During the colder winter months, we all know how hard it is to get the fresh and local variety the Vassar farmer’s market provides; however, VC Fit recently learned how to eat locally grown foods all winter long! On Wednesday, I attended a workshop called “Eating Locally in Winter,” hosted by the Poughkeepsie Farm Project. Here, I learned how to continue to eat locally grown produce, even when the growing season is over.
Freezing Local Produce
Among the presenters was Jim Hyland of Winter Sun Farms, who described how to preserve fresh produce by freezing. People freeze food all the time to preserve it, but improper freezing can diminish the nutrients and quality of the food. To freeze fresh vegetables, Jim says to cook them in boiling water for a few minutes to stop their ripening, then remove and immediately “shock” the vegetables by submerging them in ice water to stop cooking, a technique known as “blanching.” Drain/dry the veggies the best you can (the drier the better), then put them in plastic containers/plastic bags, trying to keep air and moisture out. Immediately freeze. For blanching times for individual fruits and vegetables, visit this website. Winter Sun Farms also provides its members with locally grown, frozen produce during the winter months. If you’re interested in a membership, check out their website; you can even pick up your frozen produce in the College Center so there’s no need to go to the supermarket!
Lacto-fermentation
Poughkeepsie Farm Project intern Aliyah Brandt discussed lacto-fermentation, a way of using salt to preserve foods. Lacto-fermentation is a process in which salt and whey interact with the natural vegetable properties to create lactic acid, a natural preservative. Amounts of salt and whey vary by process, but visit the websites below for proper ratios. Aliyah stresses using only non-iodine salt, because iodized salt prevents the proper breakdown to create lactic acid, and thus, won’t preserve the vegetable. Special health benefits: besides allowing you to eat your local produce longer through the year, the product and brine liquid that is created in this process helps with digestion; eating the foods you produce this way aid in the digestive processes and speed up your metabolism!
Here’s a great online PDF file explaining the health benefits and process of lacto-fermentation, and an easy how-to guide on the methodology.
Wild Hive Farm
Another guest at the workshop was Don Lewis of Wild Hive Farm. Don runs a successful café, bakery, and market that produces and sells products made entirely of local ingredients all year round, even when the harvests are over. Don’s business exemplifies the ways in which people in the Northeast can continue to eat locally throughout the year without sacrificing quality or taste. If you’re looking for a gourmet, local treat, this is a great place to visit! In the future, VC Fit will check out Don’s operation, and tell you more about his mission and design!
In the meantime, check out Wild Hive Farm’s website.
