WELCOME!
We hope this library will be a useful resource to help you make the most of enjoying your farm fresh veggies. All vegetables are listed in alphabetical order and we have provided an overview of the vegetable, plus storage tips and recommended recipes.
For members currently enrolled in our vegetable subscription program, we look forward to seeing your success stories in our private Facebook group and through email submissions; we'd love to add your recipes to this library for next season. Enjoy!
P.S. Viewing this library on a desktop will result in the most user-friendly experience. Unfortunately the table of contents shortcut links that help you to quickly navigate to a particular vegetable are not possible to implement on the mobile version of the website at this time.
Acorn Squash
Overview: A winter squash with a lightly sweet, nutty flavor. High in vitamin C and fiber. Complements other starchy or root vegetables.
5 Smart Tips for Cutting Winter Squash
Storage:
Short-term: Store in a cool, dark place such as a pantry, cabinet, or cellar where it will get air flow.
Long-term: Can last uncooked for months if stored properly in this way.
To store it long-term cooked: Preserving Butternut and Other Winter Squashes
Recipes:
Arugula
Overview: A peppery, nutty green in the cabbage family. In season during the spring and fall (likes cooler temperatures). Either cut as a baby leaf in a bag or grown larger and bunched. Arugula can be mixed with other greens if the flavor is too overpowering for your tastes.
Storage:
Short-term: Store arugula in a plastic bag in the fridge. When ready to use, wash in cold water and spin out in a salad spinner. Use within the week.
Long-term: You can freeze leafy greens in the freezer after blanching them. Freezing Leafy Greens
The Best Method for Washing and Drying Salad Greens
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
Amaranth
Overview: Our amaranth leaves are green with red veins. This is a specific species of amaranth that is grown as a leafy vegetable rather than a flower or grain. It is known as red callaloo in the Caribbean. Has a flavor and texture similar to that of spinach.
Storage:
Short-term: Store amaranth in a plastic bag in the fridge. When ready to use, wash in cold water and spin out in a salad spinner. Use within the week.
Long-term: You can freeze leafy greens in the freezer after blanching them. See below.
The Best Method for Washing and Drying Salad Greens
Freezing Leafy Greens
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
Asian Eggplant
Overview: A member of the nightshade family (also includes tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes). Typically long and thin. Can be white, light purple, or dark purple. Less acidic, a thinner skin, and fewer seeds than globe eggplant. No need to salt or peel.
Storage:
Short-term: Store at room temperature on a counter, in a well-ventilated place. Do not store in plastic as it can trap naturally-occurring ethylene gases, which promote decay. Store away from tomatoes, melons, and potatoes, which also release ethylene gas.
Long-term: How to Freeze Eggplant
Recipes:
Asian Greens Mix
Overview: A spicy cabbage-family blend of mustard, kale, choy sum, and tatsoi (a relative of bok choy). This mix can be eaten raw or stir fried.
Storage:
Short-term: Store Asian mix in a plastic bag in the fridge. When ready to use, wash in cold water and spin out in a salad spinner. Use within the week.
Long-term: You can freeze leafy greens in the freezer after blanching them. Freezing Leafy Greens
The Best Method for Washing and Drying Salad Greens
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
Asparagus
Overview: A very early short-season crop (Approximately in May for about a month). Eat the entire stalk, trimming the woody bottom if need be. High in fiber, folate, and vitamins C, K, and A.
Storage:
Short-term: Trim the bottoms and place the stalks in a glass of cold water in the fridge, like a bouquet. Use within the week.
Long-term: Freezing Asparagus
Recipes:
Basil
Overview: A tender herb harvested throughout the summer. Pinch the leaves off of the stem to use.
Storage:
Short-term: Trim the bottoms and place the stems in a glass of cold water, like a bouquet. Keep it out of the fridge, as basil leaves can turn black when exposed to cold temperatures. Use within a few days.
Long-term: 5 Ways to Preserve Fresh Basil So You Can Enjoy it All Year Long
When to Use Fresh Herbs vs. Dried Herbs
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
Beans, Green or Wax
Overview: Harvested in the summer and fall. Wax beans get their yellow color from a lack of chlorophyll. You can eat the entire pod - no need to shell these beans. Both can be prepared in the same way. They are high in fiber and protein and contain complex carbohydrates.
Storage:
Short-term: Store beans in a plastic bag in the fridge. Wash and blot dry when ready to use.
Long-term: You can freeze or can beans to extend storage life. You need a special pressure canner to can green beans. See below.
How to Blanch and Freeze Green Beans
How to Pressure Can Green Beans
Recipes:
Bell Peppers
Overview: A member of the nightshade family, along with tomatoes, eggplant, and potatoes. In most cases, our bell peppers begin as green or light yellow in color. Did you know that the decomposition process is actually what causes them to change color? Ours typically progress from green to red, orange, or yellow. The light yellow peppers progress to purple. As they decompose, peppers become sweeter. Peppers will not continue to ripen or change color after they have been harvested.
Storage:
Short-term: Store peppers in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge. Set the crisper drawer to low humidity to allow some of the ethylene gas that results from decomposition to escape. Ethylene gas will cause the peppers to rot sooner.
Long-term: How to Freeze Fresh Peppers
Recipes:
Beet Greens
Overview: Harvested from a variety of beets specifically grown for their greens. Can be bagged as baby greens or grown larger and bunched. Has an earthy, hearty beet flavor and can be mixed with other salad greens to tone it down. Can be enjoyed raw or cooked.
Storage:
Short-term: Store in a plastic bag in the refrigerator and wash when ready to use. You can also trim the ends and place it in a jar of water in the fridge, like a bouquet. Use within the week.
Long-term: How to Freeze Spinach, Swiss Chard, and Beet Greens
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
Beets
Overview: We grow 3 main types of beets: traditional red, Chioggia, and golden. Harvested in the early summer and again in the fall. In the same family as spinach, chard, and quinoa. Beets are high in fiber, folate, vitamin A and K. You can eat the greens and the roots.
How to Peel Beets: Two Easy Ways
Storage:
Short-term: Remove any greens from the beets and store them in separate plastic bags in the fridge. Use greens within the week; beets can last up to a month. Wash when ready to use.
Long-term: How to Freeze Beets
Refrigerator Pickled Beets
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
Bok Choy
Overview: Bok choy, also known as pak choi, is a Chinese green in the cabbage family. It has a sharp mustard and cabbage flavor. You can eat the entire head - from the leafy greens to the stalk, which has a nice crunch.
Storage:
Short-term: Store bok choy in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge. Wash and pat dry when ready to use (within the week).
Long-term: How to Freeze Bok Choy Without It Turning Mushy
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
Broccoli
Overview: A member of the cabbage family and relative of the turnip, cauliflower, and kale. High in fiber, potassium, folic acid, and vitamins A, C, and K. Harvested in early summer and again in the fall.
Storage:
Short-term: Most sources will recommend wrapping a head of broccoli in a damp paper towel in the fridge. We think the less air it's exposed to the better. Open air causes it to wilt fast. You can try putting your broccoli in a plastic bag in the fridge and using it within the week. Wash when ready to use.
Long-term: How to Freeze Fresh Broccoli
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
Broccoli Rabe
Overview: Also known as broccoli raab or rapini, it's harvested in the spring and fall. You eat the large leaves, stems, and florets. Yellow flowers are edible, too. Not to be confused with broccolini, which does not typically include leaves. High in vitamins C, E, and K.
Storage:
Short-term: Store broccoli rabe in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge. Or, trim the ends and store it in a glass of water, like a bouquet. Wash when ready to use (within the week).
Long-term: Can be frozen after being blanched. See: How to Store Broccoli Rabe
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
Brussels Sprout Tops
Overview: A member of the cabbage family. Brussels sprout tops are harvested from the Brussels sprout plant in late summer; doing so helps the sprout heads grow larger by redirecting the plant's energy. Texture, flavor, and use are very similar to collard greens.
Storage:
Short-term: Store Brussels sprout tops in a plastic bag in the fridge and use within the week. Wash when ready to use.
Long-term: Follow blanching instructions for freezing collard greens: How to Freeze Collard Greens
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
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Use this conversion calculator to help with many of these recipes.
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Sprout Top, Potato and Chorizo Soup
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Maple-Glazed Sprout Tops and Crispy Pork with Creamy Polenta
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Pumpkin Gnocchetti with Porcini, Goat's Cheese & Sprout Tops
Brussels Sprouts
Overview: A member of the cabbage family and relative of the turnip, cauliflower, and kale. Named Brussels sprouts because they were first cultivated in Belgium in the 16th century. Harvested in the fall.
Storage:
Short-term: Keep Brussels sprouts on the stalk in the fridge. Wash when ready to use, which may be in more than a week. They'll keep longer on the stalk, but if you need to take them off of the stalk for space reasons, snap them off and store them in a plastic bag in the fridge. Wash when ready to use.
Long-term: How to Freeze Fresh Brussels Sprouts
Recipes:
Butternut Squash
Overview: A winter squash with a sweet, nutty flavor, available in the fall. Due to its thicker skin, it can be stored for months. Complements other starchy or root vegetables.
5 Smart Tips for Cutting Winter Squash
Storage:
Short-term: Store in a cool, dark place such as a pantry, cabinet, or cellar where it will get air flow.
Long-term: Can last uncooked for months if stored properly in this way.
To store it long-term cooked: Preserving Butternut and Other Winter Squashes
Recipes:
Cabbage
Overview: We grow green and red varieties, ready for harvest in the summer and again in the fall. A relative of kale, broccoli, mustard, collard greens, and turnips. Red cabbage varieties are slightly sweeter. Can be eaten raw or cooked. We also grow savoy cabbage, which is very similar to green cabbage, with a crinkled, more tender leaf; use the same way.
Storage:
Short-term: Leave the outer leaves on and store the head of cabbage in the fridge. The outer leaves will keep moisture in the head and prevent it from drying out.
Long-term: How to Freeze Cabbage
How to Make Homemade Sauerkraut in a Mason Jar
Recipes:
Cantaloupe
Overview: A member of the cucurbit family, the cantaloupe is a relative of squash, pumpkin, and cucumbers. Ready for harvest in mid to late summer. Peel the rind, scoop out the seeds, and eat the orange flesh.
How to Pick a Ripe Cantaloupe or Honeydew Melon
Storage:
Short-term: Leave the cantaloupe out on the counter, where it will continue to ripen. Use quickly within a few days. Or, cut up the cantaloupe and store it in the fridge in a container to make it last longer.
Long-term: How to Freeze Cantaloupe
Recipes:
Carrots
Overview: A root vegetable harvested all season long. Our carrots may be orange, yellow, purple, or red. Carrots are relatives of celery, parsley, celeriac, dill, and cilantro. You can eat the carrots and their greens.
Storage:
Short-term: Remove the greens from the roots and store them in plastic bags in the vegetable crisper. Use greens within the week, but the carrots may last for weeks when stored properly.
Long-term: How to Freeze Carrots
You can also toss the greens in a plastic bag in the freezer and take them out to use in soup later.
Recipes:
Cauliflower
Overview: A member of the cabbage family, related to broccoli, kale, and cabbage. Cauliflower's leaves protect it from the sun and prevent it from turning green - that's why it's white! We also grow a very limited amount of orange and purple varieties of cauliflower. The purple color comes from the same pigment found in red cabbage. Cauliflower is gaining popularity as a substitution for meat in vegetarian dishes (see below).
Storage:
Short-term: Store your head of cauliflower in an open plastic bag in the fridge. Wash and use within the week.
Long-term: 3 Ways to Preserve Cauliflower
The Best Way to Revive Wilted Produce
Recipes:
Celeriac (Celery Root)
Overview: Celeriac, or celery root, is similar to a parsnip in texture and flavor. It's related to the carrot, parsnip, parsley, and celery. You can eat the root and the tops; just peel the bulb first. You can grate it and eat it raw or cook it. Harvested in the fall.
Storage:
Short-term: Remove the tops and store the greens and root in plastic bags in the crisper drawer in the fridge. Wash when ready to use, and peel the bulb.
Long-term: How to Freeze Celeriac
Recipes:
Choy Sum
Overview: Also known as Chinese flowering cabbage, choy sum or choi sum is an Asian green that is a member of the cabbage family and relative of bok choy. Similar to broccoli rabe, you can eat the stalk, leaves, florets, and even the yellow flowers. The taste is similar to that of mustard, bok choy, broccoli rabe, and turnips. Varieties can be green or purple. Harvested in the spring and again in the fall.
Storage:
Short-term: Store choy sum in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge. Or, trim the ends and store it in a glass of water, like a bouquet. Wash when ready to use (within the week).
Long-term: Can be frozen after being blanched. See: How to Store Broccoli Rabe
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
Cilantro
Overview: A member of the carrot family and relative to dill, parsley, and celery. Harvested during the cooler portions (beginning and end) of summer. This tender herb has very flavorful leaves that are commonly used in Mexican and Indian cooking. Cilantro is the leaf portion of the same plant as coriander, which is harvested as a seed.
How to Chop Parsley and Cilantro
Storage:
Short-term: Trim the ends of the cilantro and store it in a glass of water in the fridge, like a bouquet. Cover the leaves with a plastic bag for extra protection.
Long-term: How to Freeze Cilantro
How to Dry Cilantro Leaves in 2 Minutes
When to Use Fresh Herbs vs. Dried Herbs
Recipes:
Collard Greens
Overview: A member of the cabbage family, collard greens are harvested all season long. Their very thick leaves are best when cooked for longer periods of time. Remove the stem that runs down the middle before using.
How to Prepare Collard Greens (Video)
Storage:
Short-term: Store collard greens in a plastic bag in the fridge and use within the week. Wash when ready to use.
Long-term: How to Freeze Collard Greens
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
Cress
Overview: Cress is a name used to encompass a family of greens including watercress (an herb), garden cress, and land cress or upland cress. Watercress is typically a foraged herb, but the variety that we grow is upland cress, which is specifically cultivated for its peppery flavor. You can use the recipes interchangably. Sometimes cress is referred to as “creasy greens” in the south. The texture and peppery flavor make it similar to arugula and spinach. Cress can be cooked down or eaten raw in a salad or on a sandwich.
Storage:
Short-term: Store cress in a plastic bag in the fridge and use within a few days. Cress can also be stored in a vase of water, like a bouquet.
Long-term: Can You Freeze Watercress?
Recipes:
Cucumbers
Overview: A member of the cucurbit family, related to squash, pumpkins, and melons. We grow a slicing and pickling variety. No need to peel these cucumbers! Pickling cucumbers got their name because they have a good snap, less seeds, and the length is perfect for fitting into a jar; however, you can absolutely eat them the same way you would a slicing cucumber. We use succession planting to get an uninterrupted yield of cucumbers. They typically arrive in June and last until it frosts.
Storage:
Short-term: Store your cucumbers in the crisper drawer in the refrigerator.
Long-term: Quick & Easy Refrigerator Pickles
Recipes:
Cutting Celery
Overview: A thinner version of standard celery, but more flavorful. Harvested all season long. You can eat the stalks and leaves. Suggested uses:
· Pesto
· To flavor soups
· Sprinkled on salads
· Stir fry
· Smoothies/juice
Storage:
Short-term: Trim the bottoms and place in a jar of water in the fridge, like a bouquet. Put a plastic bag over the leaves to protect them.
Long-term: You can freeze the tops in a plastic bag in the freezer and use in soups later. Or, Homemade Dehydrated Celery
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
Delicata Squash
Overview: A winter squash, the delicata squash got its name from its tender, edible skin. It's also known as a sweet potato squash because of its similar look and sweet taste. Use it as you would a sweet potato or butternut squash. No need to peel unless you want to. Arrives in the fall.
Storage:
Short-term: Store in a cool, dark place such as a pantry, cabinet, or cellar where it will get air flow.
Long-term: Can last uncooked for months if stored properly in this way.
To store it long-term cooked: Preserving Butternut and Other Winter Squashes
Recipes:
Dill
Overview: Related to parsley, celery, carrots, anise, and cilantro. This herb has two edible parts: the leaves, often called dill weed, and the flowering head. Commonly paired with fish, potatoes, cucumbers, creamy dressings, and salads. Grows in cool weather, harvested in early summer.
Storage:
Short-term: Trim the bottoms and place in a jar of water in the fridge, like a bouquet. Put a plastic bag over the leaves to protect them.
Long-term: 3 Methods for Preserving Fresh Dill
When to Use Fresh Herbs vs. Dried Herbs
Recipes:
Eggplant
Overview: A member of the nightshade family, along with tomatoes, peppers, and potatoes. Typically arrives in early August until it frosts. No need to peel or salt the eggplant unless you so desire. We grow a dark purple, white, and light purple, round variety.
Storage:
Short-term: Store eggplant at room temperature, like out on your counter, but keep it away from other fruits and vegetables that will emit ethylene gas, as this will cause it to rot faster (tomatoes, melons, bananas, etc.)
Long-term: This Is the Best Way to Freeze Eggplant
Recipes:
Eggplant Burgers:
1 eggplant, cut crosswise into inch-thick slices
¼ cup olive oil, divided
½ cup balsamic vinegar
Slices of mozzarella cheese
Lettuce leaves
Roasted red peppers, sliced
Red onion, sliced
Ciabatta buns
Heat the grill to medium-high. Brush eggplant slices with olive oil and grill them for about 5 minutes per side. Top with cheese and grill for a few more minutes until the slices are tender. Meanwhile, reduce the balsamic vinegar on medium heat, stirring constantly, until thick. Layer the burger: place the eggplant slice on the ciabatta bun with lettuce, roasted red pepper, and onion. Drizzle balsamic vinegar and enjoy!
Escarole
Overview: Escarole is a bitter green, best enjoyed cooked. Escarole is a member of the chicory family, similar in flavor to endive and radicchio. Escarole looks very similar to lettuce, but its leaves are somewhat thinner and wavier, and its root-end is more rounded than lettuce's stumpier end. Harvested in spring and again in fall.
Storage:
Short-term: Store escarole in a plastic bag in the fridge, shaking out any excess water before storing. Swish in cold water when ready to use and spin in a salad spinner to dry.
Long-term: How to Freeze Greens
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
Fennel
Overview: A member of the carrot family, related to dill, cilantro, parsley, and anise. Fennel has a strong licorice flavor, and you don't need a lot in your cooking. It can be eaten raw or cooked. You can eat the bulb as well as the stalks and fronds.
The Top 5 Ways to Use Fennel Stalks and Fronds
Storage:
Short-term: Remove the fronds from the fennel and store the bulb and greens in separate plastic bags in the fridge.
Long-term: Freeze your fennel stalks and fronds in a plastic bag in your freezer for later use. Also, How to Freeze Fennel Bulbs
Recipes:
Garlic
Overview: A member of the allium family, related to onions. We grow several different varieties, ranging in color from white to a light purple skin; some are stronger in flavor than others. Harvested once in July, but stored and sold through December.
Storage:
Short-term: Store garlic in a cool, dark place out of the refrigerator, like a cabinet or pantry. Ensure that it has air flow. We leave the neck on the garlic to prevent it from rotting at the base of the bulb.
Long-term: How to Freeze Garlic
Recipes:
Garlic Scapes
Overview: Garlic scapes are harvested from the top of the garlic plant. Farmers cut off the scape, which holds the seed pod, so that it can transfer energy back down to creating a bigger bulb rather than producing a seed pod. Garlic scapes have a mild garlic flavor and can be prepared as their own vegetable, like beans or asparagus, or chopped up and used to enhance dishes as you would use a regular clove of garlic. Scapes are harvested once in June, before the garlic is harvested later in July.
Storage:
Short-term: Store garlic scapes in a plastic bag in the fridge. Wash when ready to use.
Long-term: How to Store Garlic Scapes
Recipes:
Grape/Cherry Tomatoes
Overview: We grow red and yellow grape tomatoes as well as yellow cherry tomatoes called "sungolds." Yellow tomatoes are typically less acidic and sweeter. Our tomatoes are typically ready at the end of July or early August.
Storage:
Short-term: Store grape or cherry tomatoes in a bowl with lots of airflow on your counter. If stems are still attached, don't pull them off until you're ready to eat the tomatoes. Wash before using and enjoy within a few days.
Long-term: Freezing Cherry Tomatoes
Recipes:
Hakurei Salad Turnips
Overview: Hakurei salad turnips are very similar to radishes, but they are white and sweeter. Cooking the turnips caramelizes them and makes them even sweeter, but you can eat them raw; no need to peel the turnips. Greens can be eaten as well. Salad turnips are typically harvested in cooler temperatures, during the spring and fall.
Storage:
Short-term: Remove the greens from the turnips and store them in separate plastic bags in the fridge. The roots will last longer than the greens.
Long-term: 4 Ways to Preserve Radishes
Recipes:
Hot Peppers
Overview: We grow poblanos, Hungarian wax peppers, jalapeños, cherry peppers, hot Thais, and cayenne. See the infographic below for how the capsaicin content differs to make the peppers more or less spicy and to help you ID the peppers. Removing the seeds makes them less spicy, since that is where the capsaicin mostly resides. Roasting peppers also breaks down the capsaicin and makes them less spicy. Harvested in August until the first frost.
Storage:
Short-term: Store the peppers in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge. Wash when ready to use.
Long-term: Quick Pickled Peppers
Recipes:
Honeynut Squash
Overview: Honeynut squash is a cross between a butternut and a buttercup squash. It has an intense, nutty, sweet, caramel flavor and can be used interchangeably with butternut.
Storage:
Short-term: Store in a cool, dark place such as a pantry, cabinet, or cellar where it will get air flow.
Long-term: Can last uncooked for months if stored properly in this way.
To store it long-term cooked: Preserving Butternut and Other Winter Squashes
Recipes:
Hubbard Squash
Overview: A lightly sweeter relative of the pumpkin, it can be used in the same way you would a pumpkin or butternut squash. Harvested in the fall. The gray variety is referred to as a "blue hubbard" and is an heirloom variety of this squash. Complements starchy or root vegetables, or can be used in baking.
5 Smart Tips for Cutting Winter Squash
Storage:
Short-term: Store in a cool, dark place such as a pantry, cabinet, or cellar where it will get air flow.
Long-term: Can last uncooked for months if stored properly in this way.
To store it long-term cooked: Preserving Butternut and Other Winter Squashes
3 Steps for Making Fresh Homemade Pumpkin Puree
Recipes:
Husk Cherries (Ground Cherries)
Overview: A relative of the tomato and the tomatillo. Flavor is that of a sweet, fruity tomato. Husk cherries are named for their papery husk that you peel back before eating the fruit inside. They're also called ground cherries because once they ripen, they change from green to brown, fall off the plant, and you harvest them by picking them up off of the ground.
Storage:
Short-term: Keep husk cherries in a bowl on your counter, where they will get plenty of air flow. Husk cherries will last for weeks and will continue to ripen; the husk will turn brown and dry out while the cherry will turn a deeper golden yellow. Peel the husk and wash when ready to eat.
Long-term: Freezing Ground Cherries
Recipes:
Kabocha Squash
Overview: Also called a Japanese pumpkin, this winter squash can be used in sweet or savory dishes. It's sweeter than a pumpkin; similar to a butternut squash or sweet potato. Harvested in the fall. High in beta-carotene, iron, vitamin C, and potassium. The skin is edible if you choose to prepare it that way; many recipes will have you peel it.
5 Smart Tips for Cutting Winter Squash
Storage:
Short-term: Store in a cool, dark place such as a pantry, cabinet, or cellar where it will get air flow.
Long-term: Can last uncooked for months if stored properly in this way.
To store it long-term cooked: Preserving Butternut and Other Winter Squashes
Recipes:
Kale
Overview: A member of the cabbage family. We grow 4 different varieties and harvest our kale all season long. Click the sliding gallery to view the 4 types with their names. Flavor of the kale types is mostly the same, but the texture varies. Curly kale will retain its density and bite when cooked, whereas flat leaf will cook down more like spinach. Siberian is softer and more tender than both. Flat leaf is usually preferred for chips, curly for salads. Remove the center vein when ready to use.
Storage:
Short-term: Store in a plastic bag in the fridge. Or, snip the ends and store in a glass of water, like a bouquet. Wash and spin out when ready to use, within a few days.
Long-term: Can You Freeze Kale? Yes!
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
Kohlrabi
Overview: German for "cabbage turnip," this vegetable is a cross between a turnip and a broccoli stalk. You can eat it raw or cooked, though cooking tames the turnip flavor to caramelize it and make it sweeter. We grow a green and red variety; similar to cabbage, the red variety is sweeter. You can eat the bulb and the greens, but peel the bulb first. Harvested in the early summer and fall.
Storage:
Short-term: Remove the greens from the bulbs and store in separate plastic bags in the fridge. Use the greens within a week; the bulbs can last a couple of weeks if stored properly.
Long-term: Freezing Kohlrabi
Recipes:
Leeks
Overview: Leeks are in the onion family, harvested in the early spring and again in the fall. Most sources will tell you to use the white and light green parts of the leek only, but you can save the tops in soup and to flavor stock. Leeks are typically enjoyed cooked.
How to Clean Leeks for Beginners
Storage:
Short-term: Store leeks in a plastic bag in the fridge. Wash when read to use.
Long-term: Freezing Leeks (P.S. Don't toss the dark green tops! Freeze those in a plastic bag and use them to make soup stock later.)
Recipes:
Lettuce
Overview: We grow 3 types of lettuce: green leaf, red leaf, and butterhead (also known as Bibb, Boston Bibb, and buttercrunch). Butterhead looks like a rose and can be green or red. Mostly harvested in spring and again in the fall during the cooler months.
Tips to Keep Lettuce Fresh
Storage:
Short-term: Shake out any excess water in the head, then store in a plastic bag in the fridge. Wash and spin out when ready to use.
Long-term: Not recommended.
You Can Revive Wilted Lettuce and Veggies with This Simple Trick
Recipes:
Lunchbox Peppers
Overview: Sweet little peppers in green, yellow, orange, and red colors. All start out green and change to a specific color (depending on the variety) as they ripen. Can be eaten plain, seeds and all, or cooked. Also known as snack or mini peppers. See the bell pepper section for more recipe ideas; can be used interchangeably.
Storage:
Short-term: Store peppers in a plastic bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge. Set the crisper drawer to low humidity to allow some of the ethylene gas that results from decomposition to escape. Ethylene gas will cause the peppers to rot sooner.
Long-term: How to Freeze Fresh Peppers
Recipes:
Microgreens
Overview: Microgreens are different varieties of veggies harvested as very young sprouts. Can also be called shoots. Microgreens are grown for being incredibly nutrient dense. We grow them in trays so you can cut and use them ASAP at home to get the maximum flavor and nutritional value. Can be grown as a mix of different varieties in one tray, like a spicy mix, or purely as one type, like broccoli. Varieties can be used interchangeably. Sprinkle them onto salads, sandwiches, or as a garnish.
Storage:
Short-term: Keep microgreens trays in a sunny spot in your kitchen. Spritz with water when the soil is dry. Snip and wash, then use as needed. They will continue to grow quickly and lose their tender texture, so try to use them within 10 days.
Long-term: Not recommended.
Recipes:
Mint
Overview: A relative of many other herbs, including basil, thyme, rosemary, sage, and oregano. Has a menthol flavor and is typically used in summer salads, Middle Eastern cooking, and baking.
Storage:
Short-term: Wrap in a paper towel and store in a plastic bag in the fridge.
Long-term: How to Store Mint for the Freshest Flavor
When to Use Fresh Herbs vs. Dried Herbs
Recipes: