Central Oregon Fill Your Pantry : How to Store Your Fall Harvest

Central Oregon Fill Your Pantry : How to Store Your Fall Harvest

Central Oregon Fill Your Pantry is the last Farmers Market of the season and serves as a wonderful bulk buying opportunity so you can continue enjoying the tastes of locally grown produce, even during the shortest days of the year! 

Be sure to stock up on fall’s bounty—from crisp apples to hearty root veggies—and keep reading to learn the best ways to store each crop to make the most of your haul. Here are storage tips to keep your produce fresh all season long.

Carrots

• Shelf Life: 2 weeks to several months in a root cellar or similar cool, dark spot.
• Optimal Storage: For crisp carrots, keep them in the fridge’s high-humidity drawer inside a breathable bag, or place them in water on a fridge shelf.
• Freezing Tips: To freeze, wash and blanch carrots, then cool, chop, or puree before storing in an airtight container. You can also shred raw carrots and freeze them for baking.
• Use It Up / Revival: No need to peel—just wash well! For limp carrots, revive by soaking in an ice bath in the fridge for an hour. Softened carrots work great in soups, stocks, or stews.

Onions

• Shelf Life: Whole, uncut onions can last for several months.
• Optimal Storage: Store whole onions in a cool, dark, dry, and well-ventilated area, ideally in a hanging sack to maintain air circulation. Avoid plastic containers and keep onions away from potatoes to prevent sprouting.
• Freezing Tips: Peel and chop onions, then freeze them raw for convenient, future use.
• Use It Up / Revival: Onion greens from sprouted bulbs are edible! Use them as you would green onions. Save onion tops for a homemade stock that’s rich in flavor.

Potatoes

• Shelf Life: Early-season potatoes are best enjoyed within 1–2 weeks, while mature potatoes can last for months.
• Optimal Storage: Store unwashed potatoes in a cool, dark, dry, and ventilated area, away from sunlight to prevent greening. Use mesh, burlap, or perforated plastic bags to allow for airflow.
• Freezing Tips: Freezing potatoes is not recommended.
• Use It Up / Revival: If potatoes turn green, peel deeply or discard. Bruised spots can be saved by removing the damaged areas.

Winter Squash

• Shelf Life: Whole winter squash, such as acorn and butternut, can keep for 2–3 months in proper storage.
• Optimal Storage: Store unwrapped squash in a cool, dry, and well-ventilated place.
• Freezing Tips: Cook squash until tender, remove the rind, mash, and cool before freezing in airtight containers.
• Use It Up / Revival: Many squash skins are edible and add flavor to soups and broths. Save seeds from varieties like delicata to roast as a crunchy snack or salad topping.

Apples

• Shelf Life: Fresh apples can last up to 6 weeks in cold storage.
• Optimal Storage: Store apples in a breathable bag and only wash them before use. Apples ripen 6–10 times faster at room temperature, so keep them cold for a longer shelf life.
• Freezing Tips: Freeze apples raw or cooked. Simply wash, peel, core, and slice, then coat with lemon juice to prevent browning. Place on a baking sheet to freeze before transferring to a zip-top bag.
• Use It Up / Revival: For apples that start to soften, consider making applesauce, baked goods, or adding slices to your morning oatmeal.

Beets

• Shelf Life: Beets will stay fresh for 10–14 days in the fridge.
• Optimal Storage: Store unwashed beets in a breathable bag in the high-humidity drawer of your refrigerator.
• Freezing Tips: Wash, trim, cook, cool in ice water, peel, slice, and store in zip-top bags for freezer storage.
• Use It Up / Revival: Try beets in borscht, quick-pickle them to extend shelf life, or blend into hummus for an earthy, vibrant twist!

 

With the right storage methods, you can savor fall flavors all winter long. Be sure to make Central Oregon Fill Your Pantry an annual event to pick up your favorite local produce and make the most of your pantry!