This is the time of year where a CSA can become overwhelming for some people. What do you do with ALL that bounty before it goes bad? Preservation! What if you don’t like some of the produce? Gifts!

Pull out that food dehydrator, those mason jars, and dust off that vacuum sealing machine you were gifted at your wedding and get to it.

Someone asked me the other day what I liked to pickle… I couldn’t speak because the answer is literally anything!  From this week’s CSA alone, you can pickle broccoli, carrots, beets, beet greens and stems, kale, and cucumbers. All you need is salt, water, your favorite spices, and time.

There are so many great methods on the internet to check out, but I generally stick to this simple method: Fill a sterile quart mason jar with veggie of choice, spices of choice, and a tablespoon of salt. fill with water and make sure all the veggies are below the liquid level.

They make some fancy fermentation weights you can get on Amazon, but I usually use some thick stems, a cabbage core, or a shot glass…. cause God knows we have those laying around. Leave this on your counter out of the sun with the lid loosely attached for a few days then let the magic continue in the fridge for a good long while. if everything stays submerged, it will be good for weeks… sometimes months. Tie some fun raffia around the lid and gift away. Everyone loves organic produce made with love.

Also, squaaaasssssh. I have been waiting a whole year to get overwhelmed with summer squash! Grill it with your favorite fat and seasonings. Cube and sautee it as a side dish. Spiralize it and make pasta, cook down and puree to thicken a soup or simply BE the soup. slice into strips and make gluten free lasagna. Make a giant batch and vacuum seal it for quick easy organic meals from the freezer.

Also, these beets are amazing, right?! Huge though. I’ll slice this week’s batch thin and dehydrate them, throw them into the spice grinder and make a potent red powder to color all those sauces I like to make. Stay tuned!