Summer CSA Week #21 Preview

THIS WEEK’S HARVEST

This is for the October 18th CSA, which is an odd week share

Carrots – Blue Goose Farm

Celebration Squash – Clarion River Organics

Sweet Onions – Crighton Farm/Blue Goose Farm

Sweet Banana Peppers – Gid’s Produce

Hydroponic Lettuce – Harmony Grove Farm

Jonagold Apples – Kistaco Farm

Red Radishes – Nu Way Farm

Daikon Radishes – Riverbend Acres

Red Potatoes – Weeping Willow

 

Egg shares will receive eggs from Keim Farm

Cheese shares will receive Old Gold Raw Milk Cheese from Hidden Hills Dairy

**This week’s shares are Vegan and Gluten Free

 

 

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Carrots

Grower: Blue Goose Farm

Store:  Carrots can be stored in the refrigerator for up to a month if stored properly. Cut off carrot greens, place carrots in a containers with lid and cover completely in water. Keep container in the refrigerator, changing the water ever 4-5 days.

Recipe: Carrot Pancakes, Carrot Coconut Soup, Curried Carrots

 

Celebration Squash

Grower: Clarion River Organics

Store: Store in a cool, dark, well-ventilated area for up to 1 month.

Recipe: Roasted Maple Carnival Squash, Carnival Squash with Apples and Thyme

 

 

Sweet Onions

Grower: Crighton Farm

Store: Sweet onions have a shorter shelf life than common varieties due to a higher water and sugar content. Thus, it’s important to store them properly. Ideally, sweet onions should be stored in a cool, dark, dry location and spread out for optimum air circulation. Most growers suggest placing onions in a clean pair of pantyhose, with knots tied in between each onion, then hung in a cool, dry place. Just snip off below each knot when you need one.  Stored properly, sweet onions should last in your pantry about ten days to two weeks.

Recipe: Roasted Balsamic Sweet Onions, Grilled Sweet Onions, Sweet Onion Soup

 

Sweet Banana Peppers

Grower: Gid’s Produce

Store: Store the peppers in a tightly sealed plastic bag on the top shelf of the fridge (peppers store the best at between 45°F and 55°F). You can also freeze almost any kind of pepper for as long as a year; just seal them snugly in plastic bags. Frozen peppers will retain their flavor and heat, though their crunchy texture will be lost.

Recipe: Pickled Banana Peppers, Stuffed Banana Peppers

 

Hydroponic Lettuce

Grower: Harmony Grove Farm

Store: Leave the heads intact and unwashed until you use them. Then, place them in the crisper drawer in your fridge with some paper towels.They’ll absorb any excess moisture, so your lettuce doesn’t spoil prematurely.  Lettuce bruises easily, so be careful not to shove other foods up against it. Using a storage container is better than a bag, which can end up squished against other items.

 

 

 

Jonagold Apples

Grower: Kistaco Farm

Store: Keep them cool. The ideal storage temperature is 30 to 35 degrees F. with 90 to 95 percent relative humidity. If you don’t have a lot of apples, the refrigerator is a good option. Place them in the crisper drawer in a plastic bag with holes in it or cover theapples with a damp paper towel.

Recipe: Traditional Apple Pie, Jonagold Apple Cake, Baked Apples

 

French Breakfast Radish

Grower: Nu Way Farm

Store:  Store radishes in a plastic bag in the crisper of the refrigerator and they should keep for at least a week. If your radishes have leaves attached, it is best to remove them, as they tend to leach moisture from the root.

Recipe: Buttered Radishes with Poached Egg, French Breakfast Radishes on Toast

 

 

Daikon Radish

Grower: Riverbend Acres

Store: Daikon is quite perishable, so if serving it raw try to use it within 4 days of purchase. If cooking daikon, it can be stored up about a week. Keep it in a perforated plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.

Recipe: Chinese Braised Daikon Radish, Vietnamese Pickled Carrots and Daikon Radishes

 

Red Potatoes

Grower: Weeping Willow

Store: Store potatoes in a cool, well ventilated place. Colder temperatures lower than 50 degrees, such as in the refrigerator, cause a potato’s starch to convert to sugar, resulting in a sweet taste and discoloration when cooked.

Recipes: Garlic Red Potatoes, Roasted Herbed Red Potatoes

 

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Summer CSA Week #19 Preview

THIS WEEK’S HARVEST

This is for the October 4th CSA, which is an odd week share

Broccoli – Clarion River Organics

Sweet Dumpling Winter Squash – Clarion River Organics

Jonathan Apples – Kistaco Farm

Fresh Pasta Sauce – Kistaco Farm

Jalapeno Peppers – Matthews Farm

Turnip Greens – Nu Way Farm

Golden Beets with Tops – Riverbend Acres

Carmen Sweet Frying Peppers – Weeping Willow Farm

Sweet Yellow Onions – Weeping Willow Farm

 

Egg shares will receive eggs from Keim Farm

Cheese shares will receive gold raw milk cheese from Hidden Hills Dairy

**This week’s shares are Vegan and Gluten Free

 

Summer CSA Week #18 Preview

THIS WEEK’S HARVEST

This is for the September 27th CSA, which is an even week share

Celery – Blue Goose Farm

Sweet Yellow Corn – Clarion River Organics

Red Slicing Tomatoes – Clarion River Organics

Sweet Pepper Medley – Crighton Farm

Hydroponic Butterhead Bibb Lettuce – Harmony Grove Farm

Fuji Apples– Kistaco Farm

Mizuna – Nu Way Farm

Red Beets with Tops – Riverbend Acres

Spaghetti Squash – Weeping Willow Farm

Zucchini – Weeping Willow Farm

 

Egg shares will receive eggs from Jarosinski Farm

Cheese shares will receive Boltonfeta raw milk cheese from Hidden Hills Dairy

**This week’s shares are Vegan and Gluten Free

 

 

 

Summer CSA Week #17 Preview

THIS WEEK’S HARVEST

This is for the September 20th CSA, which is an odd week share

Red Potatoes – Blue Goose Farm

Brussels Sprout Greens – Clarion River Organics

Red Onions – Clarion River Organics

Eggplant, mixed varieties – Crighton

Sugar Cube Melons – Gid’s Produce

Gala Apples– Kistaco Farm

Shishito Peppers – Matthews Farm

Arugula – Nu Way Farm

Sweet Potatoes – Riverbend Acres

Cabbage– Weeping Willow Farm

 

Egg shares will receive eggs from Keim Farm

Cheese shares will receive chevre from River View Dairy

**This week’s shares are Vegan and Gluten Free

 

 

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Red Potatoes

Grower: Blue Goose Farm

Store: Clean red potatoes before storing them; this may mean brushing off soil or washing them. If you’re washing the potatoes, let them dry before putting them in storage. Whole raw red potatoes need to be kept in a cool, dark, humid environment.

Recipe: Roasted Red Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes 

 

Brussels Sprouts Greens

Grower: Clarion River Organics

Store: Keep unwashed Brussels sprouts greens stored in a perforated plastic bag in the vegetable compartment of the refrigerator. They can be kept for three to four days. Cooked greens will keep for three days refrigerated.

Recipe: Sauteed Brussels Sprout Greens, Brussels Sprout Greens with Bacon 

 

Red Onions 

Grower: Clarion River Organics

Store: Dry bulb onions should be kept in a cool, dry, well ventilated place. Do not store whole onions in plastic bags. Lack of air movement will reduce their storage life. Sweet onions have a higher water content than storage onions, making them more susceptible to bruising, and a shorter shelf life than storage varieties. One way to extend the shelf life of a sweet or high water content onion is to wrap each one in paper towels or newspaper and place them in the refrigerator to keep them cool and dry.

Recipe: Roasted Red Onions, Pickled Red Onions, Balsamic Red Onion Soup 

 

Eggplant, Beatrice, Calliope, or Italian

Grower: Crighton Farm

Store: Keep eggplant in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight, and use it as soon as possible after harvesting or buying. You can place it in a vented bowl, but avoid sealing it in a plastic bag, which can increase decay.  Eggplant is highly sensitive to ethylene, a natural gas that causes certain foods to ripen (and eventually spoil) very quickly. So it’s best to keep eggplant stored separately from bananas, tomatoes, and melons, which are all high ethylene producers.

Recipe: Grilled Eggplant, Crispy Baked Eggplant

 

Sugar Cube Melon

Grower: Gid’s Produce 

Store: Refrigerate ripe melons, but do not freeze. It is best not to cut a melon until you are ready to eat it. If you need to return cut melon to the refrigerator, do not remove the seeds from the remaining sections as they keep the flesh from drying out.  Sugar Cube Melons are similar to cantaloupe, but they are smaller and quite a bit sweeter.  They are best enjoyed fresh!

Recipe: Melon and Greens Salad, Canary Melon and Cilantro Salad

 

Gala Apples

Grower: Kistaco Farm

Store: Apples should be stored as cold as possible. Keep them in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator. A perforated plastic bag works best, as it allows some of the moisture to escape while keeping the apples crisp.

Recipe: Sauteed Gala Apples, Cinnamon Apple Cake

 

Shishito Peppers

Grower: Matthews Farm

Store: Store Shishito Peppers in the fridge, unwrapped for about 2 weeks.

Recipe: Tempura Shishito Peppers, Blistered Shishito Salsa,  Chilled Shishito Pepper Soup

 

 

Arugula

Grower: Nu Way Farm

Store:  Arugula is highly perishable and does not keep well if not properly stored. Before putting in the refrigerator, wrap a damp paper towel around the roots and place the bunch in a perforated plastic bag; or gently wrap the whole thing in a wet clean tea towel.

Recipe: Potato and Arugula Salad, Cream Cheese & Arugula Toast Bites, Arugula and Pear Salad

 

Sweet Potatoes

Grower: Riverbend Acres

Store: Avoid storing sweet potatoes in the refrigerator, which will produce a hard center and unpleasant taste. Instead, store your sweet potatoes in a cool, dry, well ventilated container. For best results, store them in a basement or root cellar away from strong heat sources. Your sweet potatoes can store for up to two weeks if stored properly.

Recipe: Sweet Potato Fries, Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Honey, Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds 

 

Cabbage

Grower: Weeping Willow

Store: Keep it wrapped. Wrapping cabbage in plastic and storing it in the crisper section of your refrigerator limits its exposure to air flow, and thus reduces respiration and slows down spoilage. Just as importantly, plastic wrap keeps external moisture out, preventing mold and rot, while helping the cabbage to maintain its internal (cellular) moisture—without which, the cabbage leaves lose their firmness and begin to wilt.

Recipe: Sauteed Green Cabbage, Green Cabbage Apple Salad, Cabbage Rolls

 

Week 16 Summer CSA Preview

THIS WEEK’S HARVEST

This is for the September 13th CSA, which is an even week share

Butternut Squash – Blue Goose Farm

Carrots – Clarion River Organics

Cipollini Onions – Crighton Farm

Bosc Pears* – Dawson’s Orchards

Canary Melons – Gid’s Produce

Sun Tan Bell Peppers** – Gid’s Produce

Honeycrisp Apples* – Kistaco Farm

Italian Eggplant – Matthews Farm

Lettuce (Bibb or Red Leaf) – Nu Way

Carmen Peppers** – Weeping Willow Farm

Zucchini – Weeping Willow Farm

*Members will receive either Bosc Pears or Honeycrisp Apples

**Members will receive either Sun Tan Bell Peppers or Carmen Peppers

Egg shares will receive eggs from Keim Farm

Cheese shares will receive Buttercup raw milk cheese from Hidden Hills Dairy

**This week’s shares are Vegan and Gluten Free

 

 

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Butternut Squash

Grower: Blue Goose Farm

Store:  You’ll see best storage results when you stash squash in a cool, dry spot. For most winter squash, store at 50º to 55º F with relative humidity of 60 to 70 percent.  Butternut squash can keep up to 13 weeks when stored.  If you cut up your butternut squash you can store it in the refrigerator in a closed container for 4 days, or you can freeze cut butternut squash and it will stay good for 6-12 months.

Recipe: Cinnamon Roasted Butternut Squash, Curry Roasted Butternut Squash and Chickpeas, Butternut Squash Risotto 

 

Carrots

Grower: Clarion River Organics

Store: Once the greens are trimmed off, all you have to do to keep the carrots crisp and fresh is put them in a container of water and store in the refrigerator! Whole carrots stay nice and crunchy in their cold water bath.

Recipe: Shredded Carrot Fritters, Roasted Carrots with Carrot Top Pesto, Curried Carrots with Pecans

 

Cipollini Onions

Grower: Crighton Farm

Store: Cipollinis are about the size of a golf ball with a slightly flattened appearance. They’re thin-skinned and have translucent white flesh with more residual sugar than your average yellow or white onion.  Store in a cool, dark, dry location.  Stored properly, onions should last in your pantry from 10 days to 2 weeks.

Recipe: Roasted Cipollini Onions, Balsamic Cipollini Onions, Caramelized Cipollini Onions 

 

Bosc Pears

Grower: Dawson’s Orchards

Store:Unlike other fruits, pears ripen from the inside out so by the time they are soft on the outside, the inside flesh may be overripe and mealy.  Ripe pears should be stored in a refrigerator set at 35 to 45 degrees.  Leave unripe pears at room temperature in order to induce ripening.  To speed up the ripening process, place pears in a brown paper bag. This traps ethylene (a naturally occurring gas) which pears produce as they ripen.  You can also place pears next to bananas or avocados in order to ripen them. Just like pears, both fruits naturally release ethylene as they ripen.

Recipe: Honey Roasted Bosc Pears, Pear Crisp

 

Canary Melons

Grower: Gid’s Produce 

The Canary melon is oval-shaped, with a smooth skin. When the melon is ripe, its hard rind turns bright yellow, it develops a corrugated look and a slightly waxy feel and its flesh will be pale ivory in color. The texture of the flesh is notably succulent, almost wet and semi firm, similar to a ripe pear. Within the flesh, the fruit bears a dry salmon-orange seed cavity. The melon possesses flavors both tangy and mildly sweet. Its aromatics linger with nuances of banana and pineapple and a slightly musky finish.

Recipe: Melon and Greens Salad, Canary Melon and Cilantro Salad

 

Peppers – Carmen Peppers and Bell Peppers

Grower: Weeping Willow and Gid’s Produce

Store: Store the peppers in a tightly sealed plastic bag on the top shelf of the fridge (peppers store the best at between 45°F and 55°F). You can also freeze almost any kind of pepper for as long as a year; just seal them snugly in plastic bags. Frozen peppers will retain their flavor and heat, though their crunchy texture will be lost—not a problem in the case of chiles destined for cooked dishes and salsas.

Recipe: Roasted Peppers with Herbs, Pasta with Peppers, Grilled Eggplant and Carmen Pepper Pizza

 

Honeycrisp Apples

Grower: Kistaco Farm

Store: Apples should be stored as cold as possible. Keep them in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator. A perforated plastic bag works best, as it allows some of the moisture to escape while keeping the apples crisp.

Recipe: Honeycrisp Apple Crisp, Baked Honeycrisp Apples, Cinnamon Honeycrisp Apple Chips

 

Italian Eggplant

Grower: Matthews Farm

Store:  Keep eggplant in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight, and use it as soon as possible after harvesting or buying. You can place it in a vented bowl, but avoid sealing it in a plastic bag, which can increase decay.  Eggplant is highly sensitive to ethylene, a natural gas that causes certain foods to ripen (and eventually spoil) very quickly. So it’s best to keep eggplant stored separately from bananas, tomatoes, and melons, which are all high ethylene producers.

Recipe: Italian Style Eggplant Parmesan, Stuffed Italian Eggplant, Baba Ganoush

 

 

 

Lettuce

Grower: Nu Way 

Store: Store lettuce unwashed in a loosely closed plastic bag in the refrigerator. It should keep for 2 to 3 days. If you wash the leaves, dry them thoroughly, and refrigerate in a tightly sealed plastic bag, lettuce will last for about a week.

Recipe: Easy Garden Salad

 

 

Zucchini

Grower: Weeping Willow

Store: Store freshly picked, unwashed zucchini in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to one week. The bag should be perforated or loosely tied, not sealed tightly. Do not cut the zucchini until you are ready to use it or freeze it.

Recipes: Baked Parmesan Zucchini, Stuffed Zucchini

 

Summer CSA Week 15 Preview

THIS WEEK’S HARVEST

This is for the September 6th CSA, which is an odd week share

Cabbage – Blue Goose Farm

Juliette Tomatoes* – Blue Goose Farm

Sweet Onions – Crighton Farm

Eggplant – Clarion River Organics

Herbs – Crighton/Gid’s Produce/Pucker Brush

Sugar Cube Melons** – Gid’s Produce

Gala Apples** – Kistaco

Peppers*** – Kistaco/Matthews Farm

Sun Sugar Cherry Tomatoes* – Nu Way

Turnip Greens – Nu Way

Cucumbers – Weeping Willow Farm

Zucchini – Weeping Willow Farm

*Members will receive either Juliette Tomatoes from Blue Goose or Sun Sugar Cherry Tomatoes from Nu Way

**Members will receive either Sugar Cube Melons from Gid’s Produce or Gala Apples from Kistaco

***Members will receive either a sweet and hot pepper medley from Kistaco or Hot Banana Peppers from Matthews Farm

Egg shares will receive eggs from Jarosinski Farm

**This week’s shares are Vegan and Gluten Free

 

 

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Italian Eggplant

Grower: Clarion River Organics

Store:  Keep eggplant in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight, and use it as soon as possible after harvesting or buying. You can place it in a vented bowl, but avoid sealing it in a plastic bag, which can increase decay.  Eggplant is highly sensitive to ethylene, a natural gas that causes certain foods to ripen (and eventually spoil) very quickly. So it’s best to keep eggplant stored separately from bananas, tomatoes, and melons, which are all high ethylene producers.

Recipe: Italian Style Eggplant Parmesan, Stuffed Italian Eggplant, Baba Ganoush

Cabbage

Grower: Blue Goose Farm

Store: Keep it wrapped. Wrapping cabbage in plastic and storing it in the crisper section of your refrigerator limits its exposure to air flow, and thus reduces respiration and slows down spoilage. Just as importantly, plastic wrap keeps external moisture out, preventing mold and rot, while helping the cabbage to maintain its internal (cellular) moisture—without which, the cabbage leaves lose their firmness and begin to wilt.

Recipe: Sauteed Green Cabbage, Green Cabbage Apple Salad, Cabbage Rolls

Parsley and other Herbs

Grower: Crighton Farm, Gid’s Produce, Pucker Brush Farm

Store hardy herbs by arranging them lengthwise in a single layer on a slightly damp paper towel, rolling them up like a jelly roll, then transferring the bundle to a plastic zipper-lock bag or wrapping it in plastic wrap. Store in the refrigerator. Store tender herbs by snipping off the bases of the stems and removing any discolored or wilted leaves. Transfer them to a large Mason jar with an inch of water in the bottom. Seal the jar with the lid (if it fits), or cover the top of the jar with an overturned plastic bag sealed with a rubber band. Store in the refrigerator.

Recipe: 6 Great Parsley Recipes

 

Sweet Onions

Grower: Crighton Farm

Store: Sweet onions have a shorter shelf life than common varieties due to a higher water and sugar content. Thus, it’s important to store them properly. Ideally, sweet onions should be stored in a cool, dark, dry location and spread out for optimum air circulation. Most growers suggest placing onions in a clean pair of pantyhose, with knots tied in between each onion, then hung in a cool, dry place. Just snip off below each knot when you need one.  Stored properly, sweet onions should last in your pantry about ten days to two weeks.

Recipe: Roasted Balsamic Sweet Onions, Grilled Sweet Onions, Sweet Onion Soup

 

Gala Apples

Grower: Kistaco 

Store: Galas, like all other apples, should be stored as cold as possible. Keep them in the bottom drawer of the refrigerator. A perforated plastic bag works best, as it allows some of the moisture to escape while keeping the apples crisp.

Recipe: Apple Crisp, Chopped Apple Salad

 

Peppers

Grower: Kistaco and Matthews Farm

Store: Store the peppers in a tightly sealed plastic bag on the top shelf of the fridge (peppers store the best at between 45°F and 55°F). You can also freeze almost any kind of pepper for as long as a year; just seal them snugly in plastic bags. Frozen peppers will retain their flavor and heat, though their crunchy texture will be lost—not a problem in the case of chiles destined for cooked dishes and salsas.

Recipe: Preserved Pepper Rings, Buffalo Chicken Banana Peppers, Stuffed Hot Peppers,

 

Turnip Greens

Grower: Nu Way Farm

Store: Refrigerate in plastic bag; do not wash until ready to use. To freeze: (1) Wash greensthoroughly and cut off woody stems; (2) Blanch (plunge into boiling water) for two minutes and chill quickly in ice cold water; (3) Drain off excess moisture, package in airtight containers or freezer bags and freeze immediately.

Recipe: Southern Turnip Greens, Turnip Greens Tart

 

Juliette/Sun Sugar Cherry Tomatoes

Grower: Blue Goose/Nu Way Farm

Store: Store tomatoes that aren’t quite ripe at room temperature, with the stem side down.  If you have a cool spot in your home, like a wine cellar or root cellar, with temperatures in the 55° F to 70° F range, store fully ripe tomatoes there. They’ll keep well for a day or two.

Recipe: Roasted Juliette Tomatoes, Pasta with Sun Gold Tomatoes, Oven Roasted Tomato Sauce

 

Sugar Cube Melon

Grower: Gid’s Produce 

Store: Refrigerate ripe melons, but do not freeze. It is best not to cut a melon until you are ready to eat it. If you need to return cut melon to the refrigerator, do not remove the seeds from the remaining sections as they keep the flesh from drying out.  Sugar Cube Melons are similar to cantaloupe, but they are smaller and quite a bit sweeter.  They are best enjoyed fresh!

 

 

Cucumber

Grower: Weeping Willow

Store: Make sure your cucumbers are thoroughly dry before you store them: excess water on the surface encourages spoiling. Once they’re dry, wrap them in a clean dish towel or paper towel—this will help keep any condensation or humidity at bay when you store them, which helps prevent sogginess, mold, and overall deterioration.  Keep cucumbers in your fridge, but not the coldest part of your fridge, the crisper drawer is best.

Recipes: Crisp and Crunchy Chicken Salad, Bread and Butter Pickles

 

Summer CSA Week 14 Preview

THIS WEEK’S HARVEST

This is for the August 30th CSA, which is an even week share

Eggplant – Blue Goose/Matthews Farm

Beets – Clarion River Organics

Delicata Squash – Clarion River Organics

Tomatillo Salsa – Penn’s Corner

Red Bartlett Pears – Dawson’s Orchards

Peppers* – Kistaco/Gid’s Produce

White Potatoes – Nu Way

Sun Sugar Cherry Tomatoes** – Nu Way

Tomatoes** – Weeping Willow Farm

Cantaloupe*** – Weeping Willow Farm

Spaghetti Squash*** – Weeping Willow Farm

*Members will receive either Semi Hot Block Peppers from Gid’s Produce or Shishito Peppers from Kistaco.

**Members will receive either tomatoes from Weeping Willow or Sun Sugar Cherry Tomatoes from Nu Way.

***Due to a shortage of Cantaloupe, members will receive either Cantaloupe or Spaghetti Squash from Weeping Willow Farm.

Cheese shares will receive Allegheny Raw Milk Cheese from Hidden Hills Dairy

Egg shares will receive eggs from Keim Farm

**This week’s shares are Vegan and Gluten Free

 

 

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Italian Eggplant

Grower: Blue Goose Farm/Matthews Farm

Store:  Keep eggplant in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight, and use it as soon as possible after harvesting or buying. You can place it in a vented bowl, but avoid sealing it in a plastic bag, which can increase decay.  Eggplant is highly sensitive to ethylene, a natural gas that causes certain foods to ripen (and eventually spoil) very quickly. So it’s best to keep eggplant stored separately from bananas, tomatoes, and melons, which are all high ethylene producers.

Recipe: Italian Style Eggplant Parmesan, Stuffed Italian Eggplant, Baba Ganoush

Red Beets

Grower: Clarion River Organics

Store: Beets should be completely dry before storing. Place in a large Ziploc bag and remove all air. Then place in the crisper drawn of your refrigerator. With this preparation and care, the roots should last at least 2 to 3 weeks.

Recipe: Roasted Beets with Balsamic Glaze, Roasted Beet Hummus, Colorful Beet Salad

Delicata Squash

Grower: Clarion River Organics

Store: Delicata can be stored for about three months at room temp in a cool, dry area. Or, the fruit can be frozen. Simply cook the squash until soft, scoop out the flesh and pack and label in freezer bags. This will extend the length of time you’ll have to enjoy this delicious heirloom squash variety.

Recipe: Roasted Delicata Squash, Whole Roasted Stuffed Delicata Squash

 

Sweet Onions

Grower: Crighton Farm

Store: Sweet onions have a shorter shelf life than common varieties due to a higher water and sugar content. Thus, it’s important to store them properly. Ideally, sweet onions should be stored in a cool, dark, dry location and spread out for optimum air circulation. Most growers suggest placing onions in a clean pair of pantyhose, with knots tied in between each onion, then hung in a cool, dry place. Just snip off below each knot when you need one.  Stored properly, sweet onions should last in your pantry about ten days to two weeks.

Recipe: Roasted Balsamic Sweet Onions, Grilled Sweet Onions, Sweet Onion Soup

 

Red Bartlett Pears

Grower: Dawson’s Orchards

Store: Unlike other fruits, pears ripen from the inside out so by the time they are soft on the outside, the inside flesh may be overripe and mealy.  Ripe pears should be stored in a refrigerator set at 35 to 45 degrees.  Leave unripe pears at room temperature in order to induce ripening.  To speed up the ripening process, place pears in a brown paper bag. This traps ethylene (a naturally occurring gas) which pears produce as they ripen.  You can also place pears next to bananas or avocados in order to ripen them. Just like pears, both fruits naturally release ethylene as they ripen.

Recipe: 5 Sweet and Easy Pear Recipes, Chicken and Pear Salad

 

Peppers

Grower: Kistaco and Gid’s Produce

Store: Store the peppers in a tightly sealed plastic bag on the top shelf of the fridge (peppers store the best at between 45°F and 55°F). You can also freeze almost any kind of pepper for as long as a year; just seal them snugly in plastic bags. Frozen peppers will retain their flavor and heat, though their crunchy texture will be lost—not a problem in the case of chiles destined for cooked dishes and salsas.

Recipe: Sauteed Shishito Peppers, Stuffed Hot Peppers

 

White Potatoes

Grower: Nu Way Farm

Store: Store potatoes in a cool, well ventilated place. Colder temperatures lower than 50 degrees, such as in the refrigerator, cause a potato’s starch to convert to sugar, resulting in a sweet taste and discoloration when cooked.

Recipe: Garlic Roasted Potatoes, Perfect Mashed Potatoes, 16 Potato Salad Recipes

 

Heirloom/Sun Sugar Cherry Tomatoes

Grower: Weeping Willow/Nu Way Farm

Store: Store tomatoes that aren’t quite ripe at room temperature, with the stem side down.  If you have a cool spot in your home, like a wine cellar or root cellar, with temperatures in the 55° F to 70° F range, store fully ripe tomatoes there. They’ll keep well for a day or two.

Recipe: Herbed Heirloom Tomato Salad, Pasta with Sun Gold Tomatoes, Roasted Tomatoes

Cantaloupe

Grower: Weeping Willow Farm

Store: Refrigerate ripe melons, but do not freeze. It is best not to cut a cantaloupe until you are ready to eat it. If you need to return cut melon to the refrigerator, do not remove the seeds from the remaining sections as they keep the flesh from drying out.

Recipe: 15 Creative Melon Recipes, Cantaloupe Sorbet