Beets are a vegetable you’re sure to see as a CSA Shareholder.  Some of you wonder why you get them at all, and some wonder why you get them so little.  Every year when our surveys come in it’s the same thing, half of you love the beets and want more, and half of you would be happy to never see another one.  So why do we keep growing beets when so many of you don’t want them, because so many of you do!

We grow both red and gold beets at Fort Hill Farm.  The red beets have a lovely rich burgundy color that may bleed into other food that they are cooked with.  The gold beets will not bleed their color.

Storage and Handling:

For Bunched Beets:  Cut off the greens leaving about an inch of the stem on the roots.  Store the greens unwashed in a loosely closed plastic bag in your fridge for up to a week.  We recommend using the greens within the first few days for optimal flavor.

Beet Roots can be stored in your fridge crisper drawer in a plastic bag for up to 3 weeks.  After a little while they may begin to soften, they are still perfectly edible at this point. 

If you are fortunate enough to have a root cellar, they can be stored long-term when un-washed.

Culinary Uses:

Beets can be roasted, steamed, boiled, grated raw for salads, cooked into soups, tossed with pasta and pickled.  I personally like to toss warm roasted beets with fresh Arugula or Salad Mix, toasted walnuts, and goat cheese lightly dressed with simple balsamic vinaigrette.

If you are roasting a variety of vegetables, roast your red beets separately so that their color doesn’t bleed.