It happens every spring. You get so much good produce, but you’re not quite sure how to handle and store all of it.
Several members ask us what is the best way to wash and store leafy greens. Just Farmin’ does not wash leafy greens as the State of Ohio Health Department considers this processing. In order to get approved to “Process” leafy greens at our size and scale it would be quite a labor-intensive process and a little on the costly side. So, for that reason, we do not “Wash or Process” any of our leafy greens. We do however Hydro Cool leafy greens to remove field heat and excessive dirt from the product to help increase the shelf life.
Our best advice on greens is to only wash what you’re going to use at one time. Washing degrades leafy greens.
Our suggestion is as follows:
Separate leaves on lettuce heads and hold them under cold running water to remove any dirt. For smaller greens, such as spinach and arugula, swirl them in a bowl or a clean sink filled with cold water for about 30 seconds. Remove the leaves and shake gently to let dirt and other debris fall into the water. Repeat the process if necessary. Then on to dry the greens. You can either use a salad spinner or lay them out on a dishtowel to dry for a few minutes. What we like to do then is wrap the greens with the dish towel and place them in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator until ready to use.
If you’re looking for information on how to store and handle the rest of your produce, here’s a great article from Applecrest Farms. (click the name for the link to get to the article) Give it a read!
