Farm Notes

Oh, how I’m loving these chilly autumnal evenings and mornings! We’ve had a glorious stretch of sunny fall weather around here, with highs around 75F and lows in the 40s… though I’m preparing myself for the first frost which is surely coming soon. I’m not sure if all farmers feel this way, but I find myself pretty relieved and grateful for the first frost every fall.

In this area, the first frost usually happens at the end of October or early November, and by then we have finished all of our planting for the year, and can take a deep breath of relief and gratitude that we made it through another growing season. Granted, there are lots of growers who continue planting + harvesting through the winter (bless them!), but for now I’m happy to take a bit of a break between December and February. Because even though we aren’t harvesting in the winter, there are plenty of farm projects that have been neglected all year that can finally be addressed! Because I’m a total type-A list kinda gal, I’ve already made a (continually-growing) list of farm projects that I’m eager to tackle this winter / early spring 2022.

Here’s what I have so far on our winter project list:

Plant additional fruit trees (figs, mulberries, persimmons, pear)
Prep + plant perennial pollinator hedge along blueberry patch
Prep + plant blackberry patch next to blueberries
Prep + plant asparagus
Spread wood chips around berries and asparagus patches
Bush hog the “back 5” (aka the wild area on our farm outside the garden)
Clean + organize inside the barn !
Re-organize and streamline wash/pack area
Build a 3-bin composting set-up
Build raised bed boxes in front of barn for herbs and flowers

And now I’d love to know… how are you feeling about the first frost of the year? Has it already frosted where you live? What are some of your winter projects that you hope to tackle?

Kitchen Notes

One of the keys to eating like a farmer is learning how to properly store fresh produce, to help reduce unnecessary food waste. It’s not always intuitive to know how to best store things like carrots or beets or fresh lettuce – and there is nothing worse than having to toss perfectly good produce that has been languishing in the back of your fridge for far too long. Alas! Today I’m going to share some helpful produce storage tips for different types of produce, to help you maximize the life of your veggies.

PRODUCE STORAGE TIPS

BUNCHED GREENS (kale, collards, etc) – Store in a bag (ideally wrapped in damp paper towels) in the crisper drawer of your fridge.
LOOSELEAF GREENS – Store in bag (or in a container) in the crisper drawer of your fridge. If greens seem wet, insert a dry paper towel to absorb moisture.
LEAFY ROOT VEGETABLES (radishes, turnips, beets, carrots) – Make sure to first cut off any greens/tops (which will help the roots stay crisp) and then store the roots in a bag in the crisper drawer of your fridge. Root veggie greens are edible and versatile as well, so I encourage you to store the greens in a separate bag in your crisper drawer and cook with those too!
CUCUMBERS, SUMMER SQUASH & PEPPERS – If using in the next few days, it’s okay to leave these veggies out on your counter, as they don’t like to be super cold. If storing in fridge, store in the front where your fridge is warmest.
TENDER HERBS (basil, cilantro, dill, parsley, etc) – Store stems in a jar of water (like a bouquet of flowers) and keep out on your counter (or in your fridge). Keep water fresh and cut the stems periodically to extend shelf life.
HEARTY HERBS (rosemary, thyme, sage, etc) – Wrap herbs in a damp paper towel and store in a plastic bag in your fridge.
(DRIED) ONIONS & GARLIC – Store on your counter or in your pantry (ie room temp).
(FRESH/GREEN) ONIONS & GARLIC – Store in the crisper drawer of your fridge.
POTATOES – Store out of the fridge in a cool, dry, dark spot (a pantry is great).
TOMATOES – Store at room temperature on your counter, not in your fridge (the cold zaps all the great flavor).
WINTER SQUASH – Store out of the fridge in a cool, dry, dark spot (a pantry is great).

Today’s Stats

Low temp: 45F
High temp: 74F
Sunrise: 7:28am
Sunset: 6:36pm
Moon phase: Waxing gibbous
Additional notes: Glorious fall day!