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Storage Tips: Mason Jar Salads

How you keeping up with all those greens? Drowning in salad yet?

If so, then perhaps consider this idea, which can be found on nearly every blog that has the word “Mommy” in the title:

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Make a whole set of these on Tuesday evenings and set them in the fridge. Every morning grab a takie for work, but be sure to keep it upright or else the dressing will cause the greens to wilt. Come lunchtime, shake it up and dump it in a bowl… and BOOM. LUNCH.

 

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Storage Tips: Growing Herbs

By giving us small potted plants as opposed to pre-cut herbs, Farmer Ted, in his infinite wisdom, is giving us a gift that keeps on giving. All you have to do is keep it alive. 

YOU: “But potted herbs? I can’t grow things! What am I supposed to do with these?”

ME: “There’s a lot to worry about right now, and growing herbs shouldn’t be one of them. Relax: You Can Do This. Here are some low-effort, decidedly unfancy potting tips for the verdantly challenged.

Step 1: Pick a vessel.

Don’t think you have any pots? Sure you do. Look in that recycling bin over there. See that 2 liter empty plastic water bottle? That empty coffee tin? That Sapporo tall boy can? That old 20oz tin can of beans? Rinse that puppy out, cut the top off (if needed), poke or drill a couple holes in the bottom of that sucker so that water will drain out, turn it right side up and stick it on a little saucer…know what I call that? A freaking flower pot.

Step 2: Get some dirt.

Ok. Admittedly this part can be a challenge in the urban jungle, especially if you’re not trying to get a lot of dirt. But you have options: some hardware stores will sell it by the cup full or in small bags. Or go in on a bigger bag with a fellow CSAer. Or make your own by starting a worm bin! (I’ll talk about this next week.)
Alternately, the Lower East Side Ecology Center sells compost in Union Square which your herbs could live in all on it’s own, or you can make that compost go farther and retain moisture better by adding in coconut coir and some vermiculite at a 30/30/30 ratio.
Regardless of origin, the thing to be aware of here is that your plant needs good drainage and air around it’s roots, so if your wet dirt clumps easily into tight, dense fistfuls when you smoosh it, then it probably needs a little something extra to fluff it up and make it drain better. If you can’t be bothered with getting vermiculite then styrofoam or compostable packing peanuts will do the trick too. Organic they are not, effective they are.
Step 3:  Put your plant in the pot with some dirt.
Yup. some rocks or broken pottery/glass placed at the bottom of the pot can help keep things draining well. Then throw some dirt in, stick your plant in, pour some more dirt in, water it, stick it in a window with a good amount of light but not too much.
You generally want at least 4 hours of direct light, but harsh, hot afternoon sun can often be too much for potted plants. So try to find a good balance.
Don’t know when to water it? Stick your finger in the dirt about a half an inch deep…
Does it feel dry? Water it.
Does it still feel wet? Don’t water it.
If the leaves start to get all yellowy chances are you’re overwatering (Rookie Mistake #1)
If it’s all shrivelly and wilty like Mr Burns in the nude then chances are it’s really thirsty. Water it quick before it dies!
Step 4: Reap the copious bounty that is your now thriving potted herb plant.

Wow, how cool! You grew some basil/cilantro/mint/whatever and it’s now, like, a foot tall or something! So cut some off and use it!The idea here is that you want to promote new growth and you want your herbs to bush rather than spire. When they get all long and gangly they aren’t so hot on leaf production. So the best method is to pinch or snip small amounts from all over the plant, rather than cutting large sections off one stem a time. This kind of “hair cut” method will prompt it to double it’s leaves on each stem, thereby getting all bushy ‘n’ stuff. Trim or pinch right above where there are new leaves, so that they can be the new “top” of that stem.  LIKE THIS

Proviso:
Yeah, sometimes it really can be this easy. Most people are too attentive to their plants and over water them, causing them to die. The key to being a good plant parent is finding the sweet spot between necessary attention and benign neglect. When in doubt do less.
Give a man a bunch of basil and he’ll make pesto once. Give him a basil plant and he’ll have pesto for life.
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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!