0 ITEMS IN CART 
CSA SPOTLIGHT: SALT & TIME
08/19/16 — Heydon Hatcher
Felt like time was moving at a snail’s pace, unhurriedly sludging along in the mud at the start of the week, but looking back, where has it gone? Like sand in a sieve, another week is rollin’ on by. In the Daily Dirt this week, we chat about our beloved community supported agriculture program, or CSA, and highlight one of the reigning locavore champs in town that serve as a CSA pick-up location: Salt & Time!
You may have heard of a CSA before, but for those who haven’t, simply put, it’s a way to get seasonal, local and organic produce straight from the farm, weekly or bi-weekly. Depending on how many people you feed, we have four different box sizes to cater to your lifestyle. Don’t like kohlrabi? Not a problem, we allow you to customize your share and swap out the veggies that you just can’t handle. We deliver these shares all over Austin (and Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas!) to offices, grocery stores, restaurants, and homes alike (check out all the pick-up locations here). The CSA program is our darling on the farm: it provides us with the working capital we need to kick off the season (buy seeds, prep beds, hire staff), and also keeps the farm running, even when Mother Nature has another idea entirely.
Salt & Time
"Good things come to those who add salt and wait"
A quick and brief history of this meat-tastic haunt: Ben Runkle started Salt & Time in 2010, serving up dry cured meats to the masses at farmers markets around Austin. When the powerhouse duo of Ben Runkle and Bryan Butler were introduced soon after, they quickly jived on the idea of opening a butcher shop that focused on obtaining meat directly and solely from Texas ranchers. In 2013, their idea came to fruition when the brick and mortar opened on East 7th Street. This butcher-shop, restaurant, and salumeria has been lauded locally and nationally since their ‘13 open, check out some of the praise here, here, here and here.
A butcher and his meat. Come on in and stock up, we are open until 6!
A photo posted by saltandtime (@saltandtime) on
This butcher-shop features the best meats from sustainable Texas ranches as well as offering an unmatched selection of house-made sausages, salumi, and charcuterie. Salt & Time supports other Austin businesses by offering artisanal provisions from local producers in house, ranging from cheeses to jams to hoppy beers. Not only do they proudly provide all these delectable goods to grab ‘n go, but their lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch is off-the-charts delicious. Their menu is an inventive medley of high quality meats and locally cultivated produce with an amazing beer and wine list to pair. Dining out with a vegetarian? Don't fret, S&T usually offers a more herbivorous option for those inclined to skip the meat.
One of the reasons we love this pick-up location so dearly is that in one fell swoop, you can grab your JBG veggies, peruse the extensive menu of staple goods, snag some cured meats, and cozy up to the bar with a friend and a delightful beverage. Long time CSA member, Kim, says “for the past several years, we loved that we could pick up our butchers box and CSA at the same time! Plus, we could snag any extra meat to go with the veggies, making meal coordination simpler!”
Did you know that at Salt & Time, you can how to butcher and cure meats in house? Check out a current list of what classes they are offering here.
The mission of this nonpareil butcher-shop-restaurant really captures the spirit of community supported agriculture, and we are immensely proud to partner with Salt & Time for this Thursday afternoon CSA drop. Plus, we’ve heard their cane syrup bacon goes great with just about every vegetable we grow. What are you waiting for? Pop on by the east side, and see what all the rave is about! 'Til next time, folks!
Matt workin' hard. Photo by Scott David Gordon.
Know any other local shops that you think would fit our CSA model? Drop us a line… we’d love to hear from you! Need more reasons to join our CSA? Check out 26 good ones here.
