Simple Ways to Store and Use Your Spring Farm Box Produce Before It Goes to Waste

There’s a moment every spring when the food starts coming in faster.

The radishes still have their greens.

The scallions are bigger than the ones from the grocery store.

The herbs smell amazing… but they’re also one forgotten produce drawer away from turning sad.

And if you’re like me, you don’t want to waste any of it.

Not because you need one more thing to feel guilty about.

But because this food matters.

It took soil, sunshine, rain, hands, harvest time, and your own intention to bring it into your kitchen.

So today, I’m inviting you into my farmhouse kitchen to show you a few simple things I do when spring produce starts filling the fridge.

Nothing fancy.

Nothing complicated.

Just small habits that help you actually use what you bought.

In the video, I walk through the nutrient-packed foods I selected for my Market Box and share tips you can use right away, including:

• how to store herbs so they last longer
• what uncured ham means
• whether raw cheese is better for you
• the difference between pickling cucumbers and slicing cucumbers
• simple ways to use more of your farm food before it goes to waste

Watch the video, then scroll down for more practical tips from my kitchen — including what to do with radishes, scallions, ginger, turmeric, and all those little spring extras that make meals better when you know how to use them.

A Few Small Kitchen Habits That Make Spring Food Easier

I finally got a few of my spring produce strategies done this week.

Nothing complicated. Just a few small things that make the food easier to use once the week gets busy.

This morning, I cut the tops off my red radishes right away and chopped the greens into my omelet with scallions and a little green garlic.

Simple. But so good.

It reminded me that using farm food well usually doesn’t start with a new recipe.

It starts with one small habit when the food comes into your kitchen.

• Trimming the greens.
• Chopping the scallions.
• Freezing the ginger before it gets forgotten in the back of the fridge.

Those little things make the difference between food that gets used and food that slowly turns into guilt in the produce drawer.

So here are a few simple spring produce habits I’m using in my own kitchen right now.

Start with the Radishes

Radishes will stay crisp longer if you remove the greens right away.

After harvest, the greens keep pulling moisture from the radish root. If they stay attached, the radishes can turn rubbery much faster.

What to Do When Your Radishes Come In

1. Cut the greens off right away.
2. Store the radish roots separately in the fridge.
3. Use the greens within a day or two.

How to Use Radish Greens

Radish greens are edible and easy to use in small amounts.

Try them:

• chopped into eggs or omelets
• stirred into soup
• sautéed with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper
• mixed with other greens if you don’t have enough for a full side dish

They don’t need to be the main part of the meal. Think of them as a bonus green you can add to something you’re already making.

Simple Habit to Remember

Roots last longer when the greens come off.

That one small step helps you keep the radishes crisp and gives you a better chance of using the greens before they wilt.

Prep the Scallions Before They Take Over the Fridge

Scallions are one of those spring vegetables that can make almost anything taste better.

But when they come in fresh from the farm, they can be much bigger than the little bundles you see at the grocery store.

That means they can also get bulky in the fridge fast.

When I get scallions, I like to handle them right away.

What to Do When Your Scallions Come In

1. Trim off any wilted tips.
2. Cut the green tops from the white bottoms.
3. Slice the green tops thin.
4. Store the sliced tops in a container in the fridge.
5. Store the white bottoms separately in the produce drawer.

How to Use Prepped Scallions

Once the scallions are already sliced, they become one of the easiest things to add to meals.

Sprinkle them on:

• eggs
• soups
• potatoes
• rice
• salads
• stir-fries
• sandwiches

This is one of those small habits that makes cooking feel easier later in the week.

You are not pulling out the whole bunch, washing, trimming, chopping, and cleaning up every time you need a little flavor.

You already did that part.

Simple Habit to Remember

Prep the bulky things first.

When scallions are sliced and ready, you are much more likely to use them before they get tired in the fridge.

Freeze Ginger and Turmeric Before They Get Forgotten

Ginger and turmeric are easy to tuck into the fridge and forget about.

I had some sitting there for a couple weeks, and I knew if I didn’t do something with it soon, it was going to turn into one more good thing I meant to use.

So I had the girls chop it all up and freeze it.

Now it’s ready for smoothies, soups, stir-fries, tea, broth, and anything else that needs that little boost of flavor and goodness.

What to Do with Extra Ginger or Turmeric

1. Wash or peel it if needed.
2. Chop it into small pieces.
3. Spread the pieces on a tray or plate so they do not freeze into one big clump.
4. Freeze until solid.
5. Move the frozen pieces into a freezer bag or container.

How to Use Frozen Ginger and Turmeric

Once it is chopped and frozen, you can grab just a little at a time.

Use it in:

• smoothies
• soups
• stir-fries
• rice dishes
• tea
• broth
• marinades

You do not have to wait until you have the perfect recipe.

Just add a little where it makes sense.

Simple Habit to Remember

Freeze the small, powerful things before they disappear in the fridge.

That one small step helps you keep using ginger and turmeric long after their fresh season has passed.

Exit Strategy for Greens Overload

Lettuce, Bok Choy, Napa Cabbage, Mizuna, Collards, Kale – they are all green and leafy. PLUS, you get the bonus greens from the tops of the beets, radish and kohlrabi.

Besides throwing the stems, ends or cores of these nutritious greens in your “veggie scrap bag” for your own DIY veggie broth, you can also make “green cubes” to use later.

When you need a quick way to use your greens and get them out of your refrigerator before they go to waste, or before your next Market Box full of farm goodness arrives, the Green Cube Strategy comes to the rescue.

Making ice cube-shaped pureed greens is a great way to “hide” extra nutrition into your soups, stews and sauces this winter. Leafy greens lose a lot of volume when you cook them so they are easy to store in the freezer without taking up freezer space.

How to Make Green Cubes Video: This video tutorial from my friend’s CSA farm in Ohio teaches you this quick, easy method. It may look like a number of steps but each one only takes a minute or two. You’ll be happy you saved them to use later.

Download the Green Cube Method guide to keep as a reference. Maybe even start a binder and keep these handy guides as printouts.

Farm Food Meal Suggestion:

Make use of several items from your box and try this  Farmer’s Favorite Summer Skillet. This beautiful seasonal mix of Swiss chard, scallions, tomatoes, zucchini, and garlic scapes is delicious alone, over pasta, or as a side.

Keep Tessa’s Favorite Coleslaw Dressing & Recipe on hand all season to make coleslaw or use over any spring salad.

Veggie E-Books

Download these collections of tips and recipes for each veggie. You’ll use these as a reference throughout the season.

Bok Choy E-Book
Cucumbers E-Book
Garlic Scape E-Book
Fresh Herbs E-book
Kohlrabi E-Book
Tomatoes E-Book

 

We support your desire to have a good, healthy way of life and organic farm food on your table that supports that goal.

We’ll keep farming for you!

Reuben and Tessa DeMaster
Willow Haven Farm

 

Make Real Food Easier to Use Every Week

When you have good food in your kitchen, a few simple habits can help you waste less, cook more confidently, and make meals feel easier. Start with seasonal produce, try a simple farm sampler, or enter our Real Food Giveaway to get connected with the farm.

Shop Seasonal Produce

Start with the Sampler

Not ready to order yet?

Enter the Real Food Giveaway and get connected with the farm. It’s an easy first step if you want more ideas for using real food before placing your first Market Box order.

Enter the Real Food Giveaway