O’Brien Family Farms Products

Listed to the right is a brief list of what we grow and sell at the farm market.

In order to supply you with the freshest produce, all items are available on a seasonal basis.

Please click on the fruits and vegetables to the right to see tips on purchasing and storing. Nutrition charts are also listed below on each of these fruits and vegetables.

Asparagus

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Asparagus should be fresh and firm with closed, compact tips and a good green color. Spears should be straight and round and snap easily when bent. Diameter of spears is not an indicator of quality. Spears with larger diameters are just as flavorful and tender as those with slender diameters.
• Storing: Fresh asparagus maintains best with low temperatures. To maintain quality, stand asparagus upright with butt-end down in 1 inch of water. Or refrigerate asparagus for up to four day by wrapping butt-ends in a wet paper towel and placing in a plastic bag. Asparagus will lose sugar content and become dry in room temperature.

Beets

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Beets should have firm, smooth skins and non-wilted leaves if still attached. Smaller ones are typically more tender.
• Storing: Remove leaves and leave about an inch of the stems. Store roots in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. Wash before cooking. (Leaves may also be used as greens – raw or cooked).

Bell Peppers

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Bell peppers are sweet in flavor. A good quality bell pepper is firm, fresh-looking and brightly colored.
• Storing: Do not store bell peppers in very low temperatures as they are subjective to chill injury. Refrigerate bell peppers for up to five days.

Blueberries

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Choose firm, plump, dry blueberries with dusty blue color and uniform size.
• Storing: Blueberries should be stored refrigerated for 10-14 days.

Broccoli

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Broccoli should have fresh looking, light green stalks of consistent thickness. Bud clusters should be compact and green.
• Storing: Refrigerate broccoli and use within 3-5 days.

Cabbage

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Cabbage that is of good quality should be well formed, fairly even in color and heavy for its size. Leaves should be compact and fairly smooth.
• Storing: For the best quality, whole heads should be stored untrimmed with leaves intact. Provide adequate ventilation for cabbage as it loses moisture easily and will wilt if kept in room temperature. Cabbage can be tightly wrapped and refrigerated for about one week.

Carrots

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Carrots should be firm and crisp with a deep color and fresh green tops.
• Storing: Refrigerate carrots in a plastic bag with tops removed up to 2 weeks.

Cauliflower

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Cauliflower should have compact, creamy white curds and bright green, firmly attached leaves.
• Storing: Refrigerate cauliflower in a plastic bag up to 5 days.

Celery

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Celery should be light green in color with long straight stalks and a crisp texture. Stalks should have rigid ribs that should snap crisply when bent. The inside surface of ribs should be clean and smooth on the inside surface. Leaves on the ends of the stalks should be fresh, a well color green and show no signs on wilting.
• Storing: Celery will dehydrate if left uncovered. Keep bags closed until used!

Citrus

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Choose firm to semi-soft citrus with deep colors. Make sure to look for citrus that is heavy for its size. Avoid citrus with soft spots and/or citrus with brown coloring.
• Storing: Refrigerate for up to two weeks.

Corn

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Corn should have fresh green husks with silk ends that do not have decay on them. Ears of corn should be covered with kernels of a consistent size.
• Storing: Refrigerate corn with husks on them for usage within 2 days.

Cubanelle Peppers

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Cubanelles should be pale to medium yellow/green with a smooth, shiny, firm finish. These sweet to mild peppers look like an elongated bell pepper.
• Storing: Cubanelles should last for approximately 2 to 3 weeks.

Cucumbers

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Cucumbers should be firm, well-shaped and have an even dark green color. Good quality cucumbers should also be heavy for their size.
• Storing: Refrigerate cucumbers for up to one week.

Eggplant

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Eggplants should be firm and free of blemishes with an even color. Eggplants come in many colors and depending on the variety can range from golf ball to football size.
• Storing: Store eggplants in the refrigerator and use within 5-7 days. Eggplants are very sensitive to bruising, so handle with care!

Grape Tomatoes

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Grape tomatoes are small in size with shiny red skin, firm flesh and a concentrated flavor.
• Storing: Tomatoes are very delicate and can bruise easy. Make sure to keep tomatoes is a neutral environment, as they are susceptible to chill injury.

Green Beans:

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Good quality green beans should have long, straight pods and be well colored. Pods should be able to snap easily when bent. Green beans should be free of decay or blemishes.
• Storing: Green beans are stored best in an area with moderate air circulation. High air circulation can cause dehydration where low temperatures can cause a chill injury.

Jalapeno Peppers

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Fresh jalapenos should be firm chilies. “Stretch marks” often indicate hotter peppers!
• Storing: Wrap unwashed jalapeno peppers in a paper towel then refrigerate in a plastic bag for up to ten days. Rinse before using!

Kale

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Kale bunches will have small to medium leaves with a deep, rich color.
• Storing: Kale should be stored in the coldest part of the refrigerator for 3-5 days.

Lettuces

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Good quality lettuces should be fresh, crisp and well-colored. Avoid lettuces that show signs of spotting or decay.
• Storing: Keep lettuces in a cool environment and keep lightly misted. Fresh-cut lettuces should last about 2 weeks.

Mustard Greens

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Look for green color leaves that don’t show withering. Mustard greens should have stems that look freshly cut that aren’t dried out, brown or split.
• Storing: Gently wrap greens in paper towels before they are washed and loosely store them in plastic bags. Keep moist and cool in the refrigerator.

Okra

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Select brightly colored firm pods.
• Storing: Store okra in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Onion

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Choose onions that are firm and dry with bright, smooth outer skins.
• Storing: Store whole onions in a cool, dark, well ventilated place. Use within 4 weeks. Cut onions need to be refrigerated and placed in a tightly sealed container for use within 2-3 days.

Potatoes

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: All potato varieties should be clean, firm, smooth, dry and uniform in size.
• Storing: Store potatoes in a cool, dark, well ventilated place for use within 3-5 weeks.

Radishes

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Radishes should be bright in color with firm, well-formed roots. The flesh should be white and crisp.
• Storing: Keep radishes misted and bunched. Do not wrap misted product. Bunched radishes should last approximately 10 days to two weeks.

Squash

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Soft-shell squash should be firm with shiny, tender rinds. Shape and rind color should be consistent with the type of squash. Generally speaking, smaller sizes in squash tend to be slightly more tender and flavorful.
• Storing: Keep squash refrigerated and it should last up about one week.

Strawberries

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Strawberries should be plump and firm with a bright red color and natural shine.
• Storing: Strawberries should be kept cool, but do not mist! Strawberries are highly sensitive to cold weather and bruising. To maintain the best quality product, brief storage is crucial. Do not wash strawberries until you are ready to eat them!

Sweet Potatoes

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Choose firm, small- to medium-sized potatoes with smooth skin. Avoid cracks and soft spots.
• Storing: Store sweet potatoes in a cool, dark place for use within 3-5 weeks.

Swiss Chard

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Swiss chard with fresh green leaves, avoid those that are yellow or discolored.
• Storing: Store unwashed leaves in plastic bags in the crisper in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

Tomatoes

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Choose tomatoes with bright, shiny skins and firm flesh.
• Storing: Store at room temperature away from direct sunlight. Use within 1 week after ripe. Refrigerate only if you can’t use them before they spoil.

Watermelon

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Watermelons should have dried stems and yellowish undersides.
• Storing: Store whole watermelons at room temperature. Refrigerate cut watermelons in an airtight container for use within 5 days.

Zucchini

Nutrition Chart
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• Purchasing: Fresh zucchini should have a slightly prickly, but shinny skin. The skin should be firm and free of cuts.
• Storing: Do not wash zucchini until you are ready to use it. Zucchini should be stored in a plastic bag for 4 to 5 days. Cooked zucchini can be stored in the refrigerator, but should be used within 2 days.