Few things in this world are better than farm fresh food, except maybe preserving those delicious local goodies to enjoy later! While our beloved farmerÕs markets arenÕt around all year, following these guidelines will help you enjoy your seasonal favorites days (even months!) after you get them.
SEE ALSO: The Seasonal Foods You Should Be Buying Right Now
Refrigeration requirements
To fridge or not to fridge, that is the question. Knowing this simple piece of information can greatly benefit the life of your farmerÕs market haul. For example, some of the squash family shouldn’t be kept in the fridge. That bright yellow football-sized spaghetti squash and its cousins acorn, butternut, delicata and pumpkin should be in the shade somewhere in the house. Putting these in the fridge can actually make them spoil faster.
Dry it
Dried produce takes up much less space than fresh and will last a long time. You can do the drying process yourself (make a day of it!) or use a food dehydrator. The dried products can be put in sealed jars in the cabinet or in sealing bags for a deep freezer. For example, things like fresh peas and beans can be dried for long term storage. The drying process can be sped up by putting them in a hot, dry place (the garage). Once dry take everything into the back yard and set up a fan blowing across the work space over the bed sheet. Grab handfuls of pods and rub together. The peas and beans will fall out. The dried pods, chaff, will blow away. This is a great way to get kids involved in food storage and preparation.
Can It
Home canning is an old practice. Before freezing and refrigeration were possible, canning, drying, smoking and salt-curing were the only way to preserve food long term. Canning gives you more control over the flavor and amount of salt as compared to smoking and salt-curing, however it does take more space than drying. While most fresh produce can be dried, some of it does not rehydrate well (such as corn). It should be canned or frozen for the long term. Once canned, food doesn’t depend on electricity to keep it safe, like food in a deep freezer does.
So you see, thereÕs no need to fret over your farmerÕs market haul. Extend the lifespan of your favorite farm fresh produce and enjoy the fruits (and veggies!) of your labor later on in the year. Enjoy!