If you’re like us, you can’t wait for summer to get here so you can enjoy farm-fresh produce every day. Bright, crisp greens, yummy tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers just bursting with flavor — and don’t forget the sun-ripened fruit, just bursting with sugary juice! If you live near Honey Brook, you know that the winters can be long and harsh, and that’s why when summer rolls around, we look for every excuse to indulge in fresh-picked produce as often as possible.
Although most fruits and veggies are great just by themselves, after a while, you might be looking for some new ways to enjoy them. In today’s blog from Mt. Pleasant Produce, we’re going to explore some ideas that you might want to take advantage of. Keep reading, and if you’re interested in sourcing the best that nature has to offer, visit our Amish produce market in Honey Brook.
Fresh Salads
Chances are, you may have been looking for some other ideas for using your produce than just making a salad. After all, salads are pretty boring, right? Hear us out! People tend to get stuck in the same old salad routine of using the same three or four vegetables over and over. No wonder why people don’t eat more salads!
Salads can be so much more than just some lettuce and a few slices of tomato. There are dozens of greens out there that you’ve probably never even tried. Why not pick out a few and mix them together for a new twist on salad? We suggest starting with a spring mix and then jazzing it up with some arugula for a bit of bite.
And speaking of mixing things up, there’s a whole world of different kinds of vegetables out there, so why not try something new? In fact, you could make an entire salad out of things you’ve never tried before. Think you hate radishes because you didn’t like them when you were 5? It’s time to stop avoiding the vegetables you disliked as a child. Taste buds change, and chances are you don’t even remember what they taste like.
If you’re looking for beautiful, fresh produce, visit our fruits and vegetable page to see what we have to offer and then stop by our Amish produce market.
Can Your Goods For Later
Many decades ago, canning excess produce was not only common practice, but it was also a necessity to make sure the family made it through the winter with food to eat. Nowadays, few people take the time to can. They’re too busy doing other things and it’s much more convenient to get their canned goods from the supermarket.
Canning your own food is a great way to preserve produce picked at the peak of freshness. Home-canned goods are often better for you too. The items you buy in the store usually have added colors and preservatives in them. Have you ever looked at one of the major brands of pickles? You’ll see things like sodium benzoate and Yellow 5. We don’t want these ingredients in our pickles, and you probably don’t either.
Canning some of your summer produce can also be a great family activity. During these uncertain times where we are trying to spend more time at home and limit our exposure to large groups of people, families are looking for new activities that they can share together. You could even ask some senior members of your group if they have any traditional family recipes tucked away somewhere.
If you’re thinking of canning but you’ve never tried it before, we encourage you to refer to this handy resource from Penn State. There are a few things you need to know to ensure your canned goods are safe to eat and will hold up in storage. And, if you want homemade canned goods but you just can’t seem to find the time, you can always purchase them from Mt. Pleasant Produce.
Bake Bread
Baking fresh bread is another lost art that many people don’t know how or don’t take the time to do. In this case, what we’re actually talking about though is baking bread made with fresh produce like carrots or zucchini. Compared to traditional yeast bread (like white or sourdough) these types of bread are more reminiscent of banana bread although sometimes less sweet (depending on how you make them).
If you’ve ever planted zucchini in your garden, you probably quickly found out that it can take over your whole yard. Zucchini plants are known to multiply virtually overnight, leaving you with more than you manage to give away. The next time you have too many vegetables on your hands, search for a recipe where you can use your extras to make a delicious snack. Zucchini and other similar breads are a great way to get more vegetables into your diet and compared to just plain vegetables, they're much easier to give away!.
Do you wish you could have some homemade bread on hand but don’t have time to spend in the kitchen? Mt. Pleasant Produce has a variety of sweet and savory bread on hand. Shop our website or stop by our market.
Make Some Homemade Jam
There’s nothing quite like the taste of homemade jam made with your favorite fruits and berries. Like other canned products, many people have never tried making their own homemade jams and jellies. While it may not seem like there wouldn’t be much difference between what you can get in the store and what you would make at home, trust us — there is!
Making your own jams and jellies lets you savor the flavor of mouthwatering sweet berries and fruits all year round. Sure, you can usually find strawberries in the grocery store even in the winter months, but have you tried them? Trying to buy some fruits in the middle of winter is a waste of money. They often taste just like the container they came in — lacking flavor and juiciness. If you want to have delicious, ripe fruit available all year round, make some jam this summer! Or, you can always order some homemade jams and jellies from our Amish produce market where we use only the freshest, ripest ingredients available.
Shop Mt. Pleasant Produce
We’ve waited months for summer, but it’s finally here. Make sure you take advantage of nature’s wonderful bounty by enjoying as much fresh produce as you can, either from your own garden or from Mt. Pleasant Produce in Honey Brook. If you’re farther than a drive away from our area, remember that you can always order many of our products straight from our website. We have jams, raw honey, and several types of canned goods that we can ship right to your door! Visit our Amish produce market either in person or through our website and place your order today!