Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Position Title: Farm Administrator Location: Garfield, TX Department:  Administration Reports To: Assistant Farm Manager Supervises: Farm Courier

Position Summary: Our Garfield, TX location encompasses nearly 200 acres of vegetable production. The Farm Administrator will assist the Farm Manager and Assistant Farm Manager, maintain critical records, order materials, and coordinate between harvest team, farm courier, and packing team. This position is one of considerable responsibility, and we're seeking someone who is proactive, flexible, and excellent at following verbal and written instructions.

Responsibilities:

• Assist Farm Manager
  • Assist Farm Manager with managing personal and professional email and schedule, including travel arrangements. This includes filtering and prioritizing communications.
  • Assist Farm Manager with prioritization of tasks and with writing letters, emails, and other correspondence or publications.
  • Assist with answering phones, running deliveries, and other miscellaneous tasks designated by Farm Manager, Asst. Farm Manager and Operations Manager.
• Maintain Critical Records and Order Materials
  • Compile records and update spreadsheets weekly for National Organic Certification and crop insurance.
  • Maintain Seed Inventory Spreadsheet and Organic Seed Search.
  • Place orders for seeds with approval from the Assistant Farm Manager and the Farm Manager, and in compliance with organic certification requirements.
  • Place orders for drip tape, plastic mulch, greenhouse supplies and other materials with approval from Assistant Farm Manager.
• Coordinate Harvest Availability
  • Coordinate with Harvest Manager regarding crop availability projections and harvest management.
  • Communicate harvest projections through the Harvest Management spreadsheets using the weekly Availability Update spreadsheet.
  • Communicate with sales teams about projections, availability, and quality of projected harvest with approval from the Harvest Manager.
  • Coordinate with CSA Manager for volunteer boxes daily.
• Maintain USDA crop insurance for crops
  • Update crop insurance representative with planting dates, acres planted, crop codes, and other related information on a weekly basis.
  • File Insurance claims in case of damage to crops due to vagaries of Nature.
• Provide Human Resources support at Garfield farm
  • Issue new employee paperwork and employee equipment as needed.
  • Schedule and conduct interviews and hiring for Garfield farm.
  • Work with Payroll Assistant to make sure Garfield payroll is accurate.
  • Coordinate with Operations Manager to file Garfield worker’s compensation claims.
• Supervise Farm Courier
  • Communicate with Farm Courier to ensure all needed items are brought from one farm to the other daily
  • Assign errands and other tasks when needed

Qualifications Required

• Highly organized with excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Self-directed worker, effective in both independent and collaborative settings
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to multi-task
• An interest in agriculture and promotion of local and organic farming
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Docs
• Skilled at typing and writing

Preferred

• Previous experience as an administrator or administrative assistant
• Spanish fluency

Physical Requirements

• Ability to repeatedly lift 50 lbs
• Ability to repeatedly kneel, bend, and squat
• Ability to withstand exposure to varying weather condition
• Ability to withstand prolonged standing or walking

Schedule: Full-time, Typically Monday-Friday 7AM-5PM with weekend work based on seasonal needs.

Compensation & Benefits: Compensation is dependent on experience. Paid bi-weekly. Permanent employees are eligible for Individual Health Plan benefits.

Directions for Applying: Please send an email to jobs@jbgorganic.com with the following format. Following specific directions is the first way to impress us!

• Subject Line should read “[Job Title]: [First Initial]_[Last Name]” … For example, “Planting Crew Coordinator: J_Smith”
• Email body should be short & sweet - help us notice you! Ensure that it contains your contact information.
• Attach three documents to your email, ensuring that their file names are clear: 1) Cover Letter 2) Resume 3) List containing contact information of two professional references

Thank you for your interest in JBG Organic! You will be contacted for further information if we find that you might be a good fit for this position.

The responsibilities & duties listed above are intended to communicate general priorities of this position, but should not be understood as an exhaustive list of all work requirements to be completed at JBG Organic. Farms require flexibility! We are committed to training, developing, and promoting from within the company based on performance.

JBG Organic provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetics, marital status, or sexual orientation.

 

The arrival of a new month means another marvelous edition of our First Friday Staff Picks! We think that our staff is the best in the business (okay, okay, we are a little biased), but the JBG family hails from all over the place and covers the gamut in talents and interests. We love sharing events, adventures, and side projects that inspire and excite our JBG-ers (food-related or not) with the community. Check out the staff-curated list of favorites below!

Mike Mo (Wholesale Manager) - Mr. Robot. Just started watching the show. Good stuff.

Kenny (Farm Administrator) - Nikki Glazer @ Cap City Friday, 27th through Sunday, 29th. I once called her the Stewart Copeland of comedy. For those who're wondering, that's a joke about timing. PAH DUM CHIIISSSSSSSSH. Aaaaaand Asleep At The Wheel @ Mercer Street Dance Hall in Drippin' Sprangs Saturday Feb 4th, because I still don't know how to two-step and my Grandfather's prolly rolling in his grave about it. Also Rutabaga can't come outta the ground fast enough because sour, bitter things forever. The latter half of that also works as a broad swath east-coaster statement for all things.

Travis (Wholesale Manager) - Not to be a band wagon-er, but I have to agree with Kenny on multiple things this month. On the two-step topic, I'm starting two-step lessons on Sunday. While this may not be a HUGE event for everyone else, I've lived in Texas for over two decades and still don't know how to do it. If I don't learn soon, I'm pretty sure my girlfriend will leave me for one of the slick elderly gentlemen at the Broken Spoke and my "Texan" card will be revoked permanently. In other concert-related news, if recent political events make you feel the need to don a battle vest and stick a close pin through your nose, there are plenty of good, old-fashioned angry-music shows coming up. In particular, Night Birds and Obedience are playing the Mohawk on Feb. 10th. and Yob and Weak Flesh are playing at Grizzly Hall on the 20th, if you are so inclined. With the current state of the world, I know we can all be a little grumpy, so why don't you come get those feels out in the pit?

Heydon (Blog Writer) - Miranda Brooks' landscape design work blows my little plant-lovin' mind. Her loose, seemingly effortless gardens with verdant labyrinthine pathways winding throughout makes me yearn to be there. Check out her work in Anna Wintour's garden here.

A photo posted by Miranda Brooks (@miranda.brooks.gardens) on Aug 17, 2016 at 3:20am PDT

THE OA. It is quite an amazing melting pot of a sci-fi, thriller, mystery bildungsroman. It will really get you diggin' interpretive dance (I was totally transfixed!)... a statement which won't make a lot of sense until the final episodes of the season. Enjoy!

Ada (CSA & Marketing Manager) - Heydon. She's awesome.

Hector (Social Media Extraordinare) - Besides being thoroughly obsessed with the Moana soundtrack (Lin-Manuel Miranda fanboy here!) I've started reading more books from female writers. I read Beloved by Toni Morrison, Stiff by Mary Roach, and The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende. Send your recommendations my way!

Megan (Recipe Blogger) - Looking forward to cooler weather this weekend (it's still winter, right?) and seeing Angel Olsen at the Mohawk on Tuesday!!!!! If you haven't checked her out, start with her latest album "My Woman." I've been spinning it constantly since it came out in September, and am still as obsessed as ever.

Lena (Wholesale Team) - On Feb. 19th, a few select movie theaters in Austin are showing Allegiance: The Broadway Musical. It’s inspired by George Takei’s childhood experience as one of the 120,000 Japanese Americans placed in internment camps after Pearl Harbor. As the daughter of Japanese immigrants it’s an especially important story for me to watch, and as a bonus it co-stars Lea Salonga whom I already LOVE from Disney’s Aladdin and Mulan!

Ryan (Bulk Crew) - CodeNEXT, the city of Austin land use development code. We just got the first draft released to the public and it is going to be THE defining municipal issue of 2017. What zone you end up in will have a huge influence on how your area develops going forward. Environmental protections will also be determined by the new code, so familiarize yourselves with the content and get ready for a draft zoning map in April.

Farm, in general - Join us for our Local Foods Awareness Day at the Capitol on Thursday, March 9. Help us promote the passage of bills that will enhance the ability of small farmers to make a living!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Week 5 has us super busy getting our transplants in the ground. We just got a new implement (off craigslist, of course) called a ripper, which helps reduce subsoil compaction. We're pretty excited about it - everyone got a chance to drive it with the big 155 tractor. Temo even tore up the front driveway with it, which was pretty much concrete. We've been planting broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, beets, bok choy, spinach, lettuce, kohlrabi, turnips and radishes all week.

PS - Are you ever stumped about what to do with your farm produce? Check-out our upcoming CSA cooking class! Join Farmers' Market chef, Maggie Perkins, as she introduces The Seasonal Plate, the local farm to table best. Maggie will demonstrate and prepare vegetable-centric dishes, sharing tips, tricks, and techniques for making the most of your local farmers' offerings. You will share an intimate meal with fellow classmates, and take away a full CSA share from us to duplicate your own fresh, healthy meals at home! Check out more info here.

Grapefruit good times with Ada. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Grapefruit galore! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Loading up the transplants. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Rainbow chard. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplanting teamwork. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplanting teamwork. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Growing fast! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Montana checking his work. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Montana seeding. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Johannes thinkin' about life. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Mustard greens. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvesting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvesting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Volunteers workin' hard. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Volunteers workin' hard. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplants growing for the sale in March! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

 

You never know what a trip really has in store for you, or who you will cross paths with, right? Thus, when I went to Italy this past summer and met Evan McCommon, a fellow Slow Food representative from North Louisiana, I had no idea that we would become such fast friends. I attribute our quick bond to our Southern roots and similar age, but who knows what really draws folks together. I spent a lot of time attending events with him and his wife. The Slow Food New Orleans and North Louisiana chapters threw such mind-blowing events when I was across the pond. One in particular immediately comes to mind... They teamed up with Slow Food Vietnam and threw one heck of a po' boy and banh mi combination pop up. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it. It was such a cool experience to celebrate these two food traditions as one... at first glance, they seem so different yet really are so similar.

Evan runs Mahaffey Farms, a 1200 acre ranch outside of Shreveport, Louisiana. It's a big farm, but he is a relatively small-time producer. The property was used primarily for timber production, conservation efforts, and wildlife management with in the '90s, until they decided to undertake a revival of the family farm in the 2010s. He has different kinds of animals on his farm, but what really stood out to me was the Red Wattle Hogs, a super rare heritage breed thriving on their farm. This breed is recognized by the Ark of Taste (AoT), a program that catalogs our outstanding and intricate global heritage of food, bringing attention to traditions from all walks of life that are bordering on extinction. Dedicated to safeguarding heirloom produce, artisanal products, endangered breeds of animals, and an amalgam of many other food genres, the AoT receives nominations from people who are determined to save the tastes, sights, and smells of their hometowns from disappearing forever.

Red Wattle Hogs at Boxcar Farm.

When I returned from Italy in October, I got a phone call from Evan, saying that he was coming through Austin. He wanted to tour some farmers' markets and familiarize himself with some local producers, one in particular: Dewberry Farms. A family-owned pasture-raised chicken farm that prides themselves on compassionately handling their chicken, and doing all the processing right on their farm. Their processing facility is federally inspected, meaning they adhere to government specifications, which is a big deal! Two things that differentiate a federally inspected facility from a state inspected one is that you can sell across state lines (something that Evan was interested in because his ranch is on the Texas/Louisiana border), and the amount of chickens you can sell are either less or more depending on the level of inspection. After a whirlwind tour of a handful of different farmers' markets introducing Evan to hordes of Austin's finest artisanal producers, we decided to meet up with Jonny, co-owner of Black Star Co-op and friend of Evan's, for a late afternoon bite.

After touring our Garfield farm, we decided to head out to Boxcar Farm & Garden in Maxwell, TX and meet up with Leah Gibson, who is the owner of the farm and also served on the panel at The Seer screening this past year. Being at her farm and seeing the animals really sparked a serious interest in potentially diversifying our farm. When we first moved out to Hergotz in 2006, we had three Black Angus cows and since then, my interest in animals has remained semi-dormant. I was so inspired by her farm, that I went home and called my dad, to converse with him about it. He earned a degree in Animal and Dairy science from Auburn, so the topic was right up his alley.

Photo courtesy of Boxcar Farm.

Boxcar's flock. Photo courtesy of Boxcar Farm.

A beautiful turkey at Boxcar Farm & Garden.

After that weekend, Evan invited me to a Slow Food Shreveport event that they were throwing on his property at the end of January, a bona fide traditional pig roast (or a couchon de lait, as they would call it in South Louisiana). I was overjoyed at the invitation, and when the weekend arrived, Johannes and I packed up the car with tons of fruit and veggies, and promptly headed East! The pig roasting master, Dr. Howard Conyers, was invited from New Orleans to conduct the roast. He started around 9 pm the night before and continued toiling until we ate the following day at 2 pm. Fun fact: I got to talking to this guy, and he nonchalantly disclosed to me that he was a NASA scientist! He has just acquired a PhD in mechanical engineering, and like me, had a bachelors in agricultural engineering! Crazy, eh?!



A pig roast is HARD work. It entails digging a 4 foot hole in the ground, then after getting the pig on the skewer and placed correctly, they place a wooden box over the hole covered by tin sheets, and digs holes into the pit to carefully control the airflow. Simultaneously, in a metal bin, they place a metal grate inside that keeps the wood from sitting directly on the bottom of the bin. This is done so that big chunks of charcoal fall to the bottom of the bin, and they scoop out what has fallen to add to the pig roast pit. The temperature is kept low and the pig roasts for a long time. It was a feast of cornbread, collard greens, mustard greens, black eyed peas, and sweet potatoes. Local brewers joined the festivities and I had a Cajun Rice Lager from Great Raft Brewery! I didn't even know that that existed. We met tons of interesting folks and had a grand ole time. That Red Wattle Hog meat is heavenly. Something about those heritage hogs!

Pig roasting experts discussing their craft. Photo by Brittney Maddox.

Dr. Howard Conyers at work. Photo by Brittney Maddox.

The roasting pit. Photo by Brittney Maddox.

Photo by Brittney Maddox.

Photo by Brittney Maddox.

Photo by Brittney Maddox.

Photo by Brittney Maddox.

Textbook Southern cooking. Photo by Brittney Maddox.

Dr. Conyers serving up his masterpiece. Photo by Brittney Maddox.

Bon appetit! Photo by Brittney Maddox.

Evan bringing food to the hungry mob. Photo by Brittney Maddox.

Photo by Brittney Maddox.

Brenton enjoying the party. Photo by Brittney Maddox.

Hot tamales! Photo by Brittney Maddox.

Speaking of heritage flavors, this year we are growing 20 Ark of Taste varieties of vegetables, thanks to awesome seed companies like Baker Creek Heirlooms and Seed Saver Exchange. These will all be available for purchase at this year's Spring Transplant Sale which will be held the first 3 Saturdays of March at our Garfield Farm. In addition, there will be over 50 different varieties of heirloom tomatoes, massive amounts of fruit transplants, and 20 different kind of herbs. You won't want to miss this event!

As the Slow Food New Orleans chapter says, 'geaux slow' y'all! Until next time!

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 6th

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 6th

Medium Box
Brussels Greens
Cabbage, Green
Carrot, Orange
Greens, Dandelion
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Parsley, Flat
Lettuce, Mixed head bag
Potato, Sweet
Radish, Purple Daikon
Turnip, Scarlett

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

By Hector Gonzalez

One-Ingredient Orange Sorbet

• 3 cups of orange juice, no pulp or seeds

A video posted by Johnson's Backyard Garden (@jbgorganic) on Feb 6, 2017 at 2:00pm PST

Pour 1.5 cups of juice in a 1 quart bag, then put in the freezer for 2 hour or until frozen.

Break the frozen juice into pieces and blend until smooth. Put back in the freezer for 1 hour.

Scoop and serve.

OPTIONS: add other juices, herbs or syrups for new flavor combinations.

Music: "Everything is Orange Now" by Amitron_7, found here.

Photo by Mackenzie Smith

By Mackenzie Smith

Roasting whole carrots, skin-on with their tops still in tact captures the sweet, earthy personality of the most ubiquitous root vegetable in my refrigerator. Smoked paprika is the perfect partner for the caramelization you get from cooking vegetables in a hot pan at 450 degrees until they are nicely browned. Leaving a bit of the green tops on while they roast makes for a spicy, crunchy treat at the end of every carrot.

It will be hard to resist eating these right off the pan, but you’ll be glad to pull these out of the refrigerator if you make enough to enjoy over the next few days. Serve as a side dish with lentils and greek yogurt, and consider a roasted carrot sandwich with spinach, sharp cheddar, carrot top pesto and sriracha for lunch this week.

Make sure your carrots are well-dried before you dress them for the oven-- extra water will delay the caramelization that makes this recipe so good.

Hot Paprika Roasted Carrots

• 2 bunches of carrots, scrubbed, with about 2 inches of their tops attached
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 teaspoons smoked hot paprika
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• Course-ground kosher salt and pepper

Photo by Mackenzie Smith

Heat oven to 450

Place a large baking sheet in the oven as you prepare the carrots so that once they are ready to go in, you are putting them on a hot surface and they can begin caramelizing right away.

Mix olive oil and spices. Toss the carrots in the spiced oil, then season with salt and pepper. Spread the carrots evenly on the hot pan before placing back in the oven. Cook at 450 for 10-12 minutes, then rotate the pan and turn the carrots. Reduce heat to 425 and cook for 10-15 minutes, until the carrots give way when you poke them with a fork, and the tops are crispy.

Week 6 has us reveling in a string of beautiful and sunny days. We are planting onions, carrots, beets, arugula, mustard greens, radishes, lettuce, bok choy, kohlrabi, broccoli, cauliflower. Visit us at the markets this weekend for your veggie bounty, and keep your eyes out for a huge update on upcoming farm events!

Montana workin' the seeds. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Montana at the helm. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Lettuce head. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Green beauty. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Dandelion green harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Dandelion greens. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Vast sky views. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Sup? Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Catchin' a ride. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Rows and rows. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

CILANTRO! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Farmscape. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

RAD! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Spinach. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvesting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

A very happy Friday to all of you! It’s an especially happy Friday because... we’re back with another CSA Member Spotlight! It’s been quite awhile since we’ve taken a closer look at the amazing community that we've cultivated around our CSA. We hope that this series will highlight the diverse nature and composition of this community, and how each member integrates the CSA into their varied and oftentimes bustling lifestyles. This week, we caught Cameron Allen, the immensely passionate and engaging founder of The SEED, a democracy-based ESL program based in Southeast Austin.

On a dreary Monday afternoon, Cameron welcomed us into his bright and lively Eastside home after a morning of teaching. We caught him in the midst of a quiet moment, feeding his sprightly 16-month old daughter, Truett, her afternoon snack. Peppered with art, family photographs, toys, and trinkets, the Allen’s home is an undeniably welcoming one, reflecting these amazingly kind and warm people. Read the interview below:

Cameron and Truett enjoying oranges from their orange tree. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

How long have you been a CSA member? We started back in 2011. We took a break when I went to grad school, then came back. So maybe 4 or 5 years total.

How did you hear about the CSA? The concept of Community Supported Agriculture is something I had heard of before, just through having friends who are interested in food and farming, and had been involved in Portland and other parts of the US before I really started to pay much attention to CSAs.

I found out about Johnson’s Backyard Garden at farmers markets, and from there did a little research on different CSAs available in Austin. Y’all’s just seemed like the best… offering tons of weeks and such a diverse spread of veggies was a super attractive thing for us.

When you get your CSA box, what’s your standard plan of action? Truett and I walk to pick our share up right down here at SkyCandy (just right down the street). Then, we just take a walk and snack on things, try stuff… so, that’s actually the first thing. Then we get home and I spearhead getting stuff in and out of the fridge.

One of my goals is to figure out what to do with everything that’s already in the fridge before I unload anything new. So, getting in and digging out stuff that is already in there and incorporating it into something edible, whether it’s for Truett or us.

Cameron Allen. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

What makes the CSA worth it for you? For me, it’s a fun challenge to get produce that I’m not familiar with… I’ve tried to garden for a long time, not so much at this house and with Truett (it’s kind of tough), but I’ve always grown stuff. I was always kind of weird about eating it though because it’s either not big enough, or just an odd quantity… like 3 pieces of okra. The cool thing about the CSA is that it’s enough quantity that the veggies can actually be the foundation of the food that we are eating. Rather than us just eating something normal, like pizza, and I’m just adding extra something to the salad. I like that because it’s a challenge. I like the idea of pushing ourselves to think more about seasonality, too. It seems like an interesting thing to keep thinking about…

What is your favorite veggie? I really like the black radishes, those are really nice. I like the radishes, in general, a lot. Watermelon radishes are a lot of fun. I also like regular green cabbage because there’s a lot of fun stuff to do with that. Man, that’s really tough though… then, of course, the greens are fun… I love collard greens and kale.

What’s your favorite recipe? So, we do a lot of big approximations of Asian soups. Not a specific cuisine, but just Asian inspired in the ingredients that we include in the meals… you know, radish, daikon, miso, and udon noodles. That’s nice because it can be whatever you want. It can be as brothy as you want, and you can add tons of fresh stuff like herbs, green onions, and you can just toss in radishes raw. That’s one that we go to a lot with our CSA because it can be really well rounded and we can toss in tofu protein, too!

An Allen Asian soup concoction.

What is the vegetable that stumps you the most? Well the funny thing is that we have Truett, so whatever we aren’t using we can incorporate into what she’s consuming (not in a sneaky way). Dandelion greens are really tricky for us. I usually just saute the crap out of them with a lot of garlic. Sometimes the herbs don’t feel right, like, I just don’t want to eat a bunch of dill. I can always eat basil and cilantro, though. Fennel is a rough one for us, because we try to eat the whole thing. I’m not always creative enough for that, though. We’re getting there though, having been a part of the CSA for a while, now we’re recognizing the patterns of what we’re getting. It’s not like you just have 3 bulbs of fennel and then you are done with it, you know it’s coming back! So you might as well figure out what to do with those tough ingredients because it’ll be gracing the CSA again next year. It’s hard to find a partner food for fennel, that veggie interacts so strangely with other foods. It just doesn’t seem to go with the right stuff… kind of throws everything else off. We juice it sometimes, though! We drink our fennel.

Do you and your family adhere to a special diet? I’m vegan. I eat goldfish now though, especially the ones that Truett leaves trailing behind her on the floor. I’ve been vegan for about 8 years. My wife is pescatarian, she’s from Louisiana, so, she eats fish from time to time. We don’t cook fish here at the house just because I’m the one who cooks and I don’t want to do that!

As for our daughter, she comes to school with me every morning. I teach at an adult education program that we started (more on that later!). The people that I work with are mainly from Mexico and Central America, so they’ll bring chicharones and all manner of wild stuff to eat. She’s has a lot of secrets… I teach on one side and she’s other the other side of the building with all the kiddos. She’s in there walking around and grabbing stuff off of people’s plates. But when we are at home, she’s pretty much vegan.

Cookin' time. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Where did you learn to cook? I became vegetarian when I was 17, and my parents were not at all interested in that. I was doing a lot of cooking for myself back then, and since then have just kept it up. I watch a lot of youtube to learn about foods, and not necessarily just vegan foods, that seems so limiting. I just practice a lot! The nice thing about getting a big load of vegetables that you aren’t super familiar with is that you have to figure out something to do with them. I enjoy making comparisons of things like turnip, radish, rutabaga, kohlrabi, so that you can substitute and not totally ruin the recipe. I do a lot of youtubing and improvisation.

What’s your favorite kitchen gadget? The juicer! We also have a Blendtec blender that I use all the time for sauces, soups, salsas, and cashew cheeses! Those are fun. I just found a sauerkraut crock, so that’s exciting! I don’t know if anyone else is, but I am certainly psyched about it. If I can get my fermentation game on point, then I could ferment all types of stuff. My wife has no sense of smell, so if there was some big sauerkraut stink in the house, she would be none the wiser.

Family tintype. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

What are you cooking now? I’ve been cooking a lot of fun stuff for Truett. We have these little squeezy packs that you can prepare by blending something up and squeezing soft food into it, then we can just put a little lid on it for her. So we were combining sweet potatoes, pears, and apples… and tons of things. She’s all of the sudden not very interested in it! It’s baby food, and she doesn’t think that she’s a baby anymore. Now she wants to grab onto stuff and hold things. I’ve been doing a lot of mac and cheese where the sauce is made with carrots and potatoes. It’s super simple and she loves it. There’s a kale salad that we make with sweet potatoes that is really nice… Recently, with the cold weather, a lot of soups. Tons of huge soups. I really love Vietnamese food, a lot of fresh herbs and a lot of spice.

My favorite recipe by far is scallion noodles. When you make a scallion oil, you cook a whole handful of scallions in vegetable oil for like half an hour until they are brown and crispy. Mix dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, and a little bit of sugar, and that makes this really thick, black mixture. Put the the scallion oil in it, and then pour the combined sauces on top of some udon noodles or whatever noodles you prefer. It’s so insanely good... I could eat that forever. We’ll throw beet greens, beets, or cabbage in there, too. When I’m running around with her, it only takes a little while to make, and then I’m set.

Kitchen chalkboard. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Do you have any advice for new CSA members? Eat everything! Like carrot tops and beet greens… that’s probably the most important thing. Don’t assume that you aren’t going to like something… just eat all of it. You’ll find out what works and what doesn’t. Also, recognize that if there isn’t a deep tradition of eating certain vegetables here, there is probably somewhere else in the world that utilizes certain vegetables often in their cuisine. For example, radishes are utilized beautifully in Japanese food… so if you can figure out how Japanese folks eat radishes, maybe there’s a recipe there that you can tap into. Basically, just building from the ingredients. There’s a millenia of cooking that has preceded us that is available for us to use.

When you aren’t gushing over your CSA share, what do you do? I’m a full-time dad, and I spend a lot of time on my program, The SEED, the one that we built. I’m the only member of our small community that is a native English speaker, so all my partners come to me to learn English. The SEED is about democracy and building leadership within the program as opposed to me telling them what to do. I spend a lot of time trying to figure that out - planning events and curriculum. I’m also trying to read as much as I can. Our goal at the program is read a million words this year in English, which is everyone’s second or third language. That’s our main focus. I’m trying to show them that I’m not just telling them to do something that I myself am not willing to do. So I’ve been more focused on reading than ever before. That’s been a lot of fun.

The SEED reads. Photo courtesy of The SEED website.

Can you tell us about your program, The SEED? Sure! I worked at Youthworks, which is an organization in Southeast Austin, off of Woodward and 35. I was the adult head coordinator for around four years. I taught ESL to adults, and after being there for a few years, we built a really strong community there. It was a very powerful family group of about 60 or 70 people. However, I was not finding the critical dialogues that I was interested in having especially about adult education, trainings, and professional development around Texas. So I thought to myself that I needed to go to grad school because that’s where these things that I sought were happening. Also, I needed to figure out if there are people out there doing critical research on the things that I care about in adult education. So, I went to grad school and was there for nine months, finished my Masters and came back with the expressed goal of coming back stealing the program and my people from Youthworks.

As it turns out, when I returned, YW helped us out the door, which worked out really nicely. Except that we were this group of really excited, passionate people with no money, no reputation, no organizational identity, and no structures or policies… Just a group of really amazing folks, the majority of whom were English language learners with some volunteers and a teachers that I know. That was in 2014. We found a space through a partnership with Mendez Middle School, and we were there for a couple days a week for a little while. The year after, which was last school year, we moved to Houston Elementary.

The SEED Community cooking for Thanksgiving last year.

Long story short, we are essentially a foundational ESL program for adults. The people that we work with are moms, dads, cousins, brothers, sisters, they are attached people. Specifically as parents, grandparents, and caretakers of young children, that’s why the kids come to our program as well. One side of the portal you have the kids, and the other side you have their parents, along with other community members who don’t have kids below the age of 5. So, mom and dad can focus on English language learning and literacy, while the kids are in the children’s space romping around with each other, learning songs, and working on other educational activities.

The difference between us and most other communities is that our focus is bringing democracy into every step of the process. So, everywhere from logo design to fundraising to location to partnerships to schedules… everything is on the table. My goal is not only to facilitate a dialogue between these wonderful people and the world in which they live and the worlds that they create, but also through language… to benefit them in their language study, but also empower them as active leaders within the program which will in turn empower them outside of the program. Our program can be challenging when it needs to be challenging, it can be safe when it needs to be safe, but we can mediate their world outside with our world inside at The SEED. Through language study, we are coming to terms with ourselves in the context of others, we’re coming to terms with ourselves as the shapers of our realities, and trying to figure out the ways that those realities can and cannot coexist. When they find conflict, trying to figure out how to address it. The SEED is deeply rooted in social justice, not by just talking about MLK, white supremacy, or xenophobic Islamophobes… though, we definitely DO talk about those things, but the way in which we facilitate that conversation is with social justice pedagogy. It’s not just me coming in and dictating to the community, it’s more of an inquiry based approach. It’s about us thinking about what’s important, the state of the world in which we are living, and how something ought to be different in certain ways. I’m trying to decentralize myself as the sole person with power in terms of curriculum, content, schedule, and the whole thing. It’s fun and tiring, but we are an awesome place to be! People just keep coming, which is really nice. That’s the SEED in a nutshell!

The SEED Community. Photo from The SEED Facebook.

Finally, if you were on a stranded island, what three things would you bring?

• My family unit
• All of the books (a couple thousand)
• A camera

The Allen family. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

A huge thanks to Cameron and his family for their continued support of the farm, allowing us to feature them, and for being such strong forces of good in our community! ‘Til next time!

Truck maintenance. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Position Title: Farm Administrator Location: Garfield, TX Department:  Maintenance Reports To: Assistant Farm Manager Supervises: Maintenance Tech(s)

Position Summary: Our Garfield, TX location encompasses nearly 200 acres of vegetable production. The Maintenance Manager will supervise the maintenance techs, maintain critical records, order materials, and ensure all equipment is maintained properly. This position is one of considerable responsibility, and we're seeking someone who is proactive, flexible, and excellent at following verbal and written instructions.

Responsibilities:

• Understand maintenance needs across all equipment at Garfield farm; implement training and procedures as needed to maintain equipment.
• Maintain working status of all farm equipment and farm vehicles.
  • Maintain spreadsheet tracking service intervals, maintenance records, parts in stock, and service requests.
• Maintain inventories of tools, fluids, filters, and parts in stock.
• Obtain estimates for supplies, repair parts, and equipment.
• Order parts and supplies as needed.
  • Maintain spreadsheet tracking parts ordered, parts received, and expenses.
• Ensure proper replacement of air, fuel and oil filters.
• Perform some light preventative maintenance on all farm vehicles and equipment as needed. This includes tractors, trailers, trucks, implements, and small engine equipment.
• Maintain current vehicle inspections and registrations where applicable.
• Respond to emergency maintenance requests as they arise.
• Communicate with field managers for scheduling of maintenance.
• Supervise Tech Leads at all times to maintain the Equipment.
• Oversee general farm facility repair and maintenance.
• Coordinate with the Hergotz office to make sure the Farm Courier’s vehicle is available and to schedule Tech Leads to work at Hergotz when needed. The Hergotz office is responsible for maintaining all delivery vehicles.
• In case the Farm Courier is not available, should be able to do the deliveries between the farms.

Qualifications

Required

• Highly organized with excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Self-directed worker, effective in both independent and collaborative settings
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills and ability to multi-task
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office and Google Docs
• Demonstrated ability to perform basic vehicle maintenance and troubleshooting

Preferred

• Previous experience with diesel engines, hydraulic systems, tractors and/or agricultural implements
• Spanish fluency

Physical Requirements

• Ability to repeatedly lift 50 lbs
• Ability to repeatedly kneel, bend, and squat
• Ability to withstand exposure to varying weather condition
• Ability to withstand prolonged standing or walking

Schedule: Full-time; typically Mon-Fri 8am-5pm with some nights or weekend swing shifts as needed.

Compensation & Benefits: Compensation is dependent on experience. Paid bi-weekly. Permanent employees are eligible for Individual Health Plan benefits.

Directions for Applying: Please send an email to jobs@jbgorganic.com with the following format. Following specific directions is the first way to impress us!

• Subject Line should read “[Job Title]: [First Initial]_[Last Name]” … For example, “Planting Crew Coordinator: J_Smith”
• Email body should be short & sweet - help us notice you! Ensure that it contains your contact information.
• Attach three documents to your email, ensuring that their file names are clear: 1) Cover Letter 2) Resume 3) List containing contact information of two professional references

Thank you for your interest in JBG Organic! You will be contacted for further information if we find that you might be a good fit for this position.

The responsibilities & duties listed above are intended to communicate general priorities of this position, but should not be understood as an exhaustive list of all work requirements to be completed at JBG Organic. Farms require flexibility! We are committed to training, developing, and promoting from within the company based on performance.

JBG Organic provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetics, marital status, or sexual orientation.

Spring is around the corner, and boy, do we have quite the line-up of events for you and your loved ones to enjoy! We can't wait!

February 28th, Maggie Perkins CSA Cooking Class "The Seasonal Plate" - Join farmers market chef, Maggie Perkins, as she introduces The Seasonal Plate, the local farm to table best. Maggie will demonstrate and prepare vegetable-centric dishes, sharing tips, tricks, and techniques for making the most of your local farmers' offerings. You will share an intimate meal with fellow classmates, and take away a full CSA share from Johnson's Backyard Garden to duplicate your own fresh, healthy meals at home. Tickets here.

CSA inspired recipe. Photo and food stylings by Mackenzie Smith.

February 22nd, Meet the Farmer(s) Happy Hour at Black Star Coop - 6-8pm, drink specials, appetizers featuring JBG produce, and more at Black Star Co-op, a brew-tastic North Austin haunt. A great chance to mingle with your farmers and farm crew, and see what they're all about.

Farmers! Wanna meet 'em? Photo by Scott David Gordon.

March 4, 11, 18 - March Spring Transplant Sale - Our most epic transplant sale, yet! Taking place out at our Garfield farm from 9-2 the first three Saturdays of March, we will be offering over 50 different varieties of heirloom tomatoes, massive amounts of fruit transplants, 20 different kind of herbs, and tons more. You won't want to miss this event!

• Weekend 1 is CSA weekend... All CSA members will get 50% off a fruit tree with the purchase of other transplants. Sweet deal, eh?
• Each weekend we're also having a market stand set up, so you can get your veggies + transplants, all in one. Are you a CSA member and want to pick up your share at the transplant sale one weekend instead of your regular pickup? Email us and we can make that happen!
• We hope to also have a food truck on site, so you can snag lunch or a snack while you're at it.
• Trampoline, sand pile, and acres of farmland for kids to play on! Yeehaw!

Transplants! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Saturday March 11th, Gardening Workshop - We're having a gardening workshop taught by greenhouse manager, Brandon and head honcho, Brenton. These gardeners-turned-farmers have some serious pro-tips on how to turn your backyard (or side yard, or community garden plot) into a productive spring garden to feed you and your family. They'll be offering wisdom on everything from site selection to fertility, variety choices and more. Gain the confidence you need to start growing some serious backyard veggies with hands-on demos from our own backyard gardeners gone wild. Participants will have plenty of opportunities to ask questions as well - so you can finally find out why your tomatoes just won't set fruit and what those darn black spots on your basil mean!

Gardening workshop '16. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Saturday April 1, Spring Picnic and Garden Gallop 5K - Live music, family picnic, games for kids + the most unique 5k in all of Austin, great for walkers and runners, alike. With the help of our friends at Rogue Running, we've created an exciting fun run to give you a tour of our 186 organic acres of farmland! Run, walk, skip or hop around the field and enjoy seeing your veggies growing all around you.

5K! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Following the run, we've scheduled some swingin' local groups to liven up the day with their music. Bring a chair or blanket, and a cooler of food and drinks from home so you can sit back and enjoy the tunes and weather while your kiddos play on our famous sand pile. If you don't want to bring your own food, we're planning on having a food truck or two, so don't fret! We've got you covered.

Sunday April 2nd, Pickling Workshop with Kate Payne - Details and ticket page coming soon!

Kate Payne Pickling Workshop of yore. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 13th

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 13th

Medium Box
Beet, Red
Cabbage, Green
Carrot, Orange
Greens, Collards
Greens, Salad Mix
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Cilantro
Herb, Parsley, Flat
Onion, Green
Potato, Sweet
Radish, Watermelon

By Hector Gonzalez

Beet Ketchup

Ingredients

• 4 cups cooked red or golden beets, diced
• 1 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup diced onion
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4-6 coriander seeds
• 2-4 cloves
• (Optional) 1-4 piquín peppers

A post shared by Johnson's Backyard Garden (@jbgorganic) on Feb 13, 2017 at 2:19pm PST

Heat pan to medium high with beets, vinegar and brown sugar. Let it simmer.

Grind salt and spices. Add to pan and mix. Simmer for 5 more minutes, then let it cool.

Blend until smooth.

Enjoy with sweet potato oven fries.

By Megan Winfrey

The variety of turnips at JBG this year has been phenomenal! Not only are they beautiful and delicious, but each variety tastes a little different than the next. I love trying all of them raw before cooking with them, just to pick out the different flavor variations. It's like a less fancy wine tasting. My fail-safe is a turnip mash, and you can modify this simple recipe in so many ways. This recipe shows off the gorgeous color of the purple turnips and is wildly enhanced by my favorite vegetable - garlic. Enjoy!

Purple Turnip & Garlic Mash

• 6-7 turnips, any variety, peeled and cubed
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed and skins removed
• 2 tbs. olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup whole milk
• 3 tbs. butter

Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Place the prepared turnips and garlic on a baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for about 45 minutes, or until very tender.

In a blender or food processor, add the milk and butter. Carefully scoop in the roasted turnips and garlic, then blend on high for 1-2 minutes. The turnips can take some time to break down, so blend until it's smooth to your liking.

Season more to taste, and enjoy immediately. I served it with spicy venison sausage and a mustard green salad.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

In case you missed it, our best and biggest transplant sale yet is quickly approaching! It’s slated for the first three weekends in March, and we cannot wait. The greenhouses are full of baby veggies, fruits, and herbs all ready for you to jumpstart that backyard garden. We have really begun to focus on diversifying our crop offerings over the past couple of years, with fruits on the forefront of this vast endeavor. We started pear, pomegranate, and fig orchards last year with expansion plans currently in the works, along with our table grapes (which will be readily available at markets this summer!). While this year we are planting a muscadine orchard, comprising of four black varieties, and planting a large number of persimmons. The muscadine enterprise is one that I hold close to my heart, as cultivating this specific crop is one that evaded me in the original backyard garden. I had 17 varieties of muscadine growing on a trellis system that existed on the periphery of the yard that failed to thrive. This crop prospers in acidic soil, and I have a couple ideas on how to get this fruit to successfully develop this time around.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

I have always had an affinity for growing fruits (we had plums, pears, loquats, limes, persimmons, and the aforementioned muscadines growing in the original backyard garden), but took an inexplicable hiatus until now. My once dormant fervor for fruit is wide awake and rarin’ to go now, though! Our transplant sale menu is epic this year: 40 tomato varieties, 4 kinds of squash, 20 kinds of peppers, okra, 20 types of herbs, bok choy, several types of lettuce, eggplant, cucumbers, figs, pears, grapes, melons, watermelon, persimmons, pomegranates, and satsumas! The second weekend, our greenhouse manager, Brandon, will be hosting a gardening workshop, too. Learn more about that here.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Speaking of satsumas, I spent one day this week driving to West Columbia, TX to acquire some citrus trees, and to be honest, it felt like the middle of nowhere! Have you ever had a satsuma? It’s a cold-hardy mandarin that originated in China, but made it’s way west from Japan in the late 19th century. It’s a seedless, succulent, and wonderfully sweet (even sweeter when it’s cold) mandarin orange that thrives in lower Southeast United States. My father who lives in Enterprise, Alabama has a tree… and when I visited him for Thanksgiving, it looked like it was going to break in half it was so laden with satsumas. Fun fact: Satsuma, Alabama was named after this fruit, and is only two hours away from Enterprise. He kindly gifted me a tree a couple years ago, and it has been abundantly and unremittingly bearing fruit this season. I had so many that I delivered the bulk of the harvest to the farmers market for the community to enjoy!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

I digress, but my zeal for these new crops has me reeling. We have done so much research on the fruits that will thrive in our region, and are earnestly attempting to expand our offerings to you, our community, in your CSA box and also at our transplant sale. Most of the fruits that grocery stores offer and people love do not deal well with the Central Texas climate, so we are aspiring to provide native fruits to you. I deem the job of nurseryman as a noble role in the community, and feel very proud to be offering these fruits, veggies, and herbs. We feel that they are something of true value, and delicious to boot.

‘Til next time y’all!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

PS - If you are interested in volunteering at one or all of the three weekends of the transplant sale, email volunteer@jbgorganic.com with “transplant sale” mentioned in the title line. We would be so happy to have you!

We are also hiring for three jobs currently - if you want to get your hands dirty, work hard, and meet some cool folks, check out the listings here!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We finished planting onions this week, and we're working on getting tons of fruit trees ready for the transplant sale. We'll have several varieties of pomegranate, fig, grapes, pears, and persimmons for sale. This year’s line-up of transplant sale varieties are our best offering yet - there’s a ton of Ark of Taste varieties, and loads of tomato varieties, too. We also planted more carrots, beets, mustard, spinach, arugula, broccoli, cauliflower, last of the kale, and fennel this week in the fields.

Thanks to Scott David Gordon for another outstanding week of photographs.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Chucha. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

By Mackenzie Smith

Like most of the volumes in my collection of Short Stack Editions, a couple of the recipes from Lemons, by Alison Roman, have been fully integrated into my repertoire of things I make over and over again. Roman’s whole lemon salsa verde is at the tip-top of that list. With olive oil, garlic, fresh herbs and a whole lemon, this zippy condiment snazzes up our weekly red beans and rice, brightens our turkey at Thanksgiving, makes a plain ol’ fried egg fancy and roasted vegetables sing, and it’s my #1 favorite topping for pizza after it comes out of the oven (or arrives at our door). Roman also suggests using this as a marinade for roasted chicken, a dressing for rice, and a dip for flatbread. Anywhere garlic and olive oil would be good, this verde wins.

The first time I made this recipe, I followed the instructions to a tee. These days, I know I’m going to want more than what the original recipe yields, so my version makes about 3 cups instead of 1 and a half, and I have managed to pack in even more green into this adaptation. Chances are, you will also find a way to make this one your own. When you do, take Roman’s original words of wisdom with you: “The key to using the whole lemon is removing all the seeds before finely chopping it: that’s where most of the bitterness comes from (you’ll still get a little from the rind, but that’s ok and even good)”.



Whole Lemon Salsa Verde

• 1 whole lemon, all seeds removed, finely chopped
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 clove garlic, grated
• 1½ cup olive oil
• 3 cups parsley, very finely chopped
• 1 cup cilantro, very finely chopped
• ½ cup finely chopped other herbs such as mint, tarragon, thyme, or dill (any or all)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Measure olive oil into a large bowl and whisk in garlic and scallions to infuse oil. Stir chopped lemon into the oil, then chop your herbs. Mix everything together and season with salt and pepper.

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 20th

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 20th

Medium Box
Beet, Red
Cabbage, Green
Carrot, Orange
Greens, Arugula
Greens, Chard, Rainbow
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Parsley, Flat
Lettuce, Mixed head bag
Onion, Green
Radish, Purple Daikon
Turnip, Purple Top

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Despite having three inches of rain on Sunday, the soil finally dried out, and we were able to get some crops in the ground! The last of kale and fennel have been planted, so if kale salad is your jam, get to the markets this weekend before they are replaced with warmer weather crops! We will be seeing tomatoes and okra before you know it.

We had a super successful Meet Your Farmer(s) Happy Hour Wednesday night at Black Star Co-op. We loved mingling with our CSA community and lettin' loose with our colleagues. Join us for the next one in April at ABGB? Keep your ears and eyes peeled for more info on that soon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We have nothing but transplants on the mind these days. The 2017 JBG Transplant Sale is bigger than ever, and we can't wait to see your home gardens flourish. This year's selection is more varied and extensive than ever... we have 110 different fruit, herb, and veggie offerings including varieties from Slow Food’s Ark of Taste. Crazy, right? We have really begun to focus on diversifying our crop offerings over the past couple of years, with fruits on the forefront of this vast endeavor. We started pear, pomegranate, and fig orchards last year with expansion plans currently in the works, along with our table grapes (which will be readily available at markets this summer!). This year we are also planting a muscadine and persimmon orchard. We’ve spent a lot of time researching and scrutinizing what fruits will thrive in your backyard garden through colleagues’ fruit-ventures, our own experiments, plus poring over the subject with Texas A&M experts.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Through trial and error, we seriously believe that the crops that we have carefully selected are the best adapted varieties for your Central Texas backyard. We stand behind what we are offering the community 100 percent. The vegetable and herb transplants are all certified organic, while the fruit trees are GMO free (next year, we hope to grow all the fruit transplants and guarantee that they are certified organic).

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We have also spent a lot of time ensuring that our website is an effective and valuable resource for our community, especially with regard to the transplant sale this year. Just pop onto our site and peruse the massive menu of fruits, herbs, and veggies… we even have pecan trees for sale this year (the best two varieties, too!). We can deliver your transplant order straight to one of our farmers’ markets, or if you’re a CSA member - we can even deliver them to your house or to your regular CSA pickup location (just login to your account before ordering). If you end up coming to one of the March weekend transplant sales out at the Garfield Farm, you will be pleased to know that we will also be offering special organic soil mixtures, compost, potting mixes, plus tomato stakes and cages, too!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We know that starting or augmenting your backyard garden can be a daunting prospect, but we are here to help! Not only do we have some of the best backyard gardeners on staff, but our Greenhouse Manager, Brandon, will be leading a gardening workshop on March 11. This workshop is designed to equip Central Texas gardeners with the tools they need to plan and execute a successful spring vegetable garden, and is designed for novice and experienced gardeners, alike. We wrote a post last year prior to the 2016 transplant sale with invaluable tips about prepping your backyard garden for our transplants, check it out here. We also thought that this might be a good chance to inspire you with backyard gardens (and delicious harvests from said gardens) that we like to ogle from local edible gardeners and friends. Check ‘em out below!

Garden Inspiration:

The original Johnson's Backyard Garden.

Michelle Treichel's garden.

Gardens by Blake Chalfant.

Gardens by Blake Chalfant.

Watch them grow!! #austinlandscapes #austinorganic #dailyharvest #justinesbrasserie

A post shared by Seedlings Gardening (@seedlingsgardening) on Mar 10, 2016 at 8:45am PST

Today's tomatoes, plucked just before the squirrels descended. #saucysolstice

A post shared by ada lisa broussard (@adalisab) on Jun 20, 2016 at 8:13pm PDT

 

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 27th

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 27th

Medium Box
Beet, Red
Carrot, Orange
Greens, Collards
Greens, Kale, Curly
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Cilantro
Lettuce, Mixed head bag
Onion, Green
Potato, Sweet
Radish, Black Spanish
Turnip, Purple Top

Photo by Scott David Gordon

Position Title: AM Wholesale Packing Manager Location: Hergotz Lane Department: Wholesale Reports To: Wholesale Sales Manager Supervises: Wholesale Packing Crew

Position Summary:

JBG is currently seeking a dependable and hardworking individual to manage our AM Wholesale Packing Crew. This crew is responsible for washing, processing, and packing vegetables harvested on the farm, with their primary focus being Wholesale orders. Efficiency is key in this position, though the team is also responsible for ensuring the highest level of produce quality, order accuracy, and compliance with health regulations. The AM Wholesale Packing Manager will work closely with the Wholesale Sales Manager and other department teams to guarantee that operations and orders are completed correctly and in a timely manner. This includes working as a team with other departments when the demands arise. All farm employees are expected to be courteous, demonstrate a strong work ethic and attention to detail. We take pride on the farm in producing the highest quality vegetables through quality work.

Responsibilities

• Ensure AM Wholesale Packing Crew completes the following daily:
• Receive, process, and package vegetables harvested on the farm
• Maintain a clean and sanitary working environment
• Ensure quality of all produce
• Prepare and package wholesale orders
• Communicate with other teams regarding workload and quality to ensure highest quality and improve systems over time

Qualifications Required

• No previous experience required, only a desire to learn farm work
• Keen sense of detail and ability to apply this to packing standards
• A mantra that “Teamwork doesn’t seem work!”
• Flexibility - hours and responsibilities may change due to seasonal demands or other farm happenings, and willingness to work late hours is essential

Preferred

• Previous experience in a warehouse setting, or with produce standards.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to repeatedly lift 50lbs
• Ability to repeatedly kneel, bend, and squat
• Ability to withstand exposure to varying weather conditions
• Ability to withstand prolonged standing or walking

Schedule: Monday through Thursday, starting at 8am-6:30pm or end of shift. Generally speaking, it is a minimum of 10 hours per day.

Compensation & Benefits: Payment is $12/hour, paid bi-weekly. Permanent employees are eligible for Individual Health Plan benefits. All JBG employees receive a weekly share of vegetables.

Directions for Applying: Please send an email to jobs@jbgorganic.com with the following format. Following specific directions is the first way to impress us!

• Subject Line should read “[Job Title]: [First Initial]_[Last Name]” … For example, “Planting Crew Coordinator: J_Smith”
• Email body should be short & sweet - help us notice you! Ensure that it contains your contact information.
• Attach three documents to your email, ensuring that their file names are clear:1) Cover Letter2) Resume3) List containing contact information of two professional references

Thank you for your interest in JBG Organic! You will be contacted for further information if we find that you might be a good fit for this position.

The responsibilities & duties listed above are intended to communicate general priorities of this position, but should not be understood as an exhaustive list of all work requirements to be completed at JBG Organic. Farms require flexibility! We are committed to training, developing, and promoting from within the company based on performance.

JBG Organic provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetics, marital status, or sexual orientation.