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Mushrooms-Oyster and Shiitake

3/24/2026

 
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Shiitake
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Oyster
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

Microgreens

3/24/2026

 
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​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

Potatoes- Russet, Gold, Red

3/23/2026

 
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Purple
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Red Norland
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Kennebec, Gold
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

Sorrel

5/9/2017

 
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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)

Carrots

12/1/2015

 
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Yaya or Bolero
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Rainbow
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

Beans, Dry (heirloom)

12/1/2015

 
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Black Turle Beans
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Jacob's Cattle
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Calypso

Culinary Tips
  • According to a recent article in Cooks Illustrated, dried beans "are among the most important foodstuffs on the planet because they are high in protein and fiber, rich in fiber, B vitamins, and calcium, and they are shelf-stable for years".
  • Black beans have black skin, cream-colored flesh, and a sweet flavor. They are delicious in soups, salads, and salsas.
  • It's best to pre-soak dry beans in salt water (either overnight in a pot of room temperature water or by covering the beans with hot water for one hour). Salt brining is the preferred method because it actually helps tenderize the skins of the beans, which helps make them creamy, while also preventing them from exploding.
  • If beans gives you or your bed partner serious gas, soaking can reduce resulting gas. (But don't worry, gas is natural, probably good for you- or at least indicates lots of healthy gut bacteria- and when properly released can result in much good humor.)
  • After soaking, drain the beans, flavor your cooking pot by sautéing aromatics- onion, carrot, garlic, peppers. Add the beans to the pot with 1 teaspoon of salt and cover with water by about an inch. Simmer gently until tender- about 45 minutes to an hour. 
Recipes
How To Cook Dry Beans On the stove
Slow Cooker Beef and Black Bean Chili
Black Bean and Pepper Salad with Cilantro and Lime
Tortilla and Black Bean Pie



Spinach

11/30/2015

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In Season
May-July, September-December

Storage Tips
Store up to 1 week

Rinse spinach thoroughly under cold water bath and then spin dry.  Store in a plastic bag for up to 1 week.

To freeze, wash thoroughly and chop if desired.  Blanch for 2 minutes in boiling water, cool immediately, and drain.  Pack into containers, leaving 1/2 inch headroom, and freeze.

Culinary Tips
Spinach is best when eaten fresh. It loses nutritional properties with each passing day.

You’ll find that many recipes with spinach as a main ingredient are named “Florentine.”

Steam spinach for 5-8 minutes.

1 lb of fresh spinach cooks down to about 1 cup.

Add some color and freshness to your pasta by tossing in tender raw leaves.

For a quick and tasty salad, toss with olive oil, lemon juice, diced garlic, fresh basil leaves, and feta cheese.

Add spinach to quiche, lasagna, or other baked dishes.

Substitute spinach for chard in other recipes.

Recipes  
Spinach Cakes with Cilantro Sour Cream 
Garlic Sauteed Spinach

Mediterranean Orzo Spinach Salad
Hot Spinach Dip
Cream of Spinach Soup
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Lettuce Mix & Head Lettuce

5/16/2015

 
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In Season 
May-early November

Storage Tips
up to 1 week
Dry greens will store longer. If your greens are damp, spin them dry in a salad spinner before placing in a plastic bag in the fridge. Or place a paper towel in the bag to absorb the moisture. 

Culinary Tips
Generally lettuce is eaten raw. For all lettuce types, you should thoroughly wash and spin the leaves dry to remove any grit. If you eat lettuce often, it's wise to invest in a salad spinner. Simply rinse the leaves and place in the spinner to remove the excess water.

Recipe Ideas
Root 5 Farm Simple Seasonal Bites
Root 5 Farm Green Salad w/ Maple Mustard Dressing
Root 5 Farm Vegan Caesar Salad
Yogurt Maple Dijon Dressing
Balsamic Salad Dressing
​Stir-Fried Lettuce
Braised Lettuce with Peas & Thyme

Dill

6/17/2014

 
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​In Season
May-September

Storage Tips
up to 1 week
Store in an open plastic bag in your fridge until ready to use. 

If you won't use it all right away, simply dry your dill bunch by hanging it upside down in a cool, dark dry part of your kitchen for two weeks, then crumble the leaves into a glass jar for storage. 

Culinary Tips
Fragrant, sweet dill brings a touch of brightness to everything

Provides a tangy addition to pickles, fresh salads, salad dressings and fish dishes.

Dill pairs wonderfully with radishes, salad turnips, cucumbers, summer squash and more!

Recipes
How To Freeze and Preserve Fresh Herbs in Olive Oil
Smoked Salmon and Dill Quiche
Lemon Dill Marinade
Dill & Celery Soda Spritz

Pea Tendrils

6/17/2014

 
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In Season
Pea tendrils, the leaves and vines of the pea plant, are only in season for a very short time in the spring. We harvest them off our cover cropped fields of oats and peas when the plants are young and tender.

​Storage Tips
Since they are a delicate green, they should be eaten within a day or two of harvest. 
Store in a plastic bag in the fridge until ready to eat.

Culinary Tips
-They are a delicate and tender green with a robust flavor that can be eaten raw or cooked very quickly. 
-The stems, leaf, and tendril are all edible
-You can eat pea shoots raw in a fresh salad; they can take the place of the more traditional lettuce or simply enhance it with pea shoot's spring flavor. You can stir fry them with sesame oil and garlic, as has long been done in Asian cooking. These greens can also brighten up a spring pasta dish, contributing a fresh, soft taste.

Recipes
Pea Tendril and Pistachio Pesto
Spinach and Pea Shoot Salad with Honey Lemon Vinaigrette

Scallions

5/14/2014

 
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In Season
Spring, Summer, Fall

Storage Tips
Store up to 2 weeks

Store in the refrigerator in a loose plastic bag. 

Culinary Tips
Prepare by trimming the green tops and cutting the roots off and then rinse thoroughly with cold water. Chop the stalks and bulb to your desired size.

The tops of scallions can be substitutes for chives in many recipes.

Raw scallions match well with meats, cheese, or fish.

Whole scallions can also be steamed, roasted, or grilled and served like asparagus.

Recipes
Shrimp and Scallion Stir-Fry
Batter-Fried Scallions
Grilled Scallions

Turnips- Hakurei Salad, Purple Top, Scarlet

5/14/2014

 
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Hakurei Salad Turnips
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Purple Top Turnips
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Scarlet Turnips

R
BIn Season
Turnips are cool weather crops. Hakurei Turnips show up early in the spring, take a break for the heat of summer, then show up again in the fall. Purple Top and Scarlet Turnips are very good storage crops, so we keep them through the winter. 

Storage Tips
Store for 3-5 weeks
Remove green tops and store roots separately in a plastic bag. 

Culinary Tips
There’s no need to peel the Hakurei. Just trim the ends and wash under cold water.

Hakurei are delicious raw, but if you can resist the urge to simply pop them in your mouth, try grating them into salads or slaws along with thinly sliced pears or apples. 

When cooked, Hakurei develop a buttery flavor and roasting at high temperatures increases their sweetness.

Steam 1-inch slices for 12-15 minutes.

Bake turnips for 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees F basted with butter.

Saute garlic in olive oil, then add thin slices of turnips, when the turnips are almost done, add the turnip greens. Saute until greens are bright green but not mushy. Serve with tamari.

Mash turnips like potatoes.

Use turnip greens as you would other cooking greens.

Turnip greens are tasty when sautéed quickly with garlic in olive oil.

Recipes
Cucumber and Hakurei Turnip Salad
Stir-Fried Hakurei Turnips
​Balsamic Roasted Turnips with Onion
Crispy Turnips with Chive Butter
Turnip No-Potato Salad
Raw Turnip Salad

Radishes 

5/14/2014

 
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Cherriette
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Easter Egg
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French Breakfast
In Season
April to June and September to November

Storage Tips
Store up to 2 weeks

Remove the tops and place the radishes in a plastic bag and put them in the refrigerator.
Radishes will stay fresh in the refrigerator this way for up to two weeks.

Culinary Tips
Scrub radishes just before eating.

The peppery flavor is most concentrated in the skin, so this can be peeled if the radishes are too pungent.

Radishes can be served whole, chopped, or grated.

For some added crispness, soak radishes in iced water for an hour before use.

Use the radish tops in salads or cook them like other greens.

Recipes
Root 5 Farm Quick Pickled Radishes
Root 5 Farm Radish Recipes

Sauteed Radishes with Mint
Roasted Radishes with...
Radish Cucumber Salad

Bok Choy & Tatsoi

5/14/2014

 
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Joi Choi
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Mei Qing

In Season
Spring and Fall

Storage Tips
Store up to 2 weeks

Refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to two weeks
​
Culinary Tips
  • Bok choy is great for stir-fries, braising, and soups and can also be eaten raw.
  • Tatsoi is closely related to bok choy, but features a thinner stem and more pronounced flavor. 
  • Separate the stalks and rinse the base of each stalk in running water before cooking. 
  • Another way to remove the grit without chopping them up or peeling off stalks is to slice bok choy in half long-ways and place in boiling water for a few moments. Then sear cut side down in a hot pan. Delicious!
  • Stir-fry by separating the green leaves from the white stalk. Chop stalks into 1 inch wide diagonal chunks. Cut leaves into small pieces.
  • Sauté or steam bok choy and toss with your favorite marinade.
  • Toss cooked bok choy with a light coating of toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, and rice vinegar.
  • Because of its tender leaves, tatsoi is an excellent vegetable to eat raw. Add it to salads for a mild mustardy bite. 

Recipes
Root 5 Farm Sweet Potato & Bok Choy Bowl
Root 5 Farm Sauteed Baby Bok Choy
Tatsoi Salad
Wilted Bok Choy and Tatsoi

Baby Bok Choy and Beef Noodle Soup with Warm Spices
Bok Choy Salad with Sesame Soy Sauce

Cilantro

5/14/2014

 
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In Season
June through September

Storage Tips
Store up to 2 weeks

Store cilantro in a jar of water in the refrigerator. If you don’t have a jar,  place in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.

For longer storage, make pesto (see recipe below), freeze cilantro into herb cubes, or dry.

Culinary Tips
Cilantro balances out the heat in spicy dishes, which is why it is commonly used in Latin, Indian, and Asian cooking.

Chopped leaves can be used to garnish dishes, while the stems can be used to flavor soups and sauces.

Cilantro leaves and coriander seeds are not interchangeable. They have completely different flavors and textures.

When adding fresh cilantro to a hot dish, add at the last minute to get full benefit of the flavor.

Recipes
How to Freeze Fresh Herbs (whole or as a flavoring blend)
Cilantro & Ginger Hummus
Cilantro Pesto 
Creamy Cilantro Lime Chicken 
​Cilantro Rice

Arugula

5/14/2014

0 Comments

 
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In Season
Spring, Summer, and Fall

Storage Tips
Store up to 1 week

Dry greens will store for longer. If arugula is a little bit damp, spin dry in a salad spinner before storing in a plastic bag in your refrigerator. Or you can place a paper towel in the bag to absorb the moisture. 

​For long-term storage, blend into a pesto (see recipe below) and refrigerate or freeze.

Culinary Tips
Make a simple and tasty arugula salad by adding a soft cheese, dried fruits, grated carrots, and walnuts tossed in your favorite vinaigrette.

Add to sandwiches and omelettes for color and taste.

Quickly braise or sauté and add to a pasta with grated parmesan.

Add cooked arugula to quiche and lasagna.
​
Smaller arugula leaves tend to be milder, while larger leaves tend to have a more aggressive, peppery kick.

Recipes
Root 5 Farm Pan Fried Eggplant Over Kale and Arugula with Tomato-Basil Confit
​Arugula Salad with Olive Oil, Lemon, and Parmesan Cheese
Egg, Arugula, and Herb Tartine
Arugula Pesto
Arugula And Crispy Shrimp Pizza

Shaved Asparagus and Arugula Salad

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Asparagus

4/23/2014

0 Comments

 
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In Season
May-June

Storage Tips
Store up to two weeks

Keep asparagus in a plastic bag in your fridge for up to four days.  To extend shelf-life, refrigerate stalks (tips up) in a cup of shallow water for up to two weeks.

For longer storage, blanch for 2-3 minutes in boiling water, cool immediately, drain, and freeze (Ziploc freezer bags work well if you'd like to avoid cutting the spears!).

Culinary Tips

Trim woody ends from asparagus spears.

Asparagus can be steamed, grilled, broiled, sautéed, or roasted.

Asparagus should be cooked quickly to a slightly crisp texture. To gauge doneness, poke a stalk with a knife and you should feel a little resistance. Do not overcook as the texture will quickly turn mushy. 

One cooking method is to stand the asparagus in three inches of boiling water, cover and cook for 8 minutes or until the tips are tender. This method cooks the thicker 
bottom stalk while steaming the more tender tips.

You can cook the spears as they are, or peel the skin with a peeler for more tender results.

Recipes
Root 5 Farm Asparagus and Arugula Risotto
Asparagus Tart

Chicken soup with Asparagus, Peas, Dill
Grilled Balsamic Asparagus
Prosciutto and Asparagus Eggs Benedict

Asparagus Ribbon Salad 






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    Vegetable Index

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Root 5 Farm 
Danielle Allen & Ben Dana
2340 US Route 5 North
Fairlee, Vermont 05045

(802) 923-6339
[email protected]
[email protected]
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©Root 5 Farm LLC 2024 All Rights Reserved
Root 5 Farm grows certified organic vegetables and delivers throughout the Upper Valley May-December.
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