My customers are reporting 3 weeks of freshness on
my spring greens. They are spun dry, packed in vented salad bags and put in the
fridge immediately. I am not sure what makes the difference, but it is nice to
have some extra time.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Sunday, July 09, 2006 4:04 PM
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] salad
spinners
On Jun 30, 2006, at 8:11 AM, Lynn Wigglesworth
wrote:
I do 5-6 pounds of leaf lettuce for the farmers' market and
found a cheap method that works for me. I soak it well in cold water, and
keep changing the water as long as dirt is still coming off the lettuce.
I put it in wire baskets and put it in the fridge for 2-3 hours, shaking
it once in a while. After 2-3 hours, it's dry enough to bag (I do
half-pound bags). It holds up well in the bag for about a week that way.
I guess eventually I'll have to graduate to a spinner, but this works for
now.
And here I didn't know any better than just to
pack it wet. All I do is rinse it off; let it drain a few minutes (in the type
of plastic picking tray that has drain holes in it); pack it loosely in waxed
vegetable boxes (which also let the excess drain some, though a little water
may collect in the bottom); stick it in the cooler. If I have time, I make a
few bags up in advance for faster setup at market, as most of mine sells as
mixed bags; most of it I bag at market a few bags at a time, as I never know
which varieties will sell significantly as individual heads, or whether some
customers may want a particular mix (all romaines, or whatever). Mine keeps
well in a bag for about a week too (in cooler or refrigerator, of course).
Water doesn't seem to pool significantly in the bags, as it's dripped off
enough to prevent that.
The bags are left open at the top, unless the
customer closes them after purchase; so the lettuce can breathe some. And
these are whole heads of various sizes, occasionally split carefully in half
if otherwise too big to get three in a gallon bag; not cut as individual
leaves. And I don't sell it for a week; but it keeps that long in my
refrigerator or cooler, and my customers tell me it keeps about a week for
them from purchase, which is usually the day after harvest; though leftovers
may be sold a couple of days later in some cases. All these things may make a
difference.
-- Rivka; Finger Lakes NY, Zone 5
mostly Fresh-market organic produce, small scale/smaller>
_______________________________________________ Market-farming
mailing
list Market-farming AT lists.ibiblio.org http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/market-farming
Get
the list FAQ at:
http://www.marketfarming.net/mflistfaq.htm
|