Getting Veggies Ready for Fall

Gather Ye Local Produce

October has arrived, and before long, locally grown green beans, bell peppers, tomatoes, and other colorful favorites will be hard to come by. What to do? Stock up, eat as much fresh produce as you can, and prepare the rest for consumption later in the fall or winter.

If you still have basil, turn it all into pesto and freeze it! Red peppers? Roast them, peel, them, freeze them. Green beans? Chop, blanch, and—you guessed it—freeze them.

You have a few great options for tomatoes (if it’s not too late). Plunge them into boiling water for 30 seconds then ice water so you can peel them, then can them; cook a big batch of spaghetti sauce, chili, stewed tomatoes or your favorite tomato-based soup or just roast them in a baking dish, and put the results in the freezer; host a dinner party featuring a variety of stuffed tomatoes….

I also encourage you to gather a few friends and pick your own apples at a farm in Virginia or Maryland. Try some varieties you’ve never had before, make applesauce, bake a pie. From honey crisp to winesap to rambo to cameo, there’s something for every taste.

Photo Credit: Flickr CC User (and author) bornOKthefirsttime