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Storage Tips: Radishes, Beets, Carrots & More

Give Those Roots a Buzz Cut
And no, I’m not suggesting you shave ?uestlove…

questlove-getting-his-hair-did

What You’ll Need:

  • Some plastic ziplock bags, a sealable tupperware, or some of those green bags they sell on TV
  • Some paper or cloth towels.
  • A knife or kitchen shears
  • Radishes, Beets, Turnips, Carrots, etc… with their greens still intact

Directions
I know, I know: it is so satisfying to receive vegetables that still have their lovely greens intact. It sits somewhere on the emotional spectrum between feeling like Bugs Bunny and Julia Child, BUT storing them that way in your fridge will only lead to heartache and ruin. The greens of root vegetables, which are good eatin’ on their own, pull moisture away from the roots, leaving you with shriveled little nasty roots and rubbery, floppy greens.  Double Fail.

So here’s what to do:

STEP 1:
Cut the greens off the top off your veggies either entirely or leaving 1/2-1” of stem at the top. (This is especially helpful for beets if you’re going to roast and peel them later and need a handle.) Preserve the greens like other salad greens: by wrapping them in a paper or cloth towel and placing them in a sealable ziplock bag in your fridge.
STEP 2:
The roots themselves can also be stored in a ziplock bag with paper towels. They should last about 1 week that way.

OR if they start looking shrivelly, try restoring them by placing them in a jar of cold water in the fridge.

OR if you wanna be all Alton Brown Overachiever about it, you can start a makeshift root cellar drawer full of sand in your crisper bin for these and all future root veggies.

AND if you have not yet eaten garden fresh radishes sliced on bread and butter… well then you simply have not lived, Sir.

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Storage Tips: Greens

Bag them Greens, ya’ll!
Fresh, early season greens totally rule… that is, until they start looking like that gross lady in the bathtub from The Shining. Here’s how you avoid that.
What You’ll Need:
  • Some plastic ziplock bags, a sealable tupperware, or some of those green bags they sell on TV…if that’s how you roll.
  • Some paper or cloth towels.
  • Greens, duh
Directions
The major principle here is trying to maintain and regulate moisture and keep anything that may already be rotting from affecting the rest of the bunch. Greens, obviously, have a lot of water in them. You want them to be able to retain that, without having much water on the surface of their leaves. Excessive moisture causes them to stick to the sides of the storage container or one another, thereby rotting more quickly.  You also want to seal them in an airtight bag so they don’t get zapped of moisture once nestled in your fridge.
 
For the Overachiever: 
Technically speaking, the best practice is to sort, trim, wash and very diligently dry your greens before wrapping them and storing them. They’ll last the longest, and it will also reduce the amount of prep work you have come dinnertime. But don’t take my word for it: Uber Detailed, Type-A instructions for doing all of that are included here
 
For the C- Student:
Dude, just rip off anything semi-gross, wrap that sucker in a paper towel and throw it in a plastic ziplock bag. You’ll be doing yourself a huge favor. Like this:
 
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Prospect Park CSA in the News!

The Prospect Heights Patch covered our launch, check out the article!

Members can pick up their shares from Fountain Studios (604 Grand Street between Bergen Street and Saint Marks Avenue), a group of artist studios that regularly  hosts gallery shows and other community events.

“We want to highlight the CSA, but also this local neighborhood spot,” Santogade told me.

Santogade said that a fundamental reason for having a CSA is “the idea of creating community.” She worries that although the concept of a CSA is becoming increasingly popular, people often forget the community building aspect of the project.

“This is not just about picking up food,” she said. “It offers a way to get to know your neighborhood and neighbors.”

Indeed! If you haven’t already, join us!