WINTER IS COMING and our markets are closing right after Thanksgiving. Stock up now on fresh picked root veggies to give you better, healthier eating for the winter and save money! Our prices are better than most stores AND we accept SNAP, EBT, WIC and Healthbucks. You'll be surprised at how long these fresh veggies will last if you treat them right.

Here's how to store some for long refrigerator life:

Broccoli & Cauliflower: These stay crisp & fresh for 2 - 3 weeks in the refrigerator. To crisp up cauliflower, soak pieces in cold water in the refrigerator for a few hours. Broccoli perks up if you cut the end of the stem and place it in a glass of water, just like a bouquet of flowers! Both are loaded with antioxidants to help build your immune system.

Beets: Store the greens and roots separately. Eat the greens in a salad or stir-fry within a few days. Beets taste great and are loaded with antioxidants, and Vitamins A & K for bone health. Store them unwashed in the refrigerator by wrapping them in plastic with a few holes punched in. They'll last for 2 - 3 weeks

Squash:  If handled correctly, squash will keep for several months. They give you lots of tasty ways to help keep your immune system strong with antioxidants and Vitamins A and C. Calabazas, Acorn Squash, and Butternut Squash will last for a couple of months. Spaghetti Squash stores well for 4 - 6 weeks. 

Buying Squash: Look for hard outsides with no cuts/bruises and at least a 1 inch stem.

Storing Squash:

• DON'T wash your squash (that rhymes!)
• DO wipe off any dirt with a dry cloth.
• DON'T store in the refrigerator. Squash spoils quickly in the refrigerator.
• DO keep in a cool part of your kitchen.
• DO check every week or so to make sure it's not getting soft.   

Potatoes (Sweet or White):  Low in calories and full of Vitamins C, B, and Potassium. Potatoes are tasty way to get energy, help your heart and keep your skin and hair healthy. 

Before you ask - NO, NOT French-fried potatoes. Eat your potatoes baked, roasted or slipped into soup or stews to add extra nutrition. Sweet potatoes give you essential Vitamin D during those dark winter days. 

Buying Potatoes: Make sure there are no cuts in the skin. 

Storing Potatoes: Place them unwashed in a cool, dark place - like a small cardboard box - in a dark, dry part of your kitchen. Keep them dry. Eat the blemished squash first because they won't keep as long. Treat them right and they will last for several months!

Stock up now and save. You can enjoy all of these Harvest Home favorites long after our markets close for the winter. Happy Thanksgiving!

To find the Harvest Home Farmer's Market nearest you, visit HarvestHomeFM.org

Quick Cranberry Relish

Recipe

Ingredients 

• 3 cups of raw cranberries
• 1 orange quartered 
• 1 large beet
• 1 cup sugar or less

Preparation

• Put in a food processor or chop up fine.
• Chill before serving.

Blanche & Freeze Veggies

Tips

• Blanching is the process of boiling vegetables for a short time before plunging into ice water to halt the cooking process. 
• Before freezing vegetables you MUST blanch them. 
• Blanching holds in in flavor, color, texture and most importantly, vitamins & nutrients.
• Visit the National Center for Home Food Preservation for guidelines on freezing your veggies

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