Ah, the end of August… the feeling of being on a precipice. Could it be that spotting the army of kids traipsing to school in the morning light, lugging brightly colored book-bags, has us anticipating the cooling of temperatures? Something about these late summer/early fall sights and sounds has us relishing in brief daydreams of winter greens, Texas football, and quality family time. The nostalgia of summertime swimming will arrive soon enough, but right now we’re looking forward to regular schedule that school provides.

Fall-time fields. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Back to school and we are back to our more regimented fall agendas, and for a lot of us, that means more home-cooked meals. Even if you don't have kiddos, we know your body is craving the wholesome and nourishing flavors of autumn. Super greens and hearty soups will soon be a welcome replacement to the summertime habits of late night pizza and one-too-many trips to P. Terry's (it's proximity to Barton Springs is just wrong!). Even though Texas summers are long, change is in the air... and if you've ever thought about joining the CSA, now is prime time. By becoming a CSA member, you have no choice but to augment your existing diet with fresh, organic produce, all week long. Getting back into the swing of the school year can be hectic, but with a little help from your friends at JBG, you can relax! We like to think of our CSA program as a tool that ameliorates your meal planning, and simplifies life during the work week. We've got plenty, but here are a couple of the reasons that we think you should treat yourself to this local life hack that we call the CSA:

Live off the land. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

• Meal planning made easy. Each week, we'll give you a list of the veggies that you will receive. These veggies are an easy source of inspiration to plan any meal, can be incorporated to family-favorites, or can inspire new culinary adventures. This week's menu includes stuffed butternut squash, late summer succotash, and veggie tacos, just to name a few.
• Not the inspired chef? No worries. Each week on our BLOG we publish recipes catered to that week's offerings.
• Picky eaters? Use our customization feature to swap out veggies you don’t like for ones you do.
• Join now (like, this week!) and you'll enjoy the joys of dwindling summer crops + emerging fall favorites (bunched carrots anyone!?)
• Did we mention we deliver? Straight to your home or neighborhood. Skip the grocery store, and go straight to the source for your fall menus.
• Still need a nudge to give the CSA a try? Keep your eyes peeled for some special incentives that we’ll be rolling out this September.

 

TEAMING UP WITH AISD

Speaking of getting back to school, we are chompin’ at the bit to tell you about teaming up with AISD once again this school year on a medley of different projects. Check it out!

Ada at Travis Heights Elementary. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

• By the end of this school year, ALL AISD elementary schools will be offering a salad bar a minimum of 2 days per week. AISD is planning to continue to offer the JBG featured veggie at each roll-out. Middle schools are on the radar for the ‘17-’18 school year.
• All of the AISD menus will be on a seasonal rotation this year - Fall, Winter & Spring. The salad bars will be included in this, rotating themes every 2 weeks. Fall Salad Bar Themes: Chef, Asian, Fiesta, Mediterranean // Winter Salad Bar Themes: Chef, Ceasar, Fiesta, Roasted Winter Harvest // Spring Salad Bar Themes: Cobb, Asian, Fiesta, Spring Berry
• AISD is elated to offer JBG cucumbers as a part of their "Texas Veggie Dippers" promotions. They will be offered on K-12 menus every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, starting in September. Veggie dippers are a student favorite, so AISD is hoping to continue the local theme throughout the school year. A look ahead… in the winter, AISD is planning to incorporate JBG broccoli into a Veggie Dipper pairing.
• The Texas Dept. of Agriculture’s Farm Fresh Fridays initiative is still happening (check out our Farm Fresh Friday post here for more info)! AISD will be promoting the Texas Veggie Dippers on Fridays, as well as a featured local produce item.
• Want to get involved in joys (yes, we said joys) that are cafeteria lunches? Checkout SFC’s School Ambassador program. They’re looking for volunteers now!

Checkin' out the salad bar. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We are thrilled to continue this partnership for another year of nourishing the burgeoning minds of our younger Austin community. It’s truly fascinating and inspiring to see how AISD is changing the way that students dine on their watch, read more about it here. Keep eating your veggies, folks! ‘Til next time!

Drew Johnson's work, come see it at Prizer Gallery this weekend!

ICYMI: It's time for the 4th Annual Farmer as Artist show! This exhibition examines the link between creativity and farming. Come see the artwork of local farmers including folks from Boggy Creek Farm, Millberg Farm, Munkebo Farm, Johnson's Backyard Garden, Farmshare Austin, Prickly Pair Farm, Genesis Gardens at Housing First, and more. This event is free and open to all.

• PRIZER GALLERY
• Opening Reception, Saturday August 27th, 6pm-9pm.
• Exhibition Dates: August 27th - October 1st

After the opening, Prizer will be open on Saturdays from 12pm to 5pm for viewing the show. Individual appointments can also be made by emailing the gallery at prizeraustin@gmail.com