Keeping herbs fresh at market?

10 years ago

OK, another vendor told me my kale was wilting right away b/c I cut it just before market and stuck it in cooler, then put stems in ice water when I got there. So tomorrow I'm going to try to hydrocool the bunches like I do lettuce, then put them in cooler.

But I want to bring oregano (flowering) and dill (ditto, though they haven't formed seeds yet). How early to pick and how to keep from wilting? Also, my state does price surveys so I know what markets are charging around the state, but how big is a "bunch" of herbs? I started at $3 for 6 stems of kale, then 12. Still can't sell any (maybe b/c it was wilting, esp. by 5pm when customers show up). Going to try mustard greens too.

I've got to pull all the tatsoi - I never sold any b/c it bolted so soon, should have pulled it earlier when I pulled the bok choy. Time to plant for fall (my peas are coming up!).

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Comments (6)

myfamilysfarm
10 years ago
People here either sell by the pound or whatever the vendor's hand will hold and rubberband.
Slimy_Okra
10 years ago
I hydrocool the previous day, allow to cool in the fridge for a few hours, then bag them and sell in the bags. At market, I put the bags on ice packs (with a towel covering the ice packs).

If you have space, plant some tatsoi now. It will be ready in October and its flavour will be absolutely fabulous. It's as hardy as kale and can be harvested from under the snow (provided the ground hasn't yet frozen).
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2ajsmama
Original Author
10 years ago
I picked in the AM, hydrocooled, put it in fridge, and then kept the kale in the cooler yesterday but only sold 1 bunch though I was telling everyone it was in there. Mustard stayed better in a square plastic container with an ice pack and towel in the bottom, I kept switching it out with more in the cooler but only sold a little bit - just to round out not quite 1/2 lb of green beans (same price $3/lb), lady didn't want much b/c she wasn't cooking the mustard, was going to use it in salad (too spicy for my tastes).

Oh yeah, as soon as I pull all the kale and bolted tatsoi (maybe the mustard too) I'll have 60sf to put tatsoi - try bok choy too? I have the seed, that bolted right away this summer. Not sure how much/what kind of kale (if any) to plant for fall?

Once cukes are done I'll have another 20ft or so - and even more once the squash is done but I don't know when that will be. I did want to try to keep anything that needed row cover together packed in as tightly as possible.
little_minnie
10 years ago
Most likely you are growing Russian kale which wilts more than Scotch/curly types. I do too. I don't like the curly. I pick and bundle as I pick as much as I can hold in my hand. Then it goes into cold water tub with salt and vinegar. I shake it off and put in a bag in a cooler with an ice jug for transport. At market I just put it in a cute container with cold water and keep it on the shady side. Most of the time if I get it into the water right after picking it stays nice all evening. Once it comes home unsold and goes in the fridge it looks great for days- same with turnips and carrots and beets with tops.

Herbs I also cut and put into a bucket with water and just leave that way all market.

Most things really prefer instantly going into water so I put several buckets full on my cart as I pick.
Slimy_Okra
10 years ago
little_minnie,
Why do you add salt and vinegar to the wash water, and how much do you add? I'm guessing it's to remove aphids?
2ajsmama
Original Author
10 years ago
The kale that I cut this weekend and just stuck the stems in a bucket of cold water in the garage looks better than the stuff I hydrocooled (stuck leaves in cold water) and put in the fridge, then the cooler last week. Maybe I'll put it in the cooler today and see how it keeps. About done with kale anyway - only sold 1 bunch last week (yes, the Russian) and thinned it out this weekend to give the cukes more sun and air. Looking pretty ragged - big roots though. Should I pull it out and seed more, or will the plants produce some smaller leaves now?