| STORAGE TIPS So, you’ve got your winter veggies for the next two weeks, now what? You might eat everything in a few days, or attempt to spread it all out evenly until we meet in two weeks. Regardless of your style, the great thing about cold season vegetables is most of them keep! Here’s some tips to keep the items in your share fresh for 1-2 weeks, or longer. GENERAL TIP: For best quality produce, plan on prepping your vegetables for storage as soon as you can after picking them up. HARDY GREENS: Kale, collards, chard and other hardy, lofty greens last 1-2 weeks if stored towel dry (some moisture but not much) and well wrapped. Plastic does an amazing job at keeping things fresh, but if you avoid it like we do, wrap your bunches in paper towels or cotton towels, then place in a highly woven cotton or nylon grocery bag and store in the fridge. TENDER GREENS: Though cold hardy, some greens such as arugula, mustard, and Asian Greens have thin and tender leaves, and won’t store as long as their tougher and hardier cousins. Use these within a week of the distribution. To store for the week, wrap bunches well, and keep slightly damp but not wet, or, prep by washing and spinning dry, and storing in a plastic bag. DRY STORAGE CROPS: Some storage crops detest moisture. These are winter squash, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, onions, and garlic. If you think you will use these items within 2 weeks, they can be left in the pantry or on the counter. If you aren’t sure you can use them all within that time, the kitchen tends to be too warm and moist for these things. Store them in a cool, dry, dark place. This could be a basket on the bottom shelf of your pantry, a clean dry cupboard, or another spot where moisture is least present. ROOTS: Oh, roots! Don’t be fooled by their hard and tough appearance, a bit of care needs to be paid to this category to keep them fresh and firm for 1-2 weeks or longer. Having said that, roots are a breeze to store if you’ve got the fridge space. Pat them dry and place them in an air-tight container to lock in a little moisture (plastic bag, reusable container, reusable, tightly woven bag) and seal well, then place in a crisper drawer. HELPFUL TIP: Don’t forget about them! They will keep for weeks and weeks. Check periodically and give them a little moisture if they seem to be getting dry. |
