Central Rivers Farmshed’s Local Food Buying Club Handbook · crops and compost incorporation....

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Local Food Buying Club Handbook Central Rivers Farmshed’s … A helpful guide to bulk buying quality local produce

Transcript of Central Rivers Farmshed’s Local Food Buying Club Handbook · crops and compost incorporation....

Page 1: Central Rivers Farmshed’s Local Food Buying Club Handbook · crops and compost incorporation. Diversity is great. Variety of vegetables, fruit, and berries, heirloom tomatoes and

Local Food Buying Club Handbook

Central Rivers Farmshed’s

… A helpful guide to bulk buying quality local produce

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The Club……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3

LFBC Member Agreement………………………………………………………………………………………………………..4 Farmer Agreement………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6 Participating Farms…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….8 How to Order, Monitor and Pick Up Food……………………………………………………………………….12 Seasonality…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….14 Produce Storage………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….15 Preservation Workshops and Community Processing……………………………………………20 Kitchen Use…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..21 Additional Resources……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….22 Contacts………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….23

Table of Contents

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Welcome

Welcome to Farmshed’s Local Food Buying Club (LFBC)! This handbook

should assist you in getting started and act as a quick reference guide to all

things LFBC. Whether you’re storing in a cellar, canning, freezing, drying or

cooking in large quantities, we hope you and your family enjoy what is sure

to be another wonderful year!

Farmshed Mission

Farmshed’s mission is to expand the connection between local residents and

their food by providing opportunities for participation, education,

cooperation, and action to support a local food economy in Central

Wisconsin. The LFBC has been a fitting addition to Farmshed’s programming,

aligning its purposes and functions with this mission.

Purpose of the club

The LFBC is a community initiative that enables people to purchase local

produce in bulk with the option of processing those items in the Farmshed

kitchen for long-term storage. The club’s intention is to inspire participation

from people at all places on the food spectrum, and encourage individuals to

learn from one another, share in the preservation experience, and eat

nutritious, quality locally grown produce year round. The LFBC offers its

members convenient access to local foods at a bulk price, but also provides a

fair and guaranteed sale to small local diverse farms. Go ahead, purchase in

bulk, strengthen community, stimulate the local food economy and enjoy

local goodness through the winter!

The Club

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Farmshed’s Local Food Buying Club Membership Agreement The Farmshed Local Food Buying Club is a community initiative to bulk purchase from local farmers that includes the option to community process foods in the Farmshed kitchen. The intention is to inspire participation from people at all places on the food spectrum, supporting local farms while learning from one another and sharing the kitchen experience. Think about it, more hands means lighter work. Local Food Buying Club Operating Principles

● There will be minimum quantities for each bulk item. If an individual’s order does not meet the minimum requirement, it will not be fulfilled.

● Orders are non-refundable. Members can transfer their order to another person, but it is their sole responsibility to pursue that option if necessary.

● A person must be a Farmshed member to place an order with the club. ● Farmshed will apply a 10% overhead fee to each order. ● If an ordered product is not delivered by the farm or producer, a refund will

be given. ● It is understood that product received from farms will be of mixed grade;

example - onions will vary in size, peppers will vary in shade from green to red.

● Member pick-up quantities will be divided to be as close as reasonably possible to what was ordered, but small differences due to measurement and aggregation means/limitations will be forgiven.

● Communication regarding LFBC updates/changes will be conducted through email/ Facebook.

● Volunteerism by members of the LFBC is highly encouraged and preferred.

Membership Agreement In order to be an LFBC member and purchase food through the Farmshed Local Food Buying Club, I agree to:

1. Honor the LFBC Operating Procedures. 2. Pay an annual Farmshed membership fee of $30-90 (sliding scale) and an

overhead fee of 10% per order to help cover Farmshed’s expenses.

Member Agreement

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3. Pay for my order on time. I understand that payments for orders will be done in three installments with the following due dates: 20% March 4, 40% April 15, 40% May 27. Early payment is accepted. I understand that non-payment may result in suspension of my participation in the LFBC.

4. Honor all drop site rules, including: 1. Bring my own bag/container for my products 2. Picking up my order within the week it is delivered at the times of

3:00pm-6:00pm Wednesday, 12:00pm-6:00pm Thursday, 12:00pm-5:00pm Friday

3. If I am unable to pick up my food in the time allotted, I will have someone else pick up my order for me

4. Being respectful of the pick-up site’s property and cleaning up after myself

5. Make advance arrangements with the coordinator if unable to pick up my order on time. I understand that late pick-ups—particularly if chronic—may result in the loss of my order and/or suspension of my participation in the LFBC. Orders not retrieved within the agreed upon pick-up time will be collected and distributed at the discretion of Farmshed.

6. Products not picked up within the specified time frames may be donated to a local food bank or re-sold by the farm coordinator and distribution organizer. Orders not picked up on time are NOT eligible for a refund; please make sure you pick up your order on time.

7. If I have a problem with an order, bring it to the attention of the Local Food Buying Club coordinator. I understand that the coordinator has entered into a working relationship with the farmers we purchase from, and it is his/her role to work toward resolving problems; therefore, I will not contact farmers directly regarding any issues related to the LFBC.

8. Function as flexible and ethical individual in all dealings with LFBC producer, members, and steering committee.

I agree to all of these conditions and voluntarily enter into this agreement: Name (signed)_____________________________________Date________________ Name (printed)_____________________________________ Phone number_____________________________________

Updated: 1/7/16

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Farmshed’s Local Food Buying Club Farmer Agreement The Farmshed Local Food Buying Club is a community initiative to bulk purchase from local farmers that includes an option to community process foods in the Farmshed kitchen. The intention is to inspire participation from people at all places on the food spectrum, learning from one another and sharing the kitchen experience. Think about it, more hands means lighter work. To participate in Farmshed’s Local Food Buying Club, I agree to abide by the following terms and conditions for selling: Farmshed’s Local Food Buying Club Selling Procedures The LFBC agrees to:

● Provide a Coordinator to communicate with Farmer concerning everything between order placement through delivery; including but not limited to: ○ Crop failure or inability to fulfill order ○ Scheduling delivery of product ○ Communicating if/what terms of an order were not met (delays,

missing product, damaged product etc) ● Host the order deliveries at Farmshed ● Check in and verify all orders upon delivery and document any

inconsistencies with deliverer ● Issue payment for product within two weeks of delivery, assuming terms of

the order were met ● Work with Farmer to determine appropriate payment if terms of the order

were unmet A LFBC Farmer Member agrees to:

● List annually in the Central Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas ● Communicate with the Coordinator

○ If an ordered product cannot be delivered ○ To provide estimated harvest and delivery dates ○ Notify Coordinator of product to be delivered at least one week prior ○ Deliveries can be made on Tuesday from 9am to 5pm or

Wednesday 9am to 1pm. ○ Respond to any questions, inquiries, or grievances within 48 hours

Farmer agreement

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● Call Farmshed (715) 544-6154, if product delivery will be delayed ● Be available during product delivery (in person or by phone) for questions ● Work with the LFBC to determine appropriate payment if terms of the

order were unmet ● Function as an ethical individual in all dealings with LFBC members and

steering committee Farmer signs and dates this agreement… Updated: 1/7/16

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Meet the farms that provide the LFBC with quality local produce!

CUTLER COUNTRY COMFORT

Randy, Sally & Hana Cutler 2554 County N Milladore, WI 54454 715.457.2781 or 715.305.5671 [email protected]

Cutler Country Comfort: producing naturally grown vegetables, fruits, and meats. A high tunnel and greenhouse give extended season availability for customers. Meat is grown using rotational grazing. A member of Auburndale Food Cooperative. Register to shop at localfoodmarketplace.com/auburndale for weekly availability. We deliver to major towns. Find us on Facebook.

EAST SLOPE FARM LLC

Brian & Anne Nischke N8905 W River Rd Manawa, WI 54949 920.596.3474 or 715.630.5129 [email protected] eastslopefarm.com

East Slope Farm is an organic family farm dedicated to growing high quality, clean, and responsibly grown produce for CSA and farmers’ market. We have CSA pickup locations in Stevens Point, Waupaca, New London, Fox Valley, and on farm. On farm store open on Sundays June through October. Visitors welcome. Find us on Facebook.

GLACIAL LAKE CRANBERRIES

Mary Brazeau Brown 2480 Cty Rd D Wisconsin Rapids, WI 54495 715.887.4161 [email protected] glaciallakecranberries.com

The Visitor Center sells fresh cranberries (during harvest) and other cranberry-

P a r t ic i p a t i n g F a r m s

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related items. Harvest tours (approximately end of September through late October): Mon-Fri: 10:30am and 1:30pm, and Saturday: 10am, 11am, 1pm, and 2pm. Reservations are required. Tours and Visitor Center hours available upon request during other seasons. Please call for reservations. Find us on Facebook.

HALF MOON HILL LLC

Gerrid & Sadie Franke 625 Cty Rd A Hamburg, WI 54411 715.574.1085 or 715.257.7031 [email protected] halfmoonhill.com

Half Moon Hill LLC is a small family farm that produces grass-fed lamb and beef, as well as several acres of raspberries and blueberries. Late in the summer we will also offer wine and cider. Visit us at the Wausau Farmer’s Market (now year-round!) or visit us on farm. Open hours will vary by season, check our website for current dates or give us a call. Find us on Facebook.

JOAN ARNOLD FARM

Joan Arnold 285 Cty Rd PP Rudolph, WI 54475 715.435.3518 localfoodmarketplace.com/auburndale

I believe in sustainable farming practices. I do companion planting, rotation of crops and compost incorporation. Diversity is great. Variety of vegetables, fruit, and berries, heirloom tomatoes and heritage apples. Jam, salsa, and apple sauce made only with fruit/ veggies from my farm. Old homestead family farm since 1870. Sells at Stevens Point (early/mid-week and Saturday) Farmers’ Market.

LONELY OAK FARM

Joel Kuehnhold & Taylor Christiansen 11946 Cty Rd S Milladore, WI 54454 715.457.2765 or 715.321.0229 [email protected] lonelyoakfarm.net

Lonely Oak Farm, a diversified farm, will be offering CSA shares- -vegetable, cheese, and coffee options available. Grass-fed lamb, beef, pork, and eggs sold

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at Family Natural Foods, Stevens Point and Wausau Farmers Markets and area restaurants. July-October brunch on the farm will be offered using farm raised ingredients. Find us on Facebook.

MIELKE’S FARM

Dan & Robin Mielke 2550 Cty Rd II Rudolph, WI 54475 715.344.4104 or 715.572.0801 [email protected] mielkesfarm.net

Farming naturally since 1860 on land isolated from chemical farming operations. Certified Organic vegetables, fruit and berries, as well as garlic and shallots. We also sell eggs, maple syrup, baked goods, jams, jellies etc. which are produced in our state certified kitchen. Selling at Stevens Point and Wisconsin Rapids farmers’ markets.

ROSE OF SHARON HOMESTEAD

Ken & Stacy Zivicki 10761 Smokey Hill Rd Milladore, WI 54454 715.383.8620

It has been a dream of ours for some time to be able to provide our family with Organic GMO-free fruits, veggies and meats. We are just in the infant stages of building a lil’ homestead that can provide just that for our family and others. We have free range fresh eggs, Pastured chicken, turkey, duck and heritage pork for sale. Our CSA (food share) is for members to get a weekly box of fresh organic veggies and fruit. Rose of Sharon Homestead is focusing on proving healthy food for the body! STONEY ACRES FARM Tony Schultz & Kat Becker 7002 Rangeline Rd Athens, WI 54411 715.432.4683 [email protected] stoneyacresfarm.net

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A third-generation certified organic family farm serving Wausau, Medford, Marshfield, and surrounding areas. We sell farm goods through a CSA, Wausau farmers market, and a Friday (May- November) wood red, farm-to-table pizza. We grow 180 varieties of vegetables, fruit and herbs; maple syrup, grass-fed beef, organic eggs and pork. Find us on Facebook. See graphic ad page 27.

UNCLE MIKE’S MAPLE SYRUP

Mike Taylor Stevens Point, WI 54482 920.379.6676 As temperatures warm in March each year, maple sap is collected from the maple trees at Uncle Mike's 40 acres in northern Shawano County. Each 40 gallons is sap is boiled down to yield just one gallon of pure maple syrup. There is nothing added whatsoever (other than hard work)! While the process is hard work, it is truly a labor of love producing a sweet treat enjoyed by young and old for its flavor, nostalgia, and health benefits compared to other choices. WHITEFEATHER ORGANICS LLC Tony & Laura Whitefeather 2239 Sky View Rd Custer, WI 54423 715.252.2051 715.630.9045 [email protected] whitefeatherorganics.blogspot.com

Certified Organic vegetables, mushrooms, and some fruit. Offering CSA Shares Full/Half in summer, Extended Shares into December. Delivering to Stevens Point, Plover, Waupaca, and Wisconsin Rapids. Also raising pastured, organic fed chickens, pigs, eggs and fresh Thanksgiving turkeys. Wholesale welcomed. See us at the Stevens Point Market on Saturdays! From Stevens Point: East on Hwy 10, North on Sky View Road. Call or email for a visit! Find us on Facebook.

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T h e a - z o f h o w t o g e t b u l k f o o d s !

1) Become a Farmshed member

• Farmshed membership is required to participate in the Local Food Buying Club. This applies to businesses and individuals.

2) Members place orders

• Farmshed members will be given the opportunity to fill out an order form in late February/ early March, selecting their desired products and quantities from the available assortment.

• Each member must sign a LFBC Member Agreement and return it with their order form, agreeing to the terms and conditions of the buying club.

• Once members have placed their orders, LFBC management will aggregate and divide out all of the member orders among the participating farms/producers.

3) Members are alerted and Producers drop off food at Farmshed

• Throughout the growing season, producers will alert Farmshed with delivery dates as crops are ready for harvest. Various crops are ready at different times of the year, so drop-offs are made throughout the season.

• Farmshed will email those LFBC members who have product being delivered with each farmer delivery.

• These emails will contain a link to the “Member Pick Up Spreadsheet”, which contains the details of the orders arriving, who they belong to and when they can be picked up. Reminders to check this spreadsheet will also be posted to Farmshed’s Local Food Buying Club Facebook page.

• Producers/farms are required to drop off food at Farmshed on Mondays and Tuesdays. Members are then able to pick up their orders Wednesday – Friday at the designated times (listed below)

H o w t o O r d e r , m o n i t o r a n d p i c k u p f o o d

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4) Members pick up food from Farmshed: • Picking up your food is easy! Just come to the Farmshed facility at 1220

Briggs Court in Stevens Point on one of our designated pick-up days. • The Farmshed facility will be open and available for LFBC members to

pick up their order throughout the season at these times: Wednesday: 3:00pm-6:00pm Thursday: 12:00pm-6:00pm

Friday: 12:00pm-5:00pm • Members must pick up their orders within the week it is delivered to

Farmshed. • Please bring your own bags and boxes to transport your items.

A l s o

The LFBC Facebook group: Join Farmshed’s Local Food Buying Club group on Facebook! This is a great place to share pictures of your bulk orders, seek recipes and canning ideas, show off your cooking, coordinate processing in the Farmshed kitchen, ask questions about the club, stay up to date on order pick ups and watch for up-coming workshops and events.

(Example Member Pick Up Spreadsheet – What you will see when you have a product arriving at Farmshed)

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When to expect your produce

The Local Food Buying Club receives local produce as crops are naturally ready for harvest. This means that various items will be ready from pick-up at different times throughout the growing season. See the chart below for ranges of when you can expect your bulk items to arrive. We hope this will assist you in your processing, storage, preservation and cooking plans.

Seasonality

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How to keep your produce

The following pages contain examples of produce items offered by the buying club and how to properly store them immediately after pick-up. This will ensure the quality of your produce is kept in top-notch condition until your favorite method of processing can be done. Some items below also have freezing techniques offered as a long-term storage alternative if you will not be canning them.

Storage information was sourced from these sites; please check

them out for additional information! http://learningstore.uwex.edu/assets/pdfs/A3823.pdf

http://www.gracelinks.org/blog/ http://stilltasty.com

Apples

• Store in baskets or boxes lined with perforated plastic to help retain moisture. Individual fruit can be wrapped in tissue paper or newspaper. Store apples between 32°F and 38°F with high humidity.

• Refrigerators will tend to draw moisture from apples and they commonly shrivel in refrigerated storage unless they are in perforated plastic bags that will retain moisture.

Asparagus

• Place upright in a jar containing about 1 inch of water, cover loosely with plastic, and cool immediately. Store at 36°F for up to 10 days. Asparagus is sensitive to chilling and after several days at 32°F it will lose its sheen and the tips will turn gray. Indications of severe chilling injury will appear as darkened spots near the tips. Conversely, storage at temperatures above 50°F for a prolonged time will quickly cause the spears to become tough.

Beans (fresh)

• Beans are highly perishable and need to be stored in perforated plastic bags in the refrigerator.

• If you will not be able to can them in time: boil for 1 to 2 minutes, drain under running cold water, pat dry, and then place in a Zip-style bag and freeze.

Beets (storage)

• Beetroot can be stored loose or in a plastic bag in your fridge’s veggie drawer for two to three weeks, or longer. Removing green tops before storage will greatly extend the storage life. Beet greens are far more delicate and should be cooked within two or three days of purchase; cut greens from the roots and store in a plastic bag in the fridge.

Produce Storage

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• Beets can be pickled, canned and frozen. • Beets can also be stored outside in insulated pits or trenches. When placing them in

the pit, leave a small amount of space between each. Be sure to provide good air circulation to prevent post-harvest rots regardless of where beets are stored.

Broccoli

• Store unwashed in the refrigerator and keep moisture to a minimum. Keep it loosely wrapped in a perforated plastic bag or dish towel, and use within a few days. As broccoli ages, it starts to mold and soften.

• If you’re racing against time, consider freezing for later. Separate stalks from florets and parboil everything for three minutes, then shock in an ice water bath. Drain well, pat dry and place in freezer bags.

Brussels Sprouts

• Refrigerate up to 3–5 weeks in perforated plastic bags.

Cauliflower

• Cauliflower will keep for a few weeks if kept dry and covered in the refrigerator. A sealed plastic bag is optimal. If uncovered, cauliflower will start to wilt after a few days.

• Keep enough wrapper leaves to hold the head together. Do not wash cauliflower before refrigerating. Wrap in a damp cloth or paper towel to maintain high humidity. Cauliflower stored at low humidity levels will turn brown.

Cabbage (storage)

• Leave two to four wrapper leaves around the head to help prevent drying. Do not wash before storage. It is not necessary to store cabbage in a plastic bag. Cabbage will remain in good condition for 3–4 months under cold, moist conditions.

• Whole cabbage can be stored in your fridge for a long, long time – up to two months or more.

• Or, cut cabbage heads wrapped in plastic will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. Don’t wash your cabbage before you store it – washing the head will just accelerate its decline.

Carrots (storage)

• Carrots improve in quality with cold storage and become sweeter as time goes on. Wash roots and remove the tops before storage. Refrigerated carrots should be stored in perforated plastic bags.

• If refrigerator space is limited, carrots may be stored in a cool location in 5-gallon buckets filled with damp sand.

• If you’ve purchased carrots with their feathery tops, remove the tops immediately after you get home and store them separately. Wrap the greens in a paper towel and place in a zip-top bag in your crisper drawer. They will only keep for a day or two.

• Stored loose or in a paper bag, most carrots will keep in the crisper for at least a month.

Corn • Corn purists insist that corn should be eaten the day it was picked, or at the very least,

by the next day. However, it can also be kept wrapped in damp paper towels, for 2-3

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days in the refrigerator. • The kernels become starchier and less sweet the longer the ears are stored. • Sweet corn should be chilled to just above 32°F as quickly as possible after harvest

and kept in the refrigerator. The husks can remain on the ear or be removed. • Refrigerate in a perforated plastic bag to minimize moisture loss.

Cranberries (fresh, raw)

• Refrigerate in plastic bag or covered container for up to 3-4 weeks. • Freeze in airtight containers or freezer bags for up to 10-12 months.

Cucumbers

• Store in the vegetable crisper of the refrigerator in a plastic bag. Cucumbers will turn yellow and decay rapidly if stored at temperatures below 40°F or above 59°F.

Herbs – Basil

• Trim the stem ends and place basil in a glass containing about 1 inch of water, cover with a loose fitting plastic bag and leave at room temperature. Replace the water when it gets cloudy.

• Refrigeration can quickly cause the leaves to turn black. • Avoid too much moisture, as it will cause the leaves to decay and disintegrate. • To freeze, wash trim and chop the basil, allow it to dry thoroughly, then place in freezer

bags or ice cube trays with small amount of water and freeze (then transfer to freezer bag once frozen).

Herbs – Cilantro

• Keep fresh cilantro refrigerated, standing upright in a tall glass, like a bouquet of flowers, and loosely cover with a plastic bag.

• Cilantro is very perishable and will quickly break down into mush if stuffed into a plastic bag and laid down in the fridge.

Herbs – Dill

• Can store like cilantro (above). • Or, shake the stems loosely and place them in a plastic bag. Add a piece of paper

towel to absorb any condensation that may form inside the bag. When kept in the refrigerator in this manner, dill can last up to 10 days and still maintain its freshness.

Herbs – Oregano • Wrap in a damp paper towel and place in a damp paper towel in the refrigerator. It will

keep for a couple weeks like this.

Herbs – Parsley

• As one of the hardiest leafy herbs, parsley keeps well in the refrigerator. • Either put in a plastic bag or stand upright in a jar with a couple inches of water.

Herbs – Rosemary

• Place bundles in a jar with water and keep on the counter. • Can be wrapped in a damp towel and stored in the refrigerator but be careful, some

people say the stems don’t do so well with moisture.

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Herbs – Sage

• Wrap in a damp paper towel and placed in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. • Or, cut the ends of the stems and place in a jar with an inch or two of water and leave

on the counter as bouquet.

Herbs – Thyme

• Place bundles in a jar with water and keep on the counter. • Can be wrapped in a damp towel and stored in the refrigerator but be careful, some

people say the stems don’t do so well with moisture.

Kohlrabi

• Remove the leaves before storing. • Kohlrabi bulbs will keep in your refrigerator's veggie drawer for several weeks. • Note that the bulbs tend to become woodier the longer you store them.

Mushrooms

• Refrigerate in a paper bag to promote air circulation. Do not store in a plastic bag or airtight container.

• Mushrooms do not store for long and should be used/ processed within 3 days or so.

Onions

• Stored in a cool, dry place, onions will keep for many, many months. • Exposing them to light hastens sprouting, which can lead to quicker rotting. • Onions exposed to freezing temperatures will have water-soaked scales. • Spring onions should be used within a week. Store them in the crisper drawer of your

refrigerator.

Peas

• Store in a plastic bags in the refrigerator. • Do not shell peas until ready to use or process. • To freeze: shell and wash peas, blach for 1.5 minutes and chill immediately in ice-

water, drain well, package in freezer bags and freeze immediately.

Peppers • Store in a plastic bag and keep in the refrigerator for up to a week. Make sure the

pepper’s skin is totally dry before storing – moisture causes rapid deterioration. • Green peppers will usually stay fresh longer than orange or red peppers. • Peppers are very chilling sensitive and should not be stored at temperatures below

41°F or they will develop surface pits, water-soaked areas, and will decay more quickly.

• To freeze: slice or chop peppers, freeze on cookie sheet, promptly place in freezer bags and return to freezer.

Potatoes

• Store potatoes in a cool (40-55°F), dark place. A basement may be ideal. • Keep them dry and store in a loosely covered bag or basket to allow for air circulation. • Do not store potatoes next to onions; as certain chemical reactions can speed the

spoilage of both.

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• Most potatoes will keep for 1-3 months (or more).

Raspberries

• Place raspberries loosely in a shallow container, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

• Will only keep for 2-3 days.

Strawberries

• Place strawberries loosely in a shallow container, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.

• Will only keep for 2-3 days.

Summer Squash

• Keep refrigerated wrapped in paper instead of plastic, which traps moisture. • Use within two or three days. • Summer squash is susceptible to chilling injury at temperatures below 50°F; symptoms

include surface pitting, water loss, and yellowing. • Freezing is not recommended.

Tomatoes

• Keep tomatoes on the counter, rather than in the refrigerator, until they are fully ripe. • Partially ripe tomatoes may be ripened more quickly by storing them in a paper bag at

room temperature out of direct sunlight. • Fully ripened tomatoes can be placed in a plastic bag and refrigerated if necessary. • Red-ripe tomatoes should not be refrigerated or they will lose their flavor and become

overly soft. Periodically check stored tomatoes to remove ripened fruit and fruit beginning to decay.

Winter Squash

• Keep in a cool, dark and dry place. • Winter squash should hold up for at least a month, and even longer if your storage

space is well ventilated. • For optimum quality, store acorn squash for 5–6 weeks, butternut and pumpkins store

for 2–3 months, turban and buttercup for 3 months, and Hubbard squash for 6 months.

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Preservation Workshops: Farmshed will be hosting 6 preservation workshops during the 2016 season. These 2-hour workshops will be available to LFBC members and will focus on different methods of preserving bulk goods. Come on in and learn valuable skills to help you eat well year-round! SCHEDULE: TO BE DETERMINED (see the LFBC calendar for workshop dates)

COMMUNITY PROCESSING The Farmshed kitchen will be available on alternating Wednesdays and Sundays throughout the growing season for LFBC members to process and prepare their bulk foods. Please take advantage of this opportunity to use a commercial community kitchen! To sign up for Community Processing, view the LFBC calendar to check kitchen availability, email us at [email protected] with your desired time slot and we will post you to the calendar to save your spot. *Limit 10 members per processing day. SCHEDULE: *subject to change

JUNE JULY AUGUST SEPTEMBER OCTOBER

Sunday 6/12 Wednesday 7/6

Wednesday 8/3

Sunday 9/4

Sunday 10/2

Wednesday 6/22

Sunday 7/10

Sunday 8/7

Wednesday 9/14

Wednesday 10/12

Sunday 6/26

Wednesday 7/20

Wednesday 8/17

Sunday 9/18

Sunday 10/16

Sunday 7/24

Sunday 8/21

Wednesday 9/28

Wednesday 10/26

Wednesday 8/31

Preservation Workshops and Community processing

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What is the Farmshed kitchen? Over recent years, Farmshed has continually improved its large onsite kitchen to create a commercial cooking space that is certifiable and ideal for food preparation, processing and storage. To meet the diverse needs of our community, this kitchen features a variety of commercial grade restaurant equipment, cooking utensils, refrigeration space, dish sets, and much more! Why do we have a community kitchen? A shared kitchen allows Farmshed to promote environmental sustainability and healthy eating habits while stimulating the local food economy by providing a space for community members to process, cook and educate others about quality locally grown foods. What can I do in the Farmshed kitchen? The Farmshed kitchen is built to meet the demand of your bulk food needs:

• Use our canning equipment and range system to preserve your foods with your favorite acidified recipes

• Wash and prep your fruits and vegetables with our sanitary stainless steel counters and sinks

• Freezing your produce? Chopping, blanching and bagging are a breeze in this large commercial space with all the tools you need

• Enjoy the company of other LFBC members and the opportunity to learn or teach your new favorite food ideas!

How can I use the Farmshed kitchen? We invite and encourage LFBC members to use this wonderful community resource. Contact [email protected] or call 715-544-6154 to check kitchen availability and make a reservation. *Kitchen space is limited and not all who apply will gain access. We will do our best to maintain a fair and even usage policy. Where is the Farmshed kitchen? The Farmshed kitchen is part of the Farmshed facility located at 1220 Briggs Court, Stevens Point, WI 54481. Our building can be easily spotted with its two large connected greenhouses off of Center Point Drive.

Kitchen Use

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Helpful Websites Looking for additional information and tips on storage, preservation and recipes? These websites may help you get started.

• Search for what's in season, additional info, recipes and storage tips:

http://www.sustainabletable.org/seasonalfoodguide/

• UW-Extension has great information on preserving and storing:

http://www.foodsafety.wisc.edu/preservation.html

• UW Extension videos on preservation:

http://fyi.uwex.edu/safepreserving/videos/

• USDA food storage and preservation page:

https://fnic.nal.usda.gov/consumers/all-about-food/food-storage-and-

preservation

• Recipes galore, searchable by ingredient:

http://www.whatscooking.fns.usda.gov/

• The Cooks Thesaurus is delightfully useful when you want to learn more

about an ingredient or substitute different foods: http://www.foodsubs.com/

Additional Resources

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comments, questions and concerns…

[email protected] Farmshed facility… [email protected] 715-544-6154

Contacts