I grew up on the California coast, kind of half way up (or down, as you prefer). Very close to the Salinas Valley, where most of the nation's winter lettuce crop grows. Also just around the corner from Castroville (artichoke heart of the nation), and Gilroy (garlic capitol - I always want to say garlic head - of America). We ate a lot of fresh veggies, because there are so many all through the year. Except corn. My mother grew up in the midwest, and apparently had an "episode" with corn in her teenage years; ate an overdose, I think. At any rate, she cooked corn for us children only a couple of times a year, and, though I like it well enough, I never developed much of an interest. I don't remember ever having canned veggies as a child; frozen, yes ... sometimes it is just easier. But we had a lot of fresh options, and my mother took advantage of that. First time I ever (knowingly) ate canned peas was in Germany; that was all German hubby had known as a child (in the post war years), and he actually preferred them to frozen. I used to serve them to him every once in awhile as a "treat"; it was only a few years ago that he finally said that he didn't need that anymore :-). We have been part of a CSA for several years, and have enjoyed the variety very much. A nice basket of seasonable veg every week from the beginning of June through the end of November - lovely. Even DH, who is a fairly conservative eater, likes the variety that we get. Our area of Oregon isn't the Salinas Valley, but we still get a pretty good selection, as the climate is fairly mild.