Take Care of Your Farm Fresh Vegetables, July I

Dear Mad Hatters,

Rain on 24 of the last 28 days - can you believe it!  June was the second rainiest June on record! 

This did not go unnoticed by your farmers.  We are soggy and muddy and tired of slugs. 

A note about produce:  When you buy produce at the farmers markets, plan on going home directly afterwards so that you can put your items in the refrigerator, preferably the crisper drawer.  Most vegetables like to be cold and humid. Lettuces, greens, broccoli, chard, kale, peas, zucchini, summer squashes, beets, radishes  - any vegetable with a high water content - would like you to keep it cold, but without losing its moisture; so place in a plastic bag in the crisper, or wrap loosely in a damp paper towel in the fridge.  You get the idea.  Tomatoes should never go in the refrigerator.

This is important, because the effort your farmers go through to bring you fresh, safe and high quality produce can be dashed if you do not also take care of the produce.  Just like dogs and children, vegetables should not be left to sit in a hot summer car!

This week at the Ridgefield Farmers Market (www.ridgefieldfarmersmarket.org), Mad Hatter Farm will have:

Gourmet Lettuce Mix

Mild Greens Mix

Beets

Kale

Zucchini

Summer Squash

Radishes

Snap and Snow Peas

Broccoli

Green Cabbage

Yes, that says Broccoli!!!  We are very excited that our springtime Broccoli crop survived and we are bringing it to the market.  It is sweet and fresh like no other broccoli I have ever tasted.

Hope everyone has a happy and safe 4th of July!

Alix and Jeff

Mad Hatter Farm

135 Music Mountain Road

Falls Village, CT 06031

T: 860-824-7635

www.madhatterfarm.com