How to Store Our Salad Greens Plastic Free
One of the questions we get asked most is how to store our produce - especially since we aren't using plastic bags. We're on a mission to reduce our dependence on single-use plastic, and in today's world, that often requires a little education!
For bulk greens, we offer paper bags for transport, but they aren't recommended for long-term storage. When stored properly in an airtight container, our greens can last up to three weeks in the refrigerator. We recommend transferring them to a Tupperware container, mason jar, reusable silicone bag, or even a plastic bag you've saved from a previous purchase. Some customers have also had great success storing greens in a damp canvas or mesh produce bag.
For best results, greens should have a little moisture but shouldn't be soaking wet or completely dry. Most vegetables will stay freshest in your refrigerator's crisper drawer, which helps maintain the ideal humidity level.
Don't hesitate to ask us questions about storing your precious goodies. A little extra care goes a long way toward extending freshness, reducing food waste, and helping you enjoy every last bite of your harvest.
FROM THE FIELDS
Our fields are changing.
Spring was full of abundant greens and brassicas - turnips, cauliflower, radishes, and more lettuce than we knew what to do with. Honestly, we were swimming in lettuce.
Now we're transitioning the fields to summer crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers. The challenge is that our farm runs a bit cooler than downtown San Luis Obispo. Throughout May, we were still seeing nighttime lows in the 50s and even the high 40s. Maybe that's completely normal for this little pocket of the Central Coast, but as first-year farmers here, we're still learning how this landscape behaves.
All of that is to say: our summer crops are growing a bit slower than expected. We selected tomato varieties suited for a coastal climate, but the peppers and cucumbers are definitely begging for a heat wave. Every day I walk the fields and check on the fruiting crops, hoping to spot more flowers, more fruit, more signs that summer has finally arrived. My patience is getting tested.
In the meantime, there will be beets and fennel and radishes and zucchini—and yes, still plenty of lettuce—to fill the tomato-sized holes in our hearts.
One of the biggest ways I've grown as a farmer this season has been learning to interpret the garden through a new climate lens. Every crop responds differently to this place compared to where we we’re previously farming. While I can't make the tomatoes ripen any faster, I can appreciate that we're building a deeper understanding of how to grow food year-round for our community. That knowledge will be applied to the years to come!
WHAT’S COMING THIS WEEK
Find us at the farm on Mondays 4-6:30 for our pop up farmstand!
Fresh vegetables get delivered to the Avocado Shack now on Mondays.
We attend the Morro Bay Farmers Market every Thursday 2-4:30!
This week we’re looking at:
Roots: walla walla onions (sweet white spring onion), Carrots, Purple mini onions, Fennel, Radishes
Greens: Mellow mix (lettuce blend), Spinach (just a few pounds), Mighty mix, Moody mix (radicchio blend), Pea Shoots
Herbs: Sage, Thyme, Oregano, Zaatar oregano, Tarragon, Dill, Cilantro
Heads: Endive Frisée, Bok choy, Head lettuce (oak leaf, red and green), Napa Cabbage
Potatoes: Purple Viking (a stunning heirloom variety with vibrant purple-and-pink skin, creamy white flesh, and a rich buttery flavor that's equally delicious roasted, mashed, or tossed into a potato salad)
Thanks for following along!
Your farmers,
Jake and Jesse :)