Keep it Fresh

Beans (Shelling)
Store: Do not shell until ready to eat. If shelled, store in a paper bag in the fridge.
Use: These beans must be cooked. Usually they’re boiled for a considerable time and drained then eaten. Avoid rapid boiling as it tends to cause the skins to deteriorate and split. DO NOT add salt to the cooking water or the beans will become tough. Then add to salads, pastas or eat the gems alone. Identification: We raise a Cranberry bean with pink spots, that are longer and thicker than a string bean. The bean should be mottled pink or light white when fresh. They can be dried and stored as well, but will darken.

Beets
Store:
Remove greens but leave an inch or 2 of stem on the root. Use the greens just like chard and store separately like greens. Roots can be stored unwashed in a plastic bag in the crisper for several weeks, but sweetness diminishes over time.
Use: Raw or cooked. If using raw, make sure to peel them. If cooking, do not peel beets until after they are cooked. Roast or boil beets then skins will easily rub off.
Identification: Three main varieties: Dark red (in and out), Chioggia: solid light pink outer skin with white and pink rings inside, Golden Beets: dark yellow outside and bright yellow inside. Chioggia and Golden beets are much sweeter than the traditional deep red variety, but often lack the strong beet flavor.

Beans
Store: Unwashed in the refrigerator in a plastic bag. They are best used within 3-5 days but keep for up to 2 weeks. Consider freezing or canning these for winter use.
Use: Rinse with cold water and remove stems just before cooking. Cook by steaming, roasting, sautéing or just eat them raw.
Identification: We grow green and yellow (stringless) string beans. Our green beans are often small, tender and sweet but do not store as long as a more ripe bean.

Broccoli
Store: In the refrigerator in a closed plastic bag and use within 3-5 days. It is also easy to freeze and store for winter use.
Use: Wash well and remove tough portions of stems. Use raw or cooked (steamed, boiled, roasted, sauteed).
Identification: Can be a large green head or many small florets, usually in a quart box. A smaller “bead” indicates a younger head. It should never be in flower.

Cabbage including Napa and Bok Choy
Store: Unwashed, in the refrigerator, loosely wrapped in a plastic bag. It will keep for over a week, but is best if used within a few days. Remove any wilted leaves before using.
Use: Rinse with cold water. Any of these cabbages has a mild flavor. They all cook quickly (especially napa), so be careful not to overcook and lose the sweet flavor.
Bok Choy and Napa: Cut stems into 1 inch pieces and slice, shred or tear the leaves. The leaves can be used like spinach and stems can be used like celery. Standard in stir-fries.
Identification: Standard cabbage comes in red or green or can be “savoy” (with crinkled leaves). Bok Choy or Choi (pictured on the left) has dark green leaves and lighter green, thick stems which are more loosely wrapped. Napa (or chinese cabbage) is longer, with crinkled leaves that form more of cylindrical head.

Carrots
Store: Greens should be removed as soon as possible (they have little use). Store roots unwashed, in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic and use within 1-2 weeks.
Use: Wash well. Carrots can be eaten raw or cooked by steaming, boiling, stir-frying, roasting or braising whole.
Identification: Carrots come in a multitude of colors including yellow, purple, deep red, pink, white and the classic orange. Purple and dark red carrots tend to have a stronger and sweeter flavor, brought out by roasting. White and yellow have a “lighter” flavor- but these differences are nominal when eaten raw.

Cauliflower (and Romanesco)
Store: Unwashed but dry, in the refrigerator wrapped loosely in plastic. Best if used within 1 week.
Use: Raw or cooked. Can be steamed, stir-fried or chopped and eaten raw as a snack. For a really sweet flavor cut and roast with olive oil, then top with your favorite vinegar.
Identification: It comes in a variety of colors: white (the most common), plus purple and “cheddar” or yellow. We also raise a cauliflower in the fall called Romanesco, a green and fractal head.

Cucumbers
Store: Unwashed in a sealed plastic bag, in the crisper, best if used within 1 week. Keep them away from apples, tomatoes and citrus that accelerate deterioration.
Use: Wash well. They are almost always eaten raw with or without the skin. Larger cucumbers also contain larger seeds and bitter skin which can be removed. Great cooling summer fare.
Identification: Picklers, as they’re often referred, are small cucumbers used for pickling that are of a different variety that the large “Slicing” cucumbers. Picklers tend to have thinner skins and smaller seeds. We also grow a type of cucumber called Alpha Beit, a seedless and sweet cucumber.

Eggplant
Store: In the refrigerator wrapped it in a moist towel and then in a sealed plastic bag. It is best used within a week.
Use: Wash or wipe thoroughly. Eggplant must be cooked in some fashion, though it can be pickled. The peel, which can be bitter, can be eaten as well. It’s great, grilled, fried, stuffed or roasted and used for dips like baba ghanoush. Also nice with pasta or in a sandwich. Tip: “Salting” takes care of bitterness or moisture (if frying). Sprinkle eggplant with salt let it stand in a colander for at least 30 minutes. Blot the juices and rinse, and then blot again.
Identification: It comes a variety of shapes and sizes, but ours can be put into a few groups. Italian Eggplant: Large and egg shaped. Great for roasting or frying. Japanese or Asian: Long and slender. Thin skinned and less bitter. Thai and Heirloom: Very small and round or slender. Great grilled, very thin skinned. Color of the skin makes the biggest difference.

Garlic and Garlic Scapes
Store: Garlic: In a cool, dark, dry place. Use within 6 months. Garlic Scapes: In the refrigerator, best if used within 3 weeks.
Use: Garlic: it adds flavor to any recipe. Use to flavor oils, meats and sauces. Wonderful roasted whole. Garlic Scapes: Rinse. Use the whole stem (or from the bottom up to the flowering tip, until it becomes tough). Adds a mild garlic flavor to any recipe; use just like green onions or chives.
Identification: Garlic can be either hardneck or softneck. Hardneck tends to have a stronger flavor, but doesn’t last as long as the more delicate softneck type. Scapes are the flowering part of the garlic, only available in the spring.

Herbs
Store: In the refrigerator in a closed plastic bag, best if used immediately or at the most in one week. Certain types of herbs can be dried and used later (oregano, thyme and sage are best).
Use: Wash well to remove any grit just before using. When substituting fresh herbs for dried in a recipe, make sure to add about 2-3 times the amount called for. Consider adding some herbs to the end of a dish, especially a warm dish, as certain cooking processes will rob the tasty addition of its flavor.
Identification: What follows is a list of the most popular herbs we grow:
Basil: We grow a green and ruffled purple variety with big closely spaced leaves. Regular green basil has a distinct flavor synonymous with tomatoes and pesto. The purple variety has an anice/licorice flavor to it; an interesting addition to pasta.
Cilantro: Parsley look-alike that is classic in Latin American cuisine. Try it in salsa, on fish, or on bbq’d corn.
Dill: The pickling herb. Either the frilly greens or umbrella-like flower tops are used. Also great on fish or in cold mixed “salads”.
Mint: Triangular serrated leaves and that distinct smell give it away. Mojitos, lamb, or fruit based dishes are the classic choices.
Oregano: The perfect addition to Italian food. Rounded, soft and small leaves on woody stems give off an earthy smell. Use it with just about anything, especially dishes with strong flavors that can rival the herb.
Parsley: We grow the Italian, flat leaf variety. It adds a green, fresh and crisp flavor to any dish. Mostly used as a garnish or for color, but try it as a pesto or in a salad.
Sage: Traditional european herb is a long, light green and fuzzy leaf. Used mostly for Thanksgiving stuffing or meat, but also nice with squash or in a gratin or other creamy veggie dishes.
Thyme: Another european herb, with a woody stem and very small dark green leaves. Good with just about anything, especially with dishes that have savory flavors. Try it in bread, on beef, mushrooms or in sauces.

Rutabagas
Store: Unwashed, in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, for up to a month.
Use: Wash and scrub well. Peel the outer layer. Cube and steam to add into mashed potatoes; they can also be eaten raw. Pasties, a Michigan favorite, are traditionally filled with rutabagas.
Identification: Rutabagas pretty much all look the same. The lower portion is usually a purplish-red, while the upper portion (near the leaves) is a creamy white. The inside of rutabagas are always a yellowish- white color with a sweet, nutty and deliciously healthy flavor.

Celeriac
Store: Unwashed,in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. It will keep for several weeks.
Use: It must be peeled just before using as it brown quickly. Use it raw or cooked, but if you’re new, try it cooked first. Great grated into mixed coleslaw-type salads, but more commonly used pureed or mashed along with potatoes or in a cream sauce. A strong and crisp form of celery flavor.
Identification: Leaves are always detached, leaving a semi-round to elongated root with lots of gnarly little hairs still attached. Any portion exposed to air will turn brown, so don’t be alarmed if the celeriac looks old.

Kohlrabi
Store: If using the greens store the globe and leaves separately. The globe will last for 1 month refrigerated in a plastic bag. Wrap leaves in a damp towel or place in a plastic bag in the hydrator, use in 1 week.
Use: The globe section is more commonly used, thus, wash it well; remove leaves and peel outer skin. Best eaten raw as a snack, but can be lightly cooked. Adds a sweet, cabbage like flavor and a nice crispy texture that is great for salads or dipping.
Identification: A member of the brassica/cole crop group, it is most commonly described as an alien looking vegetable. A green, swollen bulb is at the bottom of lots of thick green leaves. The flesh is white and oxidizes quickly. Kossack, a variety we grow in the fall, can also be stored for months and is great even when huge.

Leeks
Store: Loosely wrap, unwashed, in a plastic bag in the refrigerator, they are best if used within a week.
Use: Cut the leek about 1 inch above the white part, where the color begins changing from dark to light green. (Save the unused greens; they’ll give great flavor to vegetable stock.) Fan the leek under running water to dislodge any dirt collected, then pat thoroughly dry. You can julienne a leek by cutting it lengthwise, or slice it crosswise. Provides a sweet, mild onion flavor with a creamy texture.
Identification: Think of a very large green onion. Newcomers to leeks should try making potato-leek soup.

Melons (including Muskmelons, Watermelons and Honeydews)
Store: Ripened muskmelons and honeydews should be stored in the refrigerator and used within 3-5 days. Watermelon can be stored at 50-60 degrees. Muskmelons should smells sweet on the stem end. Watermelons should have a hollow sound, which has a dull thud sound to it.
Use: Wash well. Scrape the seeds out of the center of muskmelons and honeydews. Melons are great plain, mixed into a fruit salad, sliced on cereal, or mixed with yogurt.
Identification:
Muskmelons: Also called cantaloupe, it can be identified by its orange, fragrant flesh and heavily netted and ribbed exterior.
Watermelons: The flesh can be red or yellow and be seeded or seedless. The outside rind can also be striped or be a solid green.
Honeydew: These melons have a light green skin and lighter green to white flesh. Sweet, but not flavorful melons.

Onions
Store: In a cool, dark, dry place. Do not refrigerate unless temperatures in the storage area are excessively high.
Use: Onions add flavor to any recipe. They can be eaten raw or cooked whole, chopped, grated, sliced, baked, boiled or sauteed. Try rinsing onions before using them in a raw preparation, (it takes the bite out).
Identification: We grow red, yellow and white onions. Some are considered “storage” onions, while most are in the category of sweet onions, which still store quite a few months. Since we’re asked this a lot: We do not nor cannot grow Vidalia onions, which, by law, can only be grown in thirteen counties in Georgia.

Peas (Including Snow, Shelling and Sugar Snap)
Store: Unwashed, (and/or unshelled) in the refrigerator, best if used within 3-5 days.
Use: Wash. Snow and sugar snap peas can be eaten raw or lightly steamed or stir-fried. They can be very slimy if overcooked. Peas may also have to be stringed; do this by firmly grasping the leaf-cap and pulling down the length of the pea. Shelling peas must be shelled and eaten raw or thrown into a variety of spring dishes.
Identification: Shelling peas are often longer and fatter than the other two. The outside is also drier. Snow peas are flat, wide and fairly long, while sugar snap peas are fat and stubby with big rounded peas inside.

Peppers (Sweet and Hot)
Sweet Peppers including Bell Peppers, Banana and Carmen
Store: In the refrigerator, best if used within 3-5 days.
Use: Wash well and remove seeds and stems. Serve raw or cooked; great mixed in with almost any dish. They can easily be frozen by simply washing, chopping and putting in a plastic bag.
Identification: Green bell peppers are really just unripe. Thus, colored peppers are sweeter but it takes a long time for them to ripen. Banana peppers look like a hungarian hot, but are quite sweet and colorful. Carmen is an italian bull’s horn type, that is ripe when red. Carmen is the sweetest variety we grow.

Hot Peppers

Store: In the fridge, unwashed, best if used within 1-2 weeks.
Use: Wash well. For safety, wear rubber gloves. DO NOT touch eyes, nose, mouth or other places. For more heat, leave the seeds and membrane (the white ribs inside) in the dish. They are also easily frozen or dried.
Identification: We grow a variety of hot peppers, ranging from mild Hungarian Hots to the spicy Jalapeno and the flaming Habanero. We will try to help you identify which varieties you have chosen, but take caution using any of these.

Potatoes
Store: In a cool, humid (but not wet), dark place. Do not wash before storing. Do not refrigerate.
Use: Wash well. Potatoes can be steamed, boiled, baked, roasted, or microwaved.
Identification: We grow many varieties of potatoes too various to mention. They come in reds, white, yellow and blue skins and different combination of flesh colors. Fingerling and heirloom varieties are often not shaped like a traditional potato. The flesh can also be creamy, waxy or starchy- just ask.

Radishes
Store: In the refrigerator and are best if used within two weeks. Tops may wilt, but the roots are fine. Remove the greens before storage if you don’t plan on using them.
Use: Scrub and wash with cold water. Trim tops and bottoms. Do not peel. Radishes can add zest and color to tossed salads. Radish greens can be served cooked just like any other green.
Identification: Radishes come in a multitude of colors, with red being the most common. There are also many shapes and sizes of radishes. All basically have a strong, sometimes hot flavor.

Raspberries
Store: Store in the refrigerator in the box they come in, and are best if used within 1-2 days.
Use: Wash the berries before using them. Lay in a single layer on paper towels to dry. Remove any stem caps. Eat fresh atop cereals, ice cream or make into a jams or sauces
Identification: We grow red raspberries, but they are also available in “golden” and black varieties.

Summer Squash including Zucchini and Patti Pans
Storage: In a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator. They should keep well for 4-5 days. Easily frozen for use in breads and cookies, just wash, shred and freeze.
Use: Wash well. Do not peel, just cut off the ends. Eaten raw or cooked. Slice them in salads or to cook, steam, sauté or grill. Also wonderful stuffed and baked. A blank palette of the veggie world.
Identification: Summer squash, zucchini and patti pans can all be used in the same way. There are only texture, density and slight flavor differences between the varieties. Summer squash are typically yellow, some with a “crookneck” and some with a straight-neck. Zucchini comes in green, yellow or striped light greens. Patti Pans, which sometimes new people, are shaped like flying saucers and come in greens and yellows. They are best for stuffing or grilling due to their very meaty, dense flesh.

Listed Alphabetically, many are also grouped

Sweet Corn
Store: Refrigerate with the husks on, in a plastic bag. If the corn feels warm, run it under cool water before placing it in the fridge. Use within a few days, but sooner is better than later.
Use: Remove husks and silk just before cooking, place in a kettle with a small amount of boiling water, cover and steam for 3-5 minutes. Eat on the cob or cut off the cob and add to soups and stews, pancakes or bread. Also wonderful grilled.
Identification: We primarily raise bi-color varieties, but occasionally we have an all white variety. They are all hybrid varieties of super sweet (mostly sh2); these are not GMO varieties, but just extensively bred.

Sweet Potatoes
Store: In a cool, humid (but not wet), dark place. Do not wash before storing. Do not refrigerate.
Use: Wash well just before using. Sweet potatoes can be steamed, boiled, baked, roasted, or microwaved. Try making a baked french fry snack out of them.
Identification: Our tubers are always skinnier and more thinly skinned than those you get in the store. We raise both a red/orange fleshed and a white fleshed root, which is drier, but just as sweet.

Tomatoes (Heirloom and Hybrid)
Storage: Do NOT REFRIGERATE whole tomatoes. Store at room temperature, out of the sun, or in a cool place if you have a hot kitchen. If cut up, refrigerate. If unripe, store in indirect light or in a paper bag to ripen. Use in about 1 week (it depends on how ripe they are when you receive them).
Heirloom Storage: Store just like regular tomatoes, use quickly, 1-2 days if ripe when received.
Use: Wash well. Raw is the best but also delicious cooked.
Identification: Tomatoes come in a variety of shapes and sizes. We grow an extensive number of heirlooms, which come in reds, blacks, greens, yellows, oranges and strange shapes and sizes. We also have cherry tomatoes that are perfect for salads or snacks. Slicing tomatoes are those that are 1-2 lbs. and usually flatter. Roma tomatoes are long, skinny and meaty and are the traditional sauce tomato.

Winter Squash
Store: In a cool dry place. Garages and basements are often good places. Many types will keep for several months.
Use: Wash any mud off. Cut open and remove seeds. If you have trouble running a knife through the squash, microwave or bake for a short time and then cut and finish cooking. Squash can be peeled if the recipe calls for it (we prefer a sharp veggie peeler for this). It can be boiled or steamed or baked. Excellent mashed, or baked with herbs in a casserole, lasagna, or any pastas.
Identification: We grow a multitude of squash varieties. The most popular are acorn (pictured), butternut, buttercup, hubbard, delicata, pie pumpkins, dumpling and spaghetti squash. There are also many varieties of heirloom squash that are european favorites because of their sweet flavor. Some notable varieties include Galeaux d’Eysines, Long Island Cheese, Musque de Provence, Rouge Vif D'Etampes, Naples Long and Jarrahdale. Please ask if you’re unsure what to use your squash for.

Brussels Sprouts
Store: Off the stalk: in the refrigerator in a closed plastic bag, unwashed; use within 3-5 days for maximum sweetness. If on the stalk, they can be kept in a cool place for a few weeks, but should still be wrapped in plastic. Sprouts are easy to freeze and store for winter use.
Use: Wash well and remove tough portion of stems. If steaming or boiling, make an X incision on the bottom of the sprout. Use lightly cooked, flaking individual layers to form a salad, or cooked, steamed, boiled or roasted. Halved and roasted, until slightly browned and soft, is the sweetest.
Identification: Think mini-cabbage tree, almost always green (though do come in purple). Large leaves can be left on or taken off. The sprouts toward the bottom tend to have bad outer layers.

Celery
Store: Refrigerate as soon as possible or celery will go limp. Wrap in a damp towel or place in a plastic bag and store in the hydrator drawer of the refrigerator. For long term storage, celery can be frozen. Chop and freeze on a cookie sheet then pack in an airtight container. You can also blanch it to keep it longer.
Use: Raw or cooked. Leaves are generally not used, and can be bitter. It is standard addition to salads, casseroles, soups, stews and stir-fries.
Identification: Celery is pretty standard, the taste, texture and size is the only thing that will vary.

Fennel
Store: In the fridge in a plastic bag, for 3-4 days. Leaves will dry out more quickly, so wrap them in a damp towel if you intend to use them. However, leaves are typically removed and not eaten.
Use: With a nice anise (black licorice) flavor it makes an excellent and interesting substitute for celery. Braised, baked, steamed, sauteed, or grilled, it’s great. The leaves can be used as a garnish or for seasoning. Fennel has a core, which may be removed if the bulb is large. Note: an average bulb is about 1½ cups chopped.
Identification: The fennel we grow is a bulbing type, looking just like the one on the left. They are typically between 4-6” tall and about 5-6” inches wide. Unlike the fennel in the store, ours tend to be almost flat, rather than round. Often it is sold with the fronds on, making it look more like dill than fennel.

Greens (Cooking) including Kale, Collards and Chard
Store: In the refrigerator in a sealed plastic bag, best if used within 3 days
Use: Wash well to remove any sand. These greens are almost always eaten in various stages of the cooking process, with collards taking the longest to cook. Chard can be used just like spinach and is best when gently cooked. Young chard can even be eaten raw.
Identification: Chard looks like a small beet leaf or thin rhubarb. It comes in a variety of colors and many believe that the darker the stem, the stronger the flavor. Kale comes in Curly and Lacinato (Dinosaur) varieties; the former is ruffled and the latter has an embossed and bumpy leaf. Both get sweeter when the weather is colder. Collards is a large flat round leaf and is much thicker than the other greens.

Greens (Salad) including Spinach, Romaine, Arugula, Mesclun etc.
Store: In the refrigerator in a plastic bag, best if used within 3-5 days. Do not wash until you’re ready to eat it!
Use: Wash well or soak to remove sand and grit just before eating.
Identification: We grow all kinds of lettuce mix and spinach. Some varieties are stronger than others with most still being quite mild. If you’re the kind of person that really only likes iceberg lettuce, then be sure to ask us what’s in the mix.

Husk Cherries (also known as Cape Gooseberries)
NOT AT ALL LIKE A CHERRY!
Store: Out of the fridge, use within 1-2 weeks.
Use: Traditionally used in pies- but preferred (and easiest) method is simply fresh eating. Try them in a salad too.
Identification: Looks like a small tomatillo, basically a fruit in a husk. Related to tomatoes; tastes sort of like pineapple/coconut… but everyone tastes something different. Generally, children like them more than adults.