wildflowers — a testament to nature’s brilliance.

To further support our farmers, I’ve embraced using imperfect produce, often overlooked due to bruises or blemishes. At Nourish, I juiced everything from kale stems, pineapple skins and watermelon rinds to beet tops, carrot tops and aloe. This approach reduces waste and gives farmers a market for produce that may not appeal to the average customer. These items also work wonderfully in soups, sauces and smoothies. There are countless recipes for root vegetable tops (like carrots, beets and fennel) to make pesto, chimichurri or nutrient-packed broths.

Here’s one of my favorite springtime recipes made with local produce. It’s perfect on fish, chicken, pasta, egg scrambles or sautéed vegetables.