Storing Your Greens

CSA member Kelli Schapfer posted a question about the best way to store your greens. Here's my response:

Greens store best when they are dry and in a cold, humid environment. Farmers wash greens in cold water right after harvest to get the field heat out of them. We keep them refrigerated until they are dropped off at your pickup point. If greens are warm when you received them, you may want to submerge them in cold water. Then dry them thoroughly, put them in a plastic bag with a paper towel, and refrigerate. If you have a crisper in your fridge, keep them there. If the greens are cool when you receive them, you can skip the cold water submersion. The important thing is to make sure greens are dry when you store them- otherwise they will tend to get slimy. The plastic bag with paper towels are not necessary, but will maximize the freshness of your greens.

Thanks for the question, Kelli.