Don’t you just love the moment when you pick up your CSA basket? The perky greens and crisp, cool root vegetables freshly picked from the farm. But how, you may ask, does one keep produce in tip-top shape throughout the week? Well, Farmer Pete would like to share a few tricks-of-the-veggie-trade with you:
- Keep baby greens in the plastic bag they come in. The trick is to loosely tie the top of the bag and poke holes throughout the bag with a safety pin, like a perforation.
- Purchase reusable produce bags. These bags, usually cotton, are ideal because the natural fibers allow for just the right amount of hydration and circulation to keep the veggies from drying out.
- Beautify your surroundings. You would be surprised just how stunning a bundle of chard leafs displayed on your counter can be. Trim the ‘stems’ to open up the veins of the leafs and arrange in your favorite vase or a jar. Do this with herbs, roots or any leaf veggie.
- Root veggies are roots, so it makes sense to keep them in water. Left lying around in your refrigerator– carrots, beets and radishes become dehydrated and wilt. You can bring back wilted roots by leaving them submerged in water. Just remember to trim the tops off and store separately. The tops continue to feed off the roots, draining them from nutrients and water.
- Keep like with like. Fresh picked fruits and vegetables release a gas that causes surrounding food to ripen. Some release more than others, so it is best to keep fruits in one drawer and vegetables in the other.
Avogadros Garden Farm 