Well, most likely they'll complain about the heat and tell each other how much they would like to sit in the dark, maybe even alone.
Because when we feel hot, so do the vegetables, but they can’t get away into the air conditioning (and we probably shouldn’t either, but that's another story). Maybe they can make a really miserable face for us to get their hint, and in case they’re just after the harvest, we'll place them in the fridge or in cool water.
Soon the grace period called "spring" will end, and summer will be here, with its load of burning hot days and khamsins, and the long hours of burdening heat that will make wish and say out loud – winter, when are you coming? Here are a few tips on how to best treat and maintain your organic fruits and vegetables.
Organic fruits and vegetables during the summer are an excellent method to measure how organic the produce actually is. Organic produce goes bad faster than non-organic produce. The reason for this is that heat accelerates processes – not only in relation to fruits or vegetables, but in general. Bacteria prefer warmer conditions (as long as they are not boiled, and I hope you do not boil your vegetables, nor the fruit), and in general, particles move faster when hot. Non-organic produce is treated in various forms and methods, some of which, chemical, to make it last longer. But we, of course, prefer to feed our bodies with healthy stuff, and not stuff that last longer.
There are a few basic rules to help you store the crisp, fresh and excellent produce you have bought, and encourage it during hot times. First, do not let it wait. On very hot days, although we try to shorten the time from picking until the vegetables knock at your door (or greet you at the store), the vegetables and fruits are suffering. Some of them begin to wilt right after the harvest – the leaves wither, the crisp greens become softer and droop, even shrivel a bit – like the lips of a dehydrated person. Try not to let them wait at your doorstep. We make every effort to only pick by order, and as late as possible before the delivery.
Second, be acquainted with those who continue to ripen and discharge ethylene gas, which causes their surroundings to continue ripening: banana, tomatoes, apricot, peach and nectarine.
A nectarine is happy to be next to an unripe avocado, but when it neighbors with potatoes or green leaves of any kind, they may express their displeasure with sprouting (in the case of potatoes) or yellowing (in the case of green leaves). Separate and govern. If it is hot, and the fruit you bought is ripe and no further ripening is needed, it can be placed in the refrigerator to slow down the processes, and extend the time until the fruit begins to spoil.
In the refrigerator – the coldest place is at the bottom and away from the door, which opens and closes (according to the number of times the household wishes to view the contents of the fridge, even if it is only for the ceremony that consists of opening the door, staring at the contents of an overloaded refrigerator, mumbling “uuug, there’s nothing to eat…” and closing the door. The frequency of this process is according to the number of adolescents in the home, or the number of items on your task list that you don’t really want to do). It is better to store in glass than in plastic, and verify that no vegetable remains attached to the leaves, bunches or flowers with which it had arrived, and definitely not wet. Moisture allows bacteria to grow and cause produce to spoil and rot. Green leaves can be wrapped in paper towels that absorb the excess moisture and avoid from spoiling quickly. What should be left out of the fridge? Avocados or unripe tomatoes, whole pumpkins, sweet potatoes and onions.
If you happen to have a vegetable that is looking exhausted – a cold, quick bath might cheer it up. You can find more tips here.
To health!
Yours,
The garden team
We can expect to receive in our organic vegetable baskets (draft only):
Cucumbers
Tomatoes
Lettuce
Potatoes
Cabbage
Beets
Parsley
Celery
Fennel
In the LARGE vegetable baskets also:
Carrots
Cilantro
Turnip
In the organic fruit baskets:
Clementine
Oranges
Bananas
In the LARGE fruit baskets also:
Sweetie
Grapefruit
