How to Eat Fresh, Local Food all Year Long (Part 2)
Underground Vegetables:
These foods will keep for two months or more under cold, moist conditions. A root cellar is ideal, or you can bury bozes or barrels underground. If you live in a cold climate but don’t want to dig anything out, you can store many of these crops in an unheated garage or outbuilding. In warm climates where the soil stays above 45 degrees in winter, a second refrigerator may be you best option. Running an extra fridge consumes energy, but not nearly as much as is needed to process, package and shit the crops you would buy otherwise.
Crop:
• Apples: Peak season is late summer. Late maturing tart apples store best. Ideal, temperature range is 30 to 40 degrees with high humidity. Seperate apples from root vegetables because they give off ethylene gas that causes veggies to spoil. They may also be dried or canned.
• Beets: Peak season summer to fall. With tops removed, unwashed beets will keep 3 months or more at 32 to 40 degrees with high humidity. They may also be canned.
• Brussels sprouts: Peak season is fall. Pull up plants, shake soil from roots, and hang upside down in a cool basement. They will keep 3 to 6 weeks at 40 degrees with high humidity. They may also be frozen.
• Cabbage: Peak season is late summer to fall. Plants dug, trimmed and replanted in large pots will keep up to 7 months at 32 to 40 degrees with high humidity. Trimmed heads will keep 3 months. May also be canned.
• Carrots, or parsnips: Peak season is late summer to fall. Topped roots with leaves snipped off just above the growing crown will keep 3 motnhs or more at 32 to 40 degrees with high humidity. Roots replanted in spring will produce seeds. May also be frozen.
• Onions: Peak season is late summer to fall. Cured pungent onion will keep 6 months or more at 32 to 40 degrees with moderate humidity. Sweet onions store 1 to 2 months.
• Pears: Peak season is fall. Wipe clean, pack in loose paper and store at 29 to 34 degrees with high humidity. Most varieties store less than 3 months. May also be frozen, canned or dried.
• Potatoes: Peak season is summer to fall. Store best at 40 to 45 degrees with high humidity. Varieties will begin sprouting in 3 to 8 months.
• Rutabagas: Peak season is fall. Will keep 2 to 4 months at 32 to 40 degrees with high humidity.
• Sunchokes: Peak season is fall, winter, spring. Will store 2 to 5 months at 32 to 40 degrees with high humidity. Can be left in the ground in Zones 6 to 8.
• Turnips: Peak season is fall. Stretch the fall season with protective cover. Topped roots store 4 motnhs or more at 32 to 40 degrees with high humidity.
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Earthly Eating Recipe:
Frosted Pumpkin/Chocolate Drop Cookies
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
2 cups butter
2 cups sugar
1-16 ounce can of pumpkin
2 eggs
4 cups flour
2 tsp. pumpkin spice
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1-12 ounce bag of white chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375°F. Beat together the butter, sugar, canned pumpkin and eggs. Mix well after adding each egg. Add in flour 1 cup at a time and mix well after each addition. Add pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and mix well. Finally add the white chocolate chips and mix in. Drop evenly on ungreased baking shett. Bake for 16 minutes or until set. Cool for one minute on a cooling cookie rack.
Frosting:
1 container of cream cheese frosting
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
Combine and drizzle over cookies while they are still warm.
Happy Eating!
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