'Tis the season for fresh produce

Everything's better in warm weather-including my diet. When it's cold, I'm prone to stow away inside and eat junk. (I know I'm not alone in this.) In my defense, I love fresh fruit and veggies. Come June, July and August, when strawberries, tomatoes and the like are ripe for the picking, I love perusing local markets. This summer is my first in Columbus, and I'm eager to get my hands on fresh produce-which, as it turns out, isn't hard to come by.

For the June issue of Columbus Monthly, we assembled a comprehensive guide to more than 20 of the area's farmers markets. The Pearl Market, the North Market Farmers Market and others are already underway, and many more will kick off in the coming weeks. But there are also a handful of vendors and organizations offering weekly or biweekly produce bags for pickup and delivery.

North Market vendor The Greener Grocer has done away with their longtime Market Bags and is now offering Great River Market Bags, brought to you by growing community Great River Farms. Starting June 5, the $27 bags are offered weekly through the rest of the year. Each bag contains eight items, mostly veggies and select in-season fruits. (A supplemental fruit share is available at an extra charge.)

Another option is Green B.E.A.N. Ohio, which offers customizable Produce Bins at a minimum charge of $35. While the offerings are a little more expensive and, at times, a little less local, the customization is a welcome feature, and the online store offers items as varied as lentils, walnuts and coffee.