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Know how. Know now.
From border to border in Nebraska, UNL Extension is making an incredible impact on the success of our state — its youth, its families, its farms and ranches, its communities, its economy. Please check these websites for more "know how, know now" information.
While many local foods can be purchased year round, to get the richest flavors and freshest foods follow the four seasons. Below you will find some recipes to try and other helpful tips. The following chart for choosing foods by color can help you make each dish more delightful for all the senses.
Spring 2011-2012 Buy Fresh Buy Local Nebraska Food Guide Part 1
Spring 2011-2012 Buy Fresh Buy Local Nebraska Food Guide Part 2
Nebraska 2011-2012 Food Seasons Chart from Buy Fresh Buy Local Nebraska
Recipes, Selection and Use of Fresh Produce
by the Season
Ready-to-use materials can be used as handouts at farmers’ markets, grocery stores, local foods programs or ... just for your own cooking and eating pleasure! Please see more on terms of use.
Spring
- Spring Recipes 2011 Asparagus Salad, Rhubarb Streusel Cake & more
- Spring Recipes 2010 Lettuce, Rhubarb and more
- Loose Leaf Green Lettuce Salad with Apple Cider Vinegar Dressing
- Rhubarb
Food Preservation
- Rhubarb canning
- Carrots Canning, Pickling
Additional Spring Resources
Selection, Storage, Uses & Preparation, Recipes (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Summer
- Recipes
- Summer Recipes 2011 German Pancake, Fruit Tart, Cucumber Salad and more
- Summer Recipes II 2011 Sumer Squash, Caprese Salad, Zucchini Choc. Chip Cookies
- Black Beans and Rice
- Delicious Dips (Great for serving with fresh produce!)
- Flavor that Food! (a chart for flavoring with fresh or dried herbs and spices)
- Rice Del Sol (made with summer squash and fresh corn)
- Summertime Cooking 2010 Potatoes, Asparagus, Snap peas
- Summertime Cooking II 2010
- Sauerkraut Recipe
- Tomato Basil Bruschetta
- Zucchini (page in Recipe Central section) PDF version
- Zucchini Bread made with whole wheat pastry flour for a light, tender product with fiber
- Food Preservation
- Apricots, canning, freezing, jam
- Asparagus, canning and freezing
- Beets, pickled
- Carrots
- Cherries 2011s
- Cream Corn
- Corn, canning and freezing
- Cucumbers-pickles
- Fruits, canning
- Strawberry Products & Freezing
- Jams, Jellies, Preserves
- Okra
- Onions, freezing
- Peas and beans, canning
- Peppers, freezing
- Peaches Canning
- Pickled & Fermented Foods
- Plums 2011
- Potatoes 2011
- Salsa, canning
- Squash and Pumpkins, freezing and canning
- Tomatoes, canning
- Tomatoes, freezing
- Tomatoes,Tomato Products, and Salsa
- Vegetables, canning
- Vegetables, freezing
- Preserving Fruits (links to several recipes / directions)
- Preserving Vegetables (links to several recipes / directions)
Additional Summer Resources
Selection, Storage, Uses & Preparation, Recipes (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Bell Pepper
- Chili Pepper
- Corn
- Cucumbers
- Garlic
- Melons
- Onions
- Root vegetables
- Summer Squash
- Tomatoes
- Watermelon
Fall
Watch a video to see all the yummy local foods still available in the fall!
- Fall Cooking 2011 NEW
- Fall Cooking 2010
- Apples, tray freezing
- Apples, canning and freezing
- Apple Products Applesauce, Jam, Jelly, Preserves
- Apple Recipes Conserving, Butter, Chutney
- Apples Anytime recipes plus uses for different apples
- Pears
- Potatoes 2011 Sweet potatoes and white
- Pumpkins & Squash Preparing Fresh, Freezing
- Roasting Pumpkin Seed
Also, check the summer resources for foods you may continue to prepare and / or preserve in the fall.
Additional Fall Resources
Selection, Storage, Uses & Preparation, Recipes (Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Discover Foods Blog
Discover Foods Blog
Written by a "food scientist by training and a foodie by practice."
Tuesday, January 31st: Bananas Foster
Explore food-related academic majors!
The University of Nebraska–Lincoln (UNL) offers several food-related undergraduate programs in a variety of academic disciplines. Many of these programs are interdisciplinary. More ...
CropWatch: Organics
CropWatch, an agricultural news service and online newsletter from UNL provides resources for:
Organics for Producers and Consumers including listings of local organic food/produce providers/growers.

