A globalising marketplace allows us to access much of our fruit, vegetables, herbs, tubers and legumes almost year-round. We wanted to understand when this produce is seasonally available in Australia so as to engage with the seasons, cut down on food miles and learn a little more about what and how we are feeding ourselves.
The Seasonal Produce Chart was my attempt to do so. It began as a project for us, and has expanded into something I’d like to share with others. It is not complete, and nor is it perfect, but it is a step into a healthier, more engaged and more sustainable existence.
The chart itself has gone through a few iterations. Part of the point of the chart was to democratise knowledge about produce, which necessitated that it was illustrated and didn’t require sophisticated language skills. I based its first list of produce on some charts I had found on the web and crowdsourced some extra ideas from friends and family. As I was putting the finishing touches to the first version, including an acknowledgement of country, I started to consider how westernised our produce landscape appears in Australia.
First Nations Australians have managed and maintained our ecosystems for tens of thousands of years, yet in general the Australian food landscape engages with traditional ingredients – bush tucker – in a very limited way. This is part of my effort to engage with bush tucker myself.
For many months the chart was a true labour of love, but it has also been a labour of learning. I hope that it helps others to engage with what and when we eat, and inspires us all to learn more about our native produce; to recognise and celebrate Indigenous knowledges. Enjoy!
emmamegg 