Practical Tips for Being a CSA Member in the Summer
The summer season is full of delicious produce and sunny days. With these warm-weather crops and hot temperatures, we have a few tips that can help you make the most of your produce and keep it as fresh as possible. Read our top tips for being a CSA Member during the summer below!
1. Not able to be home at the time of your home delivery? Leave a cooler out!
Temperatures are really warming up, so it’s especially important to take extra care of your produce and get it inside as quickly as possible! If you receive home delivery and aren’t able to be home at the time of delivery, our drivers are happy to place your produce in a cooler. If you do decide to utilize this option, make sure to email us at support@moonvalleyfarm.net so we can alert our drivers to look out for your cooler!
2. Treat basil like a cut flower.
Trim the ends of basil stems and place in a glass of water like fresh flowers. Then, place in direct sunlight. Don’t store cut basil leaves in the refrigerator because they will turn brown! 54°F is the lowest safest temperature.
3. Ripen peaches in a paper bag.
Store unripe peaches at room temperature in a paper bag. Check them daily to see if they are ripe. Once they are soft and fragrant, store them in the refrigerator!
4. Use the CSA newsletter to plan which CSA items to use first.
It's a good idea to take some time to read through the newsletter each week and mentally
(or literally) sort all of the veggies based on what will expire fastest. This way you'll know what you should prioritize cooking first and what can wait. Use this information and the recipes we share to help you create a meal plan for the week that uses the bulky items, or those that will expire fastest (like many of the berries!) first.
5. Store tomatoes outside of the refrigerator, at room temperature.
Stored on the counter, tomatoes will continue to ripen. Once fully ripe, they should be eaten! If you slice into a tomato and don’t eat it all in one sitting, put the tomato in an airtight container in the fridge – that can look like plastic wrap on it, in a plastic bag or a glass jar. Tomatoes should also be ripened on the counter in a single layer to avoid bruising as they soften - even though we often send them in a quart container! Tomatoes stored in the refrigerator get mealy tasting which is why we strongly recommend keeping on the counter until fully ripe and then enjoying right away!
6. Don’t meal prep, prep ingredients!
Does prepping full meals during the busy summer months feel overwhelming? Prep ingredients instead! Make some time at the beginning of the week to make a batch of rice, hard-boiled eggs, pickled veggies or an herby sauce. Then, when it’s time to pack your lunch or throw together a quick dinner, you’re half-way there. Your future self will thank you when you see a bunch of prepped ingredients stacked up in the fridge!
7. Don’t heat up your kitchen!
Too hot to cook inside? Take dinner outside! Many veggies and fruit (like nectarines + peaches!) grill really well.
8. Think about savoring the flavor for winter.
Now is the time to preserve summer flavors so you can enjoy them during the winter months! Shred zucchini and freeze it for future zucchini bread. Berries and sweet corn are also super easy to freeze. Check out our blog post for some tips and recipes!
9. Rehydrate greens in a bowl of cold water.
Have greens that became a little wilted from the heat? Give them a cold bath to rehydrate them! This also is a great way to clean your produce.
Savor Summer Produce with our Peak Season CSA!
Photo credit: Baltimore Magazine + Justin Tsucalas
We’re still accepting sign-ups for our Peak Season (June - November 2026) and Year Round CSA! We have multiple share sizes, weekly and bi-weekly frequency options, a swap option, and more! Need help finding the right subscription for you or have questions? Email support@moonvalleyfarm.net and we’re happy to help!