Thought I would make a new topic since I won’t have time to hang around in chat today..

OH and I have just signed up for a weekly delivery of fresh organic fruit & vegies, instead of buying them from the supermarket. We got a whole bunch of carrots last Thursday, and I popped them straight into the crisper with the shop-carrots we haven’t finished off yet, but these organic ones are going bad (rubbery, bendy, and brown bits) very quickly.

Is there a better way to store carrots?! Have they done something to the shop ones to make them last longer?

I will ask the people I bought them from if I no one has any ideas, but I thought you guys growing our own carrots might have some useful wisdom :)

sounds to me that they are not that fresh or have been bruised through harvesting/handling :(
I would complain because they need to know that their produce is not up to par.

usually I find that shop bought beans go mouldy a lot quicker than my home grown.

I have a book at home on storage of fresh produce, so I will try and remember to check it out tonight.

bluegreen said:

sounds to me that they are not that fresh or have been bruised through harvesting/handling :(
I would complain because they need to know that their produce is not up to par.

usually I find that shop bought beans go mouldy a lot quicker than my home grown.

I have a book at home on storage of fresh produce, so I will try and remember to check it out tonight.

Thanks BG, I’ll email them and let them know. Apart from the carrot problem everything has been great – OH reckons he can taste the difference in the apples, and you can definitely see the difference in the broccoli.

bon008 said:

bluegreen said:

sounds to me that they are not that fresh or have been bruised through harvesting/handling :(
I would complain because they need to know that their produce is not up to par.

usually I find that shop bought beans go mouldy a lot quicker than my home grown.

I have a book at home on storage of fresh produce, so I will try and remember to check it out tonight.

Thanks BG, I’ll email them and let them know. Apart from the carrot problem everything has been great – OH reckons he can taste the difference in the apples, and you can definitely see the difference in the broccoli.

I don’t tell Mr BG which is home grown/organic or which is regular stupidmarket. But he can always tell the difference.

two things i noticed haven’t been mentioned yet:
- the organic carrots might be much younger (thinner) so they’ll go soft much quicker than say those big/hard carrots from shops
- sometimes just the (very specific) location of the foodstuff in the fridge/crisper can make all the difference

carrots store well without refrigeration also..if the fridge is set just a bit too cold (but not quite freezing,) it will tend to wilt vegies prematurely; except for those vegies that are (bought) very hard to start with

on a much more general note…some vegies/fruit should not be stored in fridge at all, e.g. bananas go brown/squishy quickly in the fridge.

aquarium said:

two things i noticed haven’t been mentioned yet:
- the organic carrots might be much younger (thinner) so they’ll go soft much quicker than say those big/hard carrots from shops
- sometimes just the (very specific) location of the foodstuff in the fridge/crisper can make all the difference

carrots store well without refrigeration also..if the fridge is set just a bit too cold (but not quite freezing,) it will tend to wilt vegies prematurely; except for those vegies that are (bought) very hard to start with

on a much more general note…some vegies/fruit should not be stored in fridge at all, e.g. bananas go brown/squishy quickly in the fridge.

good points there aquarium. another thing I thought of is if the tops were left on they would wilt quickly too.

bon008 said:

bluegreen said:

sounds to me that they are not that fresh or have been bruised through harvesting/handling :(
I would complain because they need to know that their produce is not up to par.

usually I find that shop bought beans go mouldy a lot quicker than my home grown.

I have a book at home on storage of fresh produce, so I will try and remember to check it out tonight.

Thanks BG, I’ll email them and let them know. Apart from the carrot problem everything has been great – OH reckons he can taste the difference in the apples, and you can definitely see the difference in the broccoli.

Only broccoli elf will eat is …from the garden out the back.

aquarium said:

two things i noticed haven’t been mentioned yet:
- the organic carrots might be much younger (thinner) so they’ll go soft much quicker than say those big/hard carrots from shops
- sometimes just the (very specific) location of the foodstuff in the fridge/crisper can make all the difference

carrots store well without refrigeration also..if the fridge is set just a bit too cold (but not quite freezing,) it will tend to wilt vegies prematurely; except for those vegies that are (bought) very hard to start with

on a much more general note…some vegies/fruit should not be stored in fridge at all, e.g. bananas go brown/squishy quickly in the fridge.

Thanks aquarium, I did wonder if carrots might be one of those “best in the cupboard” things like potatoes and such. These new carrots were sitting right on top of the old store carrots (only difference was that store carrots were in a plastic bag, organic ones were loose, and they are a comparable size.

I’m about to email the suppliers and ask if they have any other storage recommended, so I’ll post back here if I find anything out.

also some fruit/vegies emit certain ripening gas. i don’t know them of the top of my head. so if any of those were also in the crisper (e.g. apples) they’ll cause quick maturing of other fruit/veg.

mind you that (generally) supermarket fruit and vegies are produced/treated for long storage life in the first place; whilst the organic varieties are grown for maximum flavor and taste. we probably got used to having those specially treated ones last in the fridge for a month or more. their vitamin and mineral qualities are quite different, with the organic kind not having been sprayed with dangerous poisons.

i would make an inquiry if the carrots didn’t last 7 days properly stored. Anything after a week would be a bonus. the storage life of most of my fruit/vegies (except apples) is very short indeed, once i bring them in…to use same day or within 2 days. if/when things go slightly off, it goes to the ducks/chickens/compost/worm-farm. some people go the extra mile and preserve excess garden harvest, so the goodness can last longer.

i reckon the most important thing is if you’re generally more satisfied with the quality/taste of the organic produce.

cheers

From The Home Vegetable Garden produced by the Department of Agriculture NSW in 1980:

Carrots and parsnips should be harvested carefully and the tops cut off close. Dry them for a day in a cool place, then pack in dry sand in boxes and store in a cool place. If roots show signs of wilting, cover the boxes with wet sacks or newspapers. Store only sound, uninjured roots or rotting will occur.

Sometimes different types of veg need a different level of humidity. Carrots seem to need a higher level of humidity to keep well i.e. they dry out quickly. I used to store my carrots in a sealed plastic container with other vegies (to reduce the number of plastic bags) but if I put beans in the same container, the beans would go mouldy, because they need a less moisture. Now – in the fridge – I keep carrots in their own plastic bag with the end closed, but beans go in a plastic bag with the end slightly open (not very much at all, really) so that any moisture build up can evaporate. There are times that carrots in a plastic bag will go mouldy, or even mushy at the ends or have mushy spots, but after working at a fruit and vegie shop, I’d blame that on the condition that they were in when I bought them.

I don’t know how the supermarkets do their ordering, but at the little local f&v,the boss ticked a box on the order form and hoped that our buyer could get decent quality produce.

In short, grow your own and eat it soon, just as Aquarium said!!

aquarium said:

mind you that (generally) supermarket fruit and vegies are produced/treated for long storage life in the first place; whilst the organic varieties are grown for maximum flavor and taste.

Not always the case. Many of today’s organic growers are keen to make a living too, so a long storage life is a plus… We must remember that organic doesn’t always automatically mean “the best”…

How about pumpkins? I know for long term storage you’re meant to put them in a cool dry sort of place, but what if you have a quarter of a pumpkin, wrapped in plastic? Straight into the fridge?

(Geez I feel like a domestic failure at the moment!)

bon008 said:

but what if you have a quarter of a pumpkin, wrapped in plastic? Straight into the fridge?

that’s what I do.

bluegreen said:

bon008 said:

but what if you have a quarter of a pumpkin, wrapped in plastic? Straight into the fridge?

that’s what I do.

Also remove ALL seeds and that mush stuff….. that is with pumpkins, rock melon, honeydew…. the seeds will make the fruit & veg of the said item turn rotten quicker.

It’s 3 pm and the house is looking more loved… now moved into the lounge room…..I’m watching TV in bed tonight…. as I am looking forward to laying down after tea.

Got curry again for tea.

Lucky1 said:

bluegreen said:

bon008 said:

but what if you have a quarter of a pumpkin, wrapped in plastic? Straight into the fridge?

that’s what I do.

Also remove ALL seeds and that mush stuff….. that is with pumpkins, rock melon, honeydew…. the seeds will make the fruit & veg of the said item turn rotten quicker.

Aha! Thanks, that’s definitely one to remember :)

bon008 said:

Lucky1 said:

bluegreen said:

bon008 said:

but what if you have a quarter of a pumpkin, wrapped in plastic? Straight into the fridge?

that’s what I do.

Also remove ALL seeds and that mush stuff….. that is with pumpkins, rock melon, honeydew…. the seeds will make the fruit & veg of the said item turn rotten quicker.

Aha! Thanks, that’s definitely one to remember :)

Have to add my little bit to this thread. For years now I have extracted all the air out of the plastic bag that I store each veg in and sealing it tightly. They keep to ages. Lettuce will keep for 3 to 4 weeks. (iceberg) That’s no kidding either. Carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, beans. You name it. It all keeps well.

pomolo said:

bon008 said:

Lucky1 said:

bluegreen said:

bon008 said:

but what if you have a quarter of a pumpkin, wrapped in plastic? Straight into the fridge?

that’s what I do.

Also remove ALL seeds and that mush stuff….. that is with pumpkins, rock melon, honeydew…. the seeds will make the fruit & veg of the said item turn rotten quicker.

Aha! Thanks, that’s definitely one to remember :)

Have to add my little bit to this thread. For years now I have extracted all the air out of the plastic bag that I store each veg in and sealing it tightly. They keep to ages. Lettuce will keep for 3 to 4 weeks. (iceberg) That’s no kidding either. Carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, beans. You name it. It all keeps well.

Oh I’d love one of those Sunbeam air sucker outter machine for storing foods.

I have a lettuce keeper my mum gave me back before Jim-Bob was born…. keeps lettuces for ages.

I love slupperware and store vegies in them and they last until we actually eat them all.

pomolo said:

bon008 said:

Lucky1 said:

bluegreen said:

bon008 said:

but what if you have a quarter of a pumpkin, wrapped in plastic? Straight into the fridge?

that’s what I do.

Also remove ALL seeds and that mush stuff….. that is with pumpkins, rock melon, honeydew…. the seeds will make the fruit & veg of the said item turn rotten quicker.

Aha! Thanks, that’s definitely one to remember :)

Have to add my little bit to this thread. For years now I have extracted all the air out of the plastic bag that I store each veg in and sealing it tightly. They keep to ages. Lettuce will keep for 3 to 4 weeks. (iceberg) That’s no kidding either. Carrots, tomatoes, broccoli, beans. You name it. It all keeps well.

You used to be able to buy a little pump thingy to do that.

I have green plastic bags. Originally from Amway, a bit thicker than normal food storage bags – work well.

Heard back from the Organic people – they suggested (as you guys have) to keep the carrots in a plastic bag, but they also thought it was a bit sudden, so they gave me 6 extra (free) carrots in my delivery this morning. I now have so many carrots I have to give some away g

Some new things in the box today.. beetroot! I have never had beetroot that didn’t come out of a tin grin
Have to grab the Jamie Oliver cookbook and see what we can do with them..

bon008 said:

Heard back from the Organic people – they suggested (as you guys have) to keep the carrots in a plastic bag, but they also thought it was a bit sudden, so they gave me 6 extra (free) carrots in my delivery this morning. I now have so many carrots I have to give some away g

Some new things in the box today.. beetroot! I have never had beetroot that didn’t come out of a tin grin
Have to grab the Jamie Oliver cookbook and see what we can do with them..

Boil them…….. then peel and plonk on your plate and eat and ENJOY

Lucky1 said:

bon008 said:

Heard back from the Organic people – they suggested (as you guys have) to keep the carrots in a plastic bag, but they also thought it was a bit sudden, so they gave me 6 extra (free) carrots in my delivery this morning. I now have so many carrots I have to give some away g

Some new things in the box today.. beetroot! I have never had beetroot that didn’t come out of a tin grin
Have to grab the Jamie Oliver cookbook and see what we can do with them..

Boil them…….. then peel and plonk on your plate and eat and ENJOY

you like chili Lucky, I put a recipe of Cosmics place

bon008 said:

Heard back from the Organic people – they suggested (as you guys have) to keep the carrots in a plastic bag, but they also thought it was a bit sudden, so they gave me 6 extra (free) carrots in my delivery this morning. I now have so many carrots I have to give some away g

Some new things in the box today.. beetroot! I have never had beetroot that didn’t come out of a tin grin
Have to grab the Jamie Oliver cookbook and see what we can do with them..

I’m glad they thought you had a valid complaint. You can also bottle or freeze carrots. Not sure about how you would bottle them, but to freeze I expect you cut them into little cubes, blanch and freeze.

The Estate said:

Lucky1 said:

bon008 said:

Heard back from the Organic people – they suggested (as you guys have) to keep the carrots in a plastic bag, but they also thought it was a bit sudden, so they gave me 6 extra (free) carrots in my delivery this morning. I now have so many carrots I have to give some away g

Some new things in the box today.. beetroot! I have never had beetroot that didn’t come out of a tin grin
Have to grab the Jamie Oliver cookbook and see what we can do with them..

Boil them…….. then peel and plonk on your plate and eat and ENJOY

you like chili Lucky, I put a recipe of Cosmics place

My chilli didn’t flower this summer:(

Lucky1 said:

bon008 said:

Some new things in the box today.. beetroot! I have never had beetroot that didn’t come out of a tin grin
Have to grab the Jamie Oliver cookbook and see what we can do with them..

Boil them…….. then peel and plonk on your plate and eat and ENJOY

I think that will be too simple for OH – he’ll want to do something elaborate! I might try to talk him into Jamie’s beetroot coleslaw for some of the beets – he never makes salad and I do miss having salad… Oh, we got half a cabbage too so that works v well!!

bluegreen said:

bon008 said:

Heard back from the Organic people – they suggested (as you guys have) to keep the carrots in a plastic bag, but they also thought it was a bit sudden, so they gave me 6 extra (free) carrots in my delivery this morning. I now have so many carrots I have to give some away g

I’m glad they thought you had a valid complaint. You can also bottle or freeze carrots. Not sure about how you would bottle them, but to freeze I expect you cut them into little cubes, blanch and freeze.

Yep, they are always very positive when getting any kind of feedback, I’m really enjoying this system so far :) It’s funny though, the state the carrots were in 3 days ago, I’d expect them to be much worse today, but actually they’ve plateaued and will still be OK for cooking.. I may have judged too soon :)

(we’re getting through our veg very slowly at the moment as I still haven’t recovered from my tummy bug, so eating bland food)

My fingers smell of garlic and the bread maker is now turning a loaf of garlic bread round and in 3 hours…….yummo

Just waiting on the caulie and then eat our tea…….:D

bon008 said:

bluegreen said:

bon008 said:

Heard back from the Organic people – they suggested (as you guys have) to keep the carrots in a plastic bag, but they also thought it was a bit sudden, so they gave me 6 extra (free) carrots in my delivery this morning. I now have so many carrots I have to give some away g

I’m glad they thought you had a valid complaint. You can also bottle or freeze carrots. Not sure about how you would bottle them, but to freeze I expect you cut them into little cubes, blanch and freeze.

Yep, they are always very positive when getting any kind of feedback, I’m really enjoying this system so far :) It’s funny though, the state the carrots were in 3 days ago, I’d expect them to be much worse today, but actually they’ve plateaued and will still be OK for cooking.. I may have judged too soon :)

(we’re getting through our veg very slowly at the moment as I still haven’t recovered from my tummy bug, so eating bland food)

carrot and apple juice is a good tonic – have you got a juicer?

The Estate said:

Lucky1 said:

bon008 said:

Heard back from the Organic people – they suggested (as you guys have) to keep the carrots in a plastic bag, but they also thought it was a bit sudden, so they gave me 6 extra (free) carrots in my delivery this morning. I now have so many carrots I have to give some away g

Some new things in the box today.. beetroot! I have never had beetroot that didn’t come out of a tin grin
Have to grab the Jamie Oliver cookbook and see what we can do with them..

Boil them…….. then peel and plonk on your plate and eat and ENJOY

you like chili Lucky, I put a recipe of Cosmics place

Wrapped in foil and baked is yummy.