What’s in Season?
Winter
Shop our 99%+ Certified Organic Produce Department.
At BriarPatch Food Co-op, supporting organic local and regional farms is at the heart of what we do. We are a community-owned cooperative and understand the importance of direct farmer relationships to build a resilient food system. At the Patch, you’ll find a colorful array and diverse selection of beautiful, fresh and delicious fruits and veggies all year long. We take great pride in knowing our farmers by name. See where our local farmers are located.
Japanese Sweet Potatoes
Like chestnuts, with a deep magenta skin, and white flesh that turns champagne gold as it cooks. Great elevation to standard sweet potato fries. Have them as a snack at one of the many roadside vendors or dig for your own outside central Toyko next time you’re in town.
Celery Root
Keto-ers delight! It has fewer carbs than many of its tuber fam. Contrary to its name it’s a separate vegetable, but related to “regular” celery. Grate it into a slaw with those parsnips and Nantes carrots or make a creamy-like vegan soup. It’s mild and is top-notch mashed.
Nantes Carrots
Just stop right here. The perfect carrot is right here. Named for the French coastal city, they are smooth, cylindrical and brilliantly orangey-red. Very sweet and mild, keep your peepers pried for a sneaky Bugs Bunny over your shoulder in the Produce Department when shopping for these.
Parsnips
Not often does one hear “pretty please with parsnips on top” with anything but mild derision, but sceptics, open your hearts. Part of the parsley family and sweeter than carrots, and a bit more distinctive, their starchy texture works in lots of tuber applications.
Turmeric
Will add depth and a touch of spiciness to any dish. Comes from the ginger family, so you can often add it into recipes calling for ginger. Grate into salad dressing or tuna or chicken salads or deviled eggs to get your dose of curcumin, where the power antioxidant lives.
Beets
So many beet puns, so little space here. You have strong opinions about them. For those on the “thanks-but-no-thanks” side, try beet purée in your next chocolate cake, to add extra richness, or hummus — for pretty color and a touch of earthiness. There, that wasn’t so awful, right?
Starry Night Squash
How many squash have a name that’s also the name of a cocktail? A new variety of acorn squash, it has speckled skin (flecked with “stars”) and a smoother, less-stringy texture than its traditional relative. This one has a short storage season, so be sure to grab ‘em when you see ‘em!
Daikon Radish
Their spicy brightness of the root and greens is a bit bolder than their smaller cousins, making them a fun pop raw, pickled or cooked. Shave some slices on your avocado toast (oh, yes you do!) and cook some greens with sesame oil, mirin, soy sauce and sugar. Sprinkle with furikake. Rad.
Purple Top Turnips
They can be pretty, yet intimidating, right? Related to broccoli and Brussels sprouts, the sweet cabbage-y root and spicy greens are edible. Treat them like any other root veg and sauté those greens like you would other dark leafies. Easy peasy.
Local = Watershed
Our definition of local Flows as we grow
We’ve recently redefined what local means to us. For many years, we’ve defined local relative to our flagship store in Grass Valley. As we grow, our definition expands, too.
Grown with love.
Wingfield Honey
Keeping the bees alive and healthy without the use of synthetic chemicals is one management practice that sets them apart.
FogDog Farm
Kristen and William have been independently farming conserved land in the rolling foothills of El Dorado County since 2019
Starbright Acres Family Farm
Starbright Acres Family Farm delivers a diverse array of veggies to BriarPatch.
Mountain Bounty Farm
Founded in 1997 by John Tecklin, Mountain Bounty Farm is a 50-acre organic family farm located high on the forested contours of the San Juan Ridge near Nevada City, California.
Stone’s Throw Farm
Meet Steven and Bryanna Eisenhut of Stone’s Throw Farm, nestled in the outskirts of Colfax.
Super Tuber Farm
BriarPatch Food Co-op is proud to carry delicious potatoes, carrots, cabbage and beets from Super Tuber Farm.
Photo by Akim Aginsky