In Season
Spring & Fall

Storage Tips
To keep mushrooms fresh, store them in a breathable brown paper bag or container in the refrigerator. 

Remove from plastic packaging immediately (unless it has ventilation holes), as plastic traps moisture and causes rapid spoilage. 

Unwashed whole mushrooms stored in a paper bag can last 5-7 days or longer.

Avoid washing mushrooms as they will absorb water and become slimy.

For long term storage, dehydrate mushrooms for 3-8 hours depending on moisture content. They’ll be ready when they are brittle and break easy.

Culinary Tips
When cooking mushrooms, avoid overcrowding the pan to prevent steaming. Cook mushrooms in small batches, in a single layer, until they are thoroughly browned or caramelized.

For best flavor, clean mushrooms without soaking. Use a damp towel or brush to remove debris instead of using water. 

Salting mushrooms too early draws out water, making them rubbery. Salt your mushrooms towards the end of cooking for better texture. 

Add dehydrated mushrooms to hot broth, water, or cream for 15-20 minutes until soft, making sure to reserve and use the soaking liquid which will be packed with flavor.
 
Recipe Ideas
Pan-Fried Oyster Mushrooms
Sauteed Oyster Mushrooms with Garlic
Mushroom Steaks Over Polenta
Spicy Cumin Lion's Mane Mushrooms
Sticky Shiitake Mushrooms
Mushroom Risotto
Creamy Mushroom Soup
Balsamic Glazed Mushroom Tart

In Season
Fall & Winter

Storage Tips
One of the wonderful things about this family of "bitter" greens is that they keep for much longer than many summer salad greens. Radicchio, in particular, can store in a loose plastic bag in your fridge for up to six weeks! The outside layers may get slimy, but it can be easily pealed back to a brilliant fresh core. 

Store dandelion greens and escarole in a loose plastic bag for 2-3 weeks. When you're ready to use, chop, wash, and spin in a salad spinner. 

Soak wilted radicchio or escarole leaves in cold water to crisp them back up- this will also help to reduce bitterness for a milder taste. 

Culinary Tips
Escarole can be enjoyed both cooked or raw. Toss chopped escarole in vinaigrette for a quick salad, or add to soups in place of kale or collards. 

Radicchio is best eaten raw, chopped or sliced thinly to add an incredible burst of color to winter salads. Combine with rich cheese (blue, feta) dried fruits (cranberries, apricots) and seeds or nuts (pecans, pumpkin seeds) to perfectly balance the unique bitter flavors of radicchio. 

Add escarole to soups just before finishing, it only needs a few minutes to cook. 

Grill halved escarole or radicchio to bring out their natural sweetness.

Blanch dandelions in boiling, salted water for 1-2 minutes, then saute with caramelized onions, garlic and olive oil for a quick side dish.
​
Dandelion greens adds a peppery bite when sliced thinly into salads and soups, or blended into pesto and egg dishes. 

Recipe Ideas
Escarole & Beans
Insalata di Scarola
Sauteed Radicchio
Vegan Radicchio Pasta with Smoky Mushrooms & Kalamata Olives
Sweet Green Dandelion Juice
Sauteed Dandelion Greens with Cherry Tomato & Garlic
​Penne Pasta with Dandelion Greens & Ricotta

​In Season
Early Spring from April-May

Storage Tips
Store up to 2 weeks

Store microgreens unwashed in an airtight container or plastic bag lined with a dry paper towel to absorb excess moisture. 

Store microgreens in the coldest part of the refrigerator or vegetable crisper drawer.

Only wash immediately before using- microgreens are delicate, they wilt and bruise easily. 
​
Culinary Tips
Before eating, wash microgreens in cold water and use a salad spinner to remove as much moisture as possible. 

Microgreens can be frozen or dehydrated if you cannot eat them quickly enough. 

Use frozen or dehydrated microgreens in smoothies or in a pesto with other fresh herbs. 
​
Add on top of soups, pizzas and pasta just before serving.

Recipe Ideas
Easy Microgreen Salad with Fresh Ginger Dressing
Saessak Bibimpab with Microgreens
Pineapple Orange Green Smoothie

In Season
Fall & Winter
In storage November through April

Storage Tips
Store up to 6 months.

Store potatoes in a cool, dark, and dry place such as a pantry or cellar.

Ideal storage temperatures are between 50-60°F (10-15°C).

Use breathable containers like mesh bags or cardboard boxes to avoid trapping moisture. 
Keep potatoes away from onions,garlic, and fruits which accelerate sprouting.

Culinary Tips
When boiling and mashing, start potatoes in cold water to ensure even cooking.

Always dry potatoes thoroughly before roasting to maximize crispiness. 

To bake potatoes with crispy skin, poke holes in each one with a fork and skip the foil, which traps moisture and makes skins soggy. 

Baked Potatoes - pierce skins multiple times with a fork, coat in olive oil + salt, bake directly on the oven rack at 400° for 45 minutes to an hour.

When pan frying potatoes for dishes like homefries, parboil them first for quicker cooking and a fluffy interior.

Use starchy potatoes (like Russets) for baking and mashing, and waxy potatoes for boiling or salads.

You can peel and cut potatoes ahead of time, storing them in a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator for up to two days.

Recipes
Root 5 Farm Potato Patties with Scallion & Rosemary
Root 5 Farm Herb & Garlic Scalloped Potatoes
Green Style Potatoes
Nicoise Potato Salad
Quick & Easy Homefries
Tortilla de Patatas- Spanish Tortilla
Batata Harra- Spicy Lebanese Potatoes

In Season
late May- October

Storage Tips
Store in a plastic bag or with the stems submerged in a cup of water in your fridge for up to 1 week. 

Culinary Tips

• Broccolini is a mix between broccoli and kale, with small florets, slender stalks. 
• The entire vegetable is very tender, even the stems. 
• The simplest preparation is to chop and sautee with garlic. Serve as a side dish or toss with pasta and parmesan cheese. 
• Try blanching it quickly in boiling water, then top with a little olive oil, squeeze of lemon juice and a sprinkle of nice sea salt.

Recipe Ideas
Sauteed broccolini with garlic
Stir-fried broccolini
Grilled broccolini

In Season
Early Spring- May and June

Storage Tips
Store sorrel in a plastic bag in the refrigerator. Use within 1 week. 

For longer storage, freeze sorrel into herb cubes.

Culinary Tips

• Sorrel is a wonderfully pungent, tart spring green that takes well to rich and sweet ingredients.
• Sorrel has a tangy lemon flavor that is also perfect for soups and salads.
• You can use it raw as an herb or cooked as a vegetable. The leaves will darken from grassy green to a drab olive when heated.
• Toss chopped raw sorrel leaves and toss with milder lettuces such as butter and bibb. Sorrel also works with bitter arugula and radicchio. Go lightly on the acid in the dressing, or skip it entirely and just gloss the salad greens with good olive oil and some salt.
• You don’t need much to contribute lots of lemony flavor and vitamins C, A, iron, calcium and magnesium.

Recipes
Chickpea and Sorrel Salad
Sorrel and Spinach Soup
​Creamy Sorrel Soup
How to Freeze Fresh Herbs (whole or as a flavoring blend)

In Season
Late Fall (October-December).

Brussels spouts are at their best after frost. They're very cold hardy and their flavor improves as the temperatures get colder. 

Storage Tips
Brussels Sprouts on the stalk will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator or another cold place in your house (perhaps the garage or barn). If you don't have space in your fridge or elsewhere, knock the sprouts off the stalk and store in a plastic bag in your fridge for about 2 weeks. Cut the stalk up with branch loppers before composting. 

For longer storage, wash and trim off outer leaves and stem, if necessary, and sort for size. Blanch in boiling water, 3-5 minutes depending on size.  Cool immediately, drain, pack (no headroom necessary) and freeze.

Culinary Tips & Recipes
Root 5 Farm Maple Roasted Brussels Sprouts
Root 5 Farm Spinach & Artichoke Dip with Brussels Sprouts
Brussels Sprouts Gratin

In Season
Late Fall. October-November

Storage Tips
1 week refrigerated, up to 1 year frozen
​Store fresh turmeric in the refrigerator in a sealed container.

It can be frozen whole, packed in freezer bags. To use frozen turmeric, try grating it directly into dishes while it's still frozen, no thawing required. Then put the piece you don't use right back in the freezer. 

Culinary Tips
The fresh young turmeric root we grow here in Vermont is juicy and plump, with bright orange skin. It's mild and tender enough to eat raw in salads, and it has an almost translucent skin that doesn’t need peeling; you can practically rub it off. Just wash it and trim the cut surfaces.

Recipes
Green Curry Paste
Fresh Turmeric Pickle
Golden Milk
Spiced Yellow Dahl with rice
7 ways to eat and drink turmeric
Cauliflower steaks with ginger, cumin, turmeric
Butternut squash and coconut curry
Turmeric Ginger Tea
Fire Cider

Bu
In Season
Spaghetti Squash and Delicata Squash are the first to ripen in early September. Acorn, Grey Kabocha, and Butternut come later in the fall and store late into the winter. 

Storage Tips
Winter squash will store at room temperature for at least a month.

Store for several months in a cool (50-55 degrees) and dry location.

You may also roast and mash squash to freeze for later use.

Culinary Tips

• Sometimes winter squash can be hard to cut through- try microwaving it whole for 2 minutes, this will soften it just enough to more easily cut it up for your recipe. 
• Most basic cooking method: cut in half carefully lengthwise, scoop out the seeds. Place flesh down in a baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 30- 60 minutes depending on size.
• Most winter squash has a tough skin and it's best to peel before cooking or scoop out the flesh after cooking. Delicata is one squash that has very tender, edible skins. 
• If you have trouble cutting raw winter squash, you can bake it in the oven whole until it softens, let it cool, then cut off the skin or scoop the flesh out. 
• Mash any cooked squash with butter or olive oil, salt & pepper.
• Add chunks to stews and soups.
• Butternut squash are a good substitute for pumpkins in pie.
• Add butter and maple syrup or brown sugar when you're baking squash.
• Cook squash chunks along side roasting meats

Recipe Ideas
Root 5 Farm Squash, Apple & Cheddar Soup
Root 5 Farm Butternut Pirogies
​Kabocha Squash Soup
Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Kale
Spaghetti Squash with Tomatoes and Basil
Simple Roasted Delicata Squash
Classic Pumpkin Soup (can also substitute Butternut)
Homemade Pumpkin Pie
Pumpkin Bread
Simple Roasted Winter Squash
Roasted Acorn Squash with Chipotle and Cilantro

IN SEASON
Late Fall after curing, in storage through winter

STORAGE TIPS
Store in a cool dark place for about a month.  The refrigerator is too cold, so the countertop is likely a better option.  Don't wash until just before you use them.

To freeze, wash thoroughly and leave skins on.  Halve and roast in 425 F oven until just tender, 20-30 minutes.  Either mash or slice; pack and freeze.
​
CULINARY TIPS

• Scrub well before cooking.
• The skin is edible so you don't have to peel them.
• Bake sweet potatoes whole at 350° until soft when pricked with a fork. Split open and add a pat of butter.
• Slice sweet potatoes into chunks and toss with olive oil, thyme, salt, and pepper. Roast at 350° for about 45 minutes. Add chunks of potatoes and carrots for a winter root bake.
• Chop sweet potatoes into very small cubes. Heat butter in a sauté pan and add sweet potatoes. Add cinnamon and ginger and sauté until soft and tender. Serve with rice.
• Sweet potatoes go well with butter, cinnamon, orange, ginger, brown sugar, maple syrup, pecans, and walnuts.

RECIPE IDEAS
Root 5 Farm Sweet Potato, Butternut, Kale Gratin
Root 5 Farm Sweet Potato & Black Bean Tacos
Root 5 Farm Spiced Sweet Potato Flatbreads
Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries
Sweet Potato and Sausage Soup
Vegetarian Black Bean and Sweet Potato Soup

Studies have shown that regular consumption of lacto-fermented vegetables helps in reestablishment and maintenance of beneficial intestinal flora, aids immune function, and may contain some anti-cancer factors. These raw fermented vegetables aid digestion, relieve constipation and are associated with decreased allergies and infections.  Fermented vegetables are a source of vitamins, as well as enzymes, acetylcholine, many beneficial intestinal flora.  

Culinary Tips
-It is best to eat our sauerkraut raw, uncooked. Many recipes for sauerkraut suggest heating it up, slow cooking it for long periods of time, or rinsing and draining the juices. Heating or rinsing our lacto-fermented sauerkraut is strongly discouraged because you will loose the health benefits of this live, fermented food. 

-If you like a savory breakfast, try sauerkraut with your eggs and toast and a splash of hot sauce in the morning. 

-Serve sauerkraut alongside any meat dish. Try it on a hamburger or next to steak or sausage. 

-Use kraut to garnish soup or as a sandwich topping.

-Need a boost of energy? Or a boost to your immune system? Eat some sauerkraut with a fork, right out of the jar!

Recipes
Root 5 Farm Power Kraut Deviled Eggs
Root 5 Farm Kimchi & Bacon Fried Rice
Quick & Easy Sauerkraut Pasta
Grandma Jo's Chocolate Sauerkraut Cake

In Season
Fresh from the fields June-November
In storage December-May

Storage Tips
Store up to 6 months

Store carrots in a perforated plastic bag in the fridge. If the carrots still have the greens attached, snap them off before storing. 

Carrots store very well for a long time with just refrigeration.  

Carrots that have become limp can be soaked in ice water to make them crisp again.

Culinary Tips
For the most nutrients, eat carrots raw. 

Cut into sticks or grate into salads.

Scrub carrots under running water. Peeling your carrots will remove some of the precious nutrients.

When cooking carrots be sure to cut the pieces into similar size so that they will cook evenly.

To prep ahead, wash and slice or julienne, then store in a sealed container with a little bit of water so they don't dehydrate. Then their ready to go for your next meal, or snack!

Slice and steam for 5-10 min or sauté in butter, top with honey for a sweet dish.

Add to soups, stir-fries, stews, and casseroles.

Steam and puree carrots and some add cream, onions, leeks, freshly grated ginger, or soy sauce for a delicious soup.

To roast carrots, cut in large chunks, brush with butter and place in an oven-proof dish. Cover and bake on 350° for 30-40 min.

Recipes
Root 5 Farm Spiced Carrot Soup
Root 5 Farm Carrots with Rosemary-Maple Butter
Root 5 Farm Quick Pickled Carrots
Root 5 Farm Honey Chipotle Carrots
Cucumber-Carrot Salad
Candied Carrots
Roasted Carrot Soup
Roasted Carrots

IN SEASON
Fresh Onions: late July
Storage Onions: August-December

STORAGE TIPS

• Fresh onions keep best in a plastic bag in the fridge and should be used within a week or so.  The green leaves can also be used like scallions.
• Ideal conditions for storage onions are 40-50F, low humidity, and darkness. Otherwise they tend to sprout.  If onions are properly stored they can last for many months.

CULINARY TIPS

• For ease in cutting onions, cut off ends and cut onions in half from top to bottom. If necessary, cut out the core from the base. Peel skin off with the edge of your knife and lay the cut surface down on the cutting board. Keep the onion intact while you make length-wise slices from one side of the curved onion half to the other. Then rotate the onion a quarter turn and make crosswise slices. If you can manage to hold the form intact you will end up with a uniformly chopped onion.
• There are many suggestions out there for relieving some of the burn associated with cutting onions, including: cutting them under running water or while submerged in water, putting them in the fridge for a bit before cutting, leaving the root end on while cutting.  You can also try using a fan to blow the gas away from your face or just pop on a pair of sunglasses to block a little of it while cutting.
• Use them as an aromatic starter for any savory dish.  When sauteeing or stir frying, let your onion cook on medium heat for 3-5 minutes (or until they become aromatic) before adding other veggies.
• Add to pickles or chutneys to boost the flavor.

RECIPES
Root 5 Farm French Onion Soup
Cauliflower and Caramelized Onion Tart
French Onion Dip
Brisket with Melted Onions

In Season
Late Fall. October-November

Most of us know fresh ginger as a thick-skinned, fibrous and aggressively spicy root that's imported from far away places. The fresh young ginger we grow here in Vermont is juicy and plump, with a pink blush. It's mild and tender enough to eat raw in salads, and it has an almost translucent skin that doesn’t need peeling; you can practically rub it off. Just wash it and trim the cut surfaces.

Storage Tips

• Young Ginger keeps for about 2 weeks in the refrigerator. The outer skin will get slimy if wrapped in plastic, best to let it breath in a paper bag.

• It can be frozen whole as well, packed in freezer bags. To use frozen ginger, try grating it directly into dishes while it's still frozen, no thawing required. Then put the piece you don't use right back in the freezer. 
• You can also submerge ginger in a neutral spirit like vodka, and it will over time impart a delicate, spicy flavor.

​Recipes
Pickled Young Ginger
Pumpkin Ginger Soup
​Apple Carrot Ginger Juice
Green Curry Paste
Golden Milk
Cauliflower Steaks with Ginger, Cumin, Turmeric
Butternut Squash and Coconut Curry
Turmeric Ginger Tea
Fire Cider

BufIn Season
July- September

Storage Tip
store up to 1 week

Store unwashed in a perforated plastic bag in the refrigerator.

For longer storage, snap into pieces (or leave whole if young and tender), blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes, cool immediately, and drain.  Leave 1/2 in. of headroom before freezing in containers.  Beans can also be pressure cooked and canned or pickled as dilly beans.


Culinary Tips

• To prepare, break off the top of the bean at the stem end.
• Best when blanched or steam for 5-10 min.
• Beans are done when the color begins to brighten and become tender (not soft or mushy).
• If you serving the beans cold in a salad, cook them less so they stay crisp.
• Simply flavor with butter, lemon juice, sautéed onions, or herbed vinaigrette.

Recipes
Root 5 Farm Buffalo Beans
Green Bean Salad with Fried Almonds and Fennel
Arugula, Potato and Green Bean Salad
Green Bean Slaw
Cream of Fresh Green Bean Soup

In Season
August-September

Storage Tips
Eggplant is best eaten fresh. If you need to store it, keep it at a cool room temperature and not in the fridge.

To freeze, roast eggplant using the directions for the baba ganoush recipe below, then scoop out and freeze to be used later in dips/spreads.  Or, use this recipe to bake eggplant in slices, then allow to cool and freeze in containers or Ziploc bags to be used later in Eggplant Parmesan, stir fry, or casseroles.

Culinary Tips

• Eggplant can be peeled but isn't necessary, especially with the skinny Asian varieties.
• Slice eggplant and lightly salt. Let sit for 10-15 min. the squeeze out excess liquid. This reduces the amount of oil needed to cook the eggplant.
• Top pasta with sautéed eggplant.
• Grill slices of eggplant with other vegetables.
• Dip chunks of eggplant in flour or in eggs and seasoned breadcrumbs. Sauté in hot oil until lightly brown. Season with herbs, garlic, grated cheese, etc.
• Add to stir fries or pasta sauce.

Recipe Ideas
Root 5 Farm Giambotta- Hearty Rustic Vegetable Stew
Root 5 Farm Pan-Fried Eggplant Over Kale and Arugula with Tomato-Basil Confit
Baba Ganoush
Simple Ratatouille

STORAGE TIPS

• Store in the fridge for up to a week.
• Peppers are easy to freeze and do not require blanching!  Find tips here.

CULINARY TIPS

• For greatest nutrient retention eat peppers raw.
• Add raw strips to salads and sandwiches, eat strips with your favorite dip.
• Roast peppers, place red pepper over hot coals or an open flame on your grill. Toast it, turning often, until the skin is evenly blackened. Place pepper in a brown bag for 10 min to steam. Skin will peel off easily with a knife.
• Marinate and grill peppers.
• When handling hot peppers be careful not to touch your face or your eyes and wash your hands thoroughly when you're finished. 

RECIPES
Root 5 Farm Stuffed Peppers
Indian Green Pepper Curry (Capsicum Masala)
Black Pepper Steak
Caramelized Onions and Peppers
Red Pepper Risotto
Quinoa Salad with Black Beans, Red Pepper, and Cilantro
Chickpea Salad with Roasted Peppers