Early Fall
In September and October, it is an understatement to say that farms in the northern hemisphere are “abundant” with produce; this is the time of year then the heaviest harvest baskets are overwhelmingly loaded up and enjoyed.
The family of cucurbits (the same family as gourds) are still producing summer varieties, so continue enjoying cucumber, summer squash, zucchini, and melon.
Sweet and hot peppers, tomatoes, and corn are in season too.
Many summer fruits are still in season;
- For mainstream berries; strawberries, blackberries.
- Apples, pears, grapes, figs, and other fall fruits are beginning to ripen. Seek these out and enjoy them with honey, as it is freshest from the hive in this season too.
Storing the Abundance
The past month, I have had a very active role in local produce, as I have been working and living on an organic, biodynamic produce farm in west Sonoma County! Our acre of food production is producing more than we can keep up with for ourselves and CSA members, so I have been delving into how certain produce likes to be stored for freshest and longest quality.
I wash my produce with simply cool water, but I know there are many other methods out there for washing produce, especially food that was bought from the grocery store because it has been passed through many hands and machines at that point.
Of course, eating your produce as soon as you are among it will guarantee the best outcome, but sometimes I can’t eat more than 2 cucumbers a day! What then?…
Peppers
- Avoid moisture by washing and drying peppers, and storing in a cool dry place in the fridge with a paper towel.
Tomatoes
- Store on a soft surface, in a cool and dark place out of the fridge. Arrange the stem side down and not stacked on top of each other
Soft Lettuce
- For a head of lettuce, keep intact, remove excess stem and damaged/dirty outer leaves, and store in the fridge with a paper towel to limit excess moisture
Kale
- Wash kale, trim the stems as if they are flowers, and place in a jar of cool water (the water should only be in contact with the stems and not leaves), then store in the fridge with enough room for the full leaf height to extent upwards
Radishes
- Wash any excess dirt from the radishes, then dry and store in the fridge in an open container. Alternative method is to store them in a jar full of water in the fridge with the leaves removed
Corn
- Keep corn on the husk and in the fridge until ready to eat
Cucurbits
- Store on a soft surface, not stacked or squeezed together, in the fridge
Apples
- Store in the fridge with other apples, and be wary of other produce around it as it will encourage others to ripen faster
Pears
- Store in the fridge with other pears, and avoid stacking
Grapes
- Store in the fridge with each grape on their stem, and avoid stacking too much weight
Figs
- Store the in the fridge on a soft surface, stem side up, and avoid any stacking and contact with other rigid surfaces
Canning/pickling, preserving, freezing, dehydrating, and freeze-drying are also wonderful options to handle abundant produce and make the most out of each nourishing food.
Enjoy the freshness while the sun is still waning in the sky! And remember, even if you don’t get to your fruits and veggies on time, extend the food’s life by feeding food waste to animals, then a compost system, and as a last resort, the landfill. Our food (and by extension, all the humans, soil ecology, field atmosphere, generations of seed libraries, transportation, organization, and everything else that makes it possible for you to buy and eat a cucumber whenever you feel like it…) deserve respect, attention, and gratitude. Enjoy!