Leaning Toward Fall

This week's crop look in the pick-up room will be very different. Summer crops are starting to wane and fall greens are making a welcome return. Here are a few notes on some of the new items we are starting to receive.

Potatoes - I know, everyone knows about potatoes, but do you know how to store them? If the crop is a good one, we will receive potatoes every week so you may need a longish term storage plan. They like to be stored in very chilly environments, away from onions. Think about the coolest location in your house - basement if you have one is likely the best. Give them space between them - a large box with newspaper is good for storing. They also need to be in the dark or they will quickly turn green and that green is inedible. Check them regularly for bruising or bad spots - rotting potatoes smell awful and you don't want them to spoil other potatoes.

Pie Pumpkins - these are cute little gems in the winter squash family. As such, they store well in a cool, well ventilated spot. If you plan to use them within a week or two, your kitchen counter is fine. As with potatoes, check on them periodically for spots starting to turn bad. Check out this site for many recipes for winter squash, including Southwestern Stuffed Acorn Squash and Roasted Butternut Squash with Kale and Lemony Tahini Dressing for a couple that are not "wintery". Farmer Derek does not recommend storing these; instead eat soon. "We bypassed curing in the greenhouse and trimmed the stems short for harvest and packing."

Kale, Chard - both of these are great when mixed in with late summer veggie "stews" and soups and a great when incorporated into grilled veggie salads. If you make stuffed peppers or squash, chop some greens and add to the mix - the greens add to the nutrition and beauty of the dish. Remember to store your greens reasonably dry - I like to use large plastic containers lined in a dish towel or paper towels.

Arugula - same as the kale and chard in terms of storage. I love to add arugula to "lettuce" salads for a peppery bite. Also, one of my favorite, and simplest salads is arugula, cherry tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper all mixed up and topped with shaved parmesan cheese - yum!