Has the general public of the United States forgotten what real, ripe produce tastes like?

I wonder about that question at this time of year as the bounty of the harvest begins. We stopped buying much of our produce in general supermarkets a few years ago because, after comparing the taste of our garden produce to the supermarket produce, we realized that supermarket produce was wooden, tasteless.

As I dip my fork into a strawberry shortcake made with berries that were ruby red in the sun only a few hours ago, I relish the taste of the perfect ripeness. No berry picked half a country or half a world away last week and flown in to the supermarket can possibly compete with the flavor explosion of a berry picked and eaten the same day. Even if we are gifted with fresh strawberries in January, I would rather feed them to my chickens than eat them myself because I know from experience that I will be disappointed with the flavor, the texture. Summer fruits are a treat because they are fleeting. I am okay with eating these foods only when they are locally seasonal because the flavor is worth it.

A friend has a t-shirt that reads "Does your tomato have more frequent flyer miles than you do?". No, and I prefer to keep it that way even if it means no BLTs in March or bruschetta in May. I'll savor these foods all the more for it.