Fall is my favorite time of year, and with the change of the season, we also get access to the many great fall harvest foods.

Eating local whole foods from our many local farms is a great way to eat healthy and change your summer diet to a heartier, cold-weather diet. I spent this last weekend at a number of the farms located in the Green Bluff area north of Spokane and the mix of fresh-picked whole foods was amazing.

It should be no surprise to find such a wide variety of crops that are harvested in our area during the fall season. The assortment and variety of squash, apples, pears, pumpkins and sweet potatoes along with other vegetables is impressive.

Obviously, when we think about fall harvest, we think about apples. A friend mentioned that an apple a day really does keep the doctor away. So I decided to see if that is true - and it appears to be supported by science. Other fall harvest foods are healthy superfoods as well.

Let's take a look at a few of the heavy hitters in our local fall harvest:

* Apples: Apples are awesome since they come in so many varieties: Honeycrisp, Red Delicious, Braeburn, Cripps Pink and Cameo, to name a few. With each variety, you can experience from very sweet to sour and a blend of textures and tastes.

Studies have proven the apple's peel or skin holds a combination of plant chemicals collectively known as "phytochemicals." Research from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and from Cornell University suggests the pulp and peel of apples triggers an anti-inflammatory response in cells. It was also found that fruits and vegetables in their natural whole state deliver far better antioxidant and nutritional properties than supplement vitamins such as vitamin C, vitamin E and beta-carotene.

Fresh apple cider and apple cider vinegar are also extremely healthy and good for you, so you can't miss eating an apple a day.

* Pears: If you're looking for a sweet snack to help curb your cravings, pick up a pear. One medium-sized fruit contains 5.5 grams of blood-sugar-steadying fiber - about a quarter of what you need daily. Plus, they're free of sodium, fat and cholesterol, and contain 212 mg of potassium, which is better and with less fat than a banana. Those four factors help prevent cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association.

Pears also supply a good source of vitamin K as well as vitamin A, making them a great addition to your nutrition.

Pears in our area hit their prime for picking from mid-September to mid-October. Since pears ripen best when they're picked hard and green and allowed to sweeten and soften off the tree, you'll want to allow time for them to ripen for a week or two after picking. Pears are best firm and smooth with minimal bruises.

Like apples, pears come in many varieties. Comice, Taylor's Gold and reddish-brown Boscs are among the varieties you will find locally.

* Pumpkins: You know it is fall when you see pumpkins everywhere. The health benefits of pumpkins may surprise you. Pumpkins and their seeds are full of alpha carotene and beta carotene, which convert to vitamin A and help your immune system. Pumpkin seeds are amazing in their own right, full of a wide variety of nutrients ranging from magnesium and manganese to copper and zinc.

Pumpkin seeds are also high in plant-based protein, making them a great food source for active people. Pumpkin seeds also contain plant compounds known as "phytosterols," which help support your immune system. Getting your pumpkin into pies, breads and other recipes is a benefit to your healthy diet.

* Sweet potatoes: Sweet potatoes are another fall food that has been around for a long time. Each Thanksgiving, sweet potatoes with marshmallows highlight the annual feast.

Sweet potatoes are another great source of beta carotene and they have a lot of phytonutrients to help with your overall nutritional health. These days, you can get sweet potato fries at most grocery stores, but your best bet is to get them fresh from farmers markets or locally grown.

They are also a great source of vitamin B-6, which is key to heart health and supportive of your immune system. When selecting which sweet potatoes are the best for consumption, look for firm, smooth skin and avoid the ones with soft spots and black patches on them.

* Squash and butternut squash: Squash is another great fall classic and the sweet butternut squash is always popular this time of year. Squash is yet another good source of antioxidants, not lacking in beta-carotene, vitamin C and vitamin A, all of which help support our immune systems. Squash is great in soups, roasted or baked, so there is no end of good recipes and ways to get this into your seasonal meals. When selecting the best squash, look for dull rind, which is free of greenish streaks indicating it is not ripe.

This time of year is the best time to get locally grown produce. If you want to find out what's harvested seasonally in your area, go to www.localharvest.org. There are also a number of farmers markets still going on in our area where you can find all this great fall-harvest produce.

Judd Jones is a director for the Hagadone Corporation.