Happy October, CSA members!
Our fall harvest is beginning to flourish. The greens look amazing and fresh. We are still harvesting okra, strawberries, and raspberries. We also have TONS of jalapeno peppers.
When picking the greens, we do our best to make sure they are clean and clear of any critters that just can't let go of their leaves. The caterpillars and worms love our kale. One of the benefits of having organic grown produce is there are no pesticides or chemicals that come in contact with your food. The downside, at times, is finding a worm hidden in a leaf somewhere. We are going to do our best to clean these critters off the leaves before they go into your CSA box. It is always best to wash produce just before eating, but we want to make sure everyone is happy with their orders. We will rinse off the leaves in a solution of salt and water and I am going to share a simple recipe you can do at home that can work with any produce.
Once you have picked your own produce, or gotten fresh produce from somewhere else and are ready to consume, follow this easy fruit and vegetable wash to kill any bugs or bacteria:
Fill sink with water or a large bowl, depending on amount to be cleaned
Fill with lukewarm water (I prefer colder water for leafy greens)
Add a teaspoon of salt per cup of water. If filling a sink, just measure a 1/2 or 1 cup of salt and mix
add your produce
allow to soak for 10 to 15 minutes
Rinse off produce with cold water
Some recipes online may call for baking soda, in which case the solution should soak for only 5-10 minutes. I prefer to use Himalayan pink salt or Celtic Sea Salt because the salt will clear the produce of bacteria and the minerals from the salt will go into the vegetables. Set a timer to because if it sits too long, the salt will begin to flavor the produce.
As we set up the boxes for the week, I wanted to let all of you know that we have an abundance of apples, red potatoes, and jalapeno peppers. If you would like to make a separate purchase for a bulk amount, please contact Mr. Weber at 610-334-6233.
Thank you for reading our Happenings! Have a great week!
