The beauty of the heirloom Blue Lake Bean is in it’s stringless-ness and flavor. It’s a snap variety that grows easily and offers “superior” flavor, color and texture. They are long and straight in shape and do not need stalking to grow. They were originally developed to be a canning bean but have come to be enjoyed fresh as well. They’re a great source of natural carbohydrate delivered along with vitamin A, C, K, folate, and manganese. Along with many other green beans, they’re considered helpful for cardiovascular health, colon-health and offer strong anti-inflammatory support.

Preparation

Always wash fresh produce using cold running water. They’re great served steamed or fresh in salads, ether whole or sliced. You can also boil them in salted water until crisp, 4-5 minutes, then rinse with cold water. You can also sauté them in butter or oil with other vegetables. They’re also perfect for quick pickling or canning, and pair well with fresh herbs, citrus, nuts, raisins, lemon, hard cheeses, tomato and summer squash.

 

 

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The long squash, or opo, is very similar to zucchini and it is grown in warm climates and can reach up to 3 feet in length!  Long squash has a mild flavor similar to a summer squash, which becomes increasingly bitter as it matures. They are extremely low in calorie, high in fiber and contain some vitamin C, folate, calcium, iron, zinc and vitamin B.

Preparation

Always wash your squash before preparing. Dry with a clean cloth.

If you are going to use the whole thing, cut in half lengthwise.  Remove seeds.  You can use a veggie peeler to remove the skin.  It is pretty easy to cut in desired size pieces.

If you are going to use just a section at a time, cut horizontally.  Cover with plastic cling wrap (a rubber band helps too) the end of the part you are not going to be cooking with and store in the refrigerator.  Remove seeds and peel skin, cut into desired pieces.

Long squash will take on a translucent quality when it is thoroughly cooked.

Long squash contains a lot of water and this may translate into your dish.

Steam or add to soups, curries, stews.

Farms that grow Long Squash

Ho Farms

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Lettuce is a good source of vitamin A, folate, potassium and fiber! It is a part of the daisy family and most often grown for it’s leafy greens. Iin addition to a classic salad, lettuce leaves can be used on sandwiches, for wraps and grilled, among other things. Originally pervasive in North American and Europe, Lettuce’s nutrient value and ease of use has led to it’s consumption around the world, and now China produces over 50% of the 26.1 million tons produced in a given year since 2016. Hydroponically grown lettuce, which is what we typically feature in our bags, is easy to grow and does not use soil.

Preparation

Step 1: Inspect your head of lettuce and remove any wilted or discolored leaves. These tend to be around the outside of the head of lettuce.

Step 2: Wash the romaine lettuce thoroughly, using cool running water. Get in between all of the different layers of lettuce leaves.

Step 3: Place the leaves in a salad spinner and use it to dry the leaves, or lay the wet lettuce leaves between layers of paper towels and allow the moisture to be soaked up.

Step 4: Tear the leaves with your hands into the size pieces that you desire, or leave the romaine leaves long for dishes such as Caesar salads.

Recipes 

Romaine Lettuce Wraps

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The Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) is one of the oldest vegetables known to mankind. Sweet potatoes originated in Central and South America, but archaeologists have found proof through prehistoric remnants that the sweet potato was grown in Polynesia before western exploration, according to radiocarbon dating. Current thinking is that it was brought to central Polynesia around 700 AD, possibly by Polynesians who had traveled to South America and back, and spread across Polynesia to Hawaii and New Zealand from there.  

The sweet potato is not a potato, and it is not a yam! They’re far higher in nutrients than many people realize too, though shouldn’t be eaten as the only vegetable. Consider the sweet potato high in fiber, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Manganese, among many others. It can help boost brain function, stabilize blood sugar, enhance immune system, and it promotes vision health.

Preparation

The simplest way you can prepare a sweet potato is by first heating the oven to 400° F. Pierce each sweet potato several times with the tines of a fork. Place the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes. Make a slit in the top of each sweet potato. 

Farms that grow sweet potato

Recipes

Baked Sweet Potato Fries 

 

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Snow Peas (not to be confused with snap peas) are a garden fresh variety of pea, meaning you can eat it uncooked while still in the pod. Most often they’re removed from the garden while still unripe, leaving then crunchy but still tender. Eaten raw, they’re a great high-protein snack. They’re packed with Vitamin A, and C, potassium, dietary fiber, iron, magnesium, folic acid and small levels of healthy fats. Best part? They’re only a little over 1 calorie PER POD and have essentially no cholesterol! They’re a great natural food medicine to help with a number of health conditions, as well as general immune system boosting, digestion, bone mineral density and weight loss.

Preparation

Wash thoroughly, as with all produce. Snow Peas can be eaten raw. You can also cook in the shell or shell the peas, by simply frying them in a pan with oil and seasoning. Even while cooked lightly, they retain most of their nutritional value.

Farms that grow green onion

• Ho Farms

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