2013 Storage Share
Here's what is in your storage share, along with tips to store it:
The farmers of City Commons salute your wisdom in buying a storage share. This box of goodies will keep you eating delicious, organic food into the fall and maybe even winter months. Below find a few tips on how to best store these items for maximum taste and nutrition. One rule that applies to all of these is to check on them often. One rotten potato really can start to ruin the whole sack, so be sure to remove food that is going bad from the rest, or if just a small part of a squash or onion is going bad, cut that part off and use the rest of it soon.
Enjoy these garden goodies during the cool, dark months while you're dreaming of the beginning of our 2014 City Commons CSA season.
Garlic and onions- Both of these should be stored in a cool, dry place. A dry basement or garage (as long as it stays above freezing) is great. A refrigerator is not a good choice, it is too moist and there's not enough air circulation. They should be stored in a way that allows for maximum air flow (an onion bag or some sort of mesh or wire basket is great). Stored this way they could keep all the way into spring 2014.
Potatoes- Potatoes like similar storage conditions to garlic and onions (cool and dry). You should also be sure that the spot where they are stored is dark. They also won't keep quite as well as the garlic and onions, for best results try to use them all before March. If they start to sprout, don't worry, they are still good to eat. Break off the sprouts and use them quickly.
Winter squash- Squash would like to be stored in a dry place like the items above, but a little bit warmer. Squash like to be just below room temperature, at about 55F. A cool corner of the basement perhaps? Or an uninsulated closet? They will store OK at room temperature as well. Stored this way they should keep until the end of December at least.
Dried herbs and tea- These items need a very dry place to stay, putting them in a glass jar or sealed plastic bag is a great idea. Stored this way it shouldn't matter too much what temperature they are at (as with other herbs and spices storing them too hot will eventually degrade the flavor) and they can store almost indefinitely.
Carrots, celeriac, and beets- Carrots and beets won't store quite as long as onions. They also want to be stored someplace cool, but will want some humidity. A crisper drawer is fine, or a very cool spot in the basement. A plastic bag with holes punched in it works well, allowing the vegetables to breath a little, but holding in most of the moisture. You'll want to store them without the greens (use them to make soups or something else earlier) but don't actually cut into the root; cut the greens off about an inch above the root. The traditional way to keep them in a root cellar is in moist sawdust. These should keep at least until the winter solstice if stored properly.
Leeks- Leeks are best stored in a cool, moist place. The crisper drawer of your refrigerator is great for this. Like carrots and beets, a plastic bag with holes punched in it can also be helpful. These won't keep all that long, probably only a couple weeks, so put them towards the top of your cooking pile.