Photo by Rick Cortez

Recipe by Nadia Tamby

I love doing a spin on a traditional cocktail. There are two in this one - using mezcal instead of vodka and adding some Cava to lighten it up. Bloody Marys can often be overpowering and hide the taste of the spirit. Using mezcal adds a nice smoky note to the drink, and the fresh, muddled sweet red tomatoes make it taste completely different from a cocktail that uses canned V8. The addition of a local hot sauce and homemade pickled green tomatoes take this drink to a whole new level.

Mezcal-Cava Bloody Mary

Ingredients:

• 1 ripe red tomato, quartered or cut into large chunks
• 2 dashes Worcestershire sauce
• 1 squirt Yellowbird habanero sauce
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 2 oz mezcal
• Chilled Cava to top
• Smoked salt to rim glasses
• Mack's special pickled small green tomatoes for garnish or other veggies

Photo by Rick Cortez

Instructions:

Use squeezed limes to moisten rims of glasses and dip into smoked salt.

Place tomato chunks into shaker and muddle to release juices.

Add all remaining ingredients except Cava, add ice and shake well.

Pour into glasses and top with Cava.

Garnish with pickled tomatoes, cucumber slices, etc.

Photo by Rick Cortez

Find more of Rick Cortez's show-stopping photos here, and catch more of Nadia's mouth-watering culinary adventures here. A huge thank you to Van Harrison for letting us use his beautiful home for the shoot!

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!

JBG Staff Happy Hour. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Casey Wiggins (Customer Service Extraordinare):  I've been in a pickling frenzy this week! The pickling cucumbers from the farm are so freakin' good, I just had to jar them up! I've added our carrots to a couple jars too. I'm going to pickle beets and radishes this weekend. Maybe even green beans and bell peppers too! Did you know you can even pickle watermelon rinds?! Is it bad for you to eat too many pickled things? Someone please let me know, but for now, more pickling!

Picklin' frenzy at Casey's.

Ada Broussard (CSA and Marketing Manager): With all the zucchini, squash, and cucumbers rolling in I've been loving my spiralizer that Mike Mo gave me. OODLES OF ZOODLES. If any CSA members are reading this and you don't already have a spiralizer: get one! It will change the way you look at a zucchini, promise.

Banana Mayo Sandwiches: Every Friday at the barn, we have an optional potluck at lunchtime. I've gotta say, the women at the farm are the ones who are really keeping this ritual alive (shoutout to Alli and Sarah). We all are pretty avid and regular home cooks, so our Friday potlucks are a great opportunity to finish off the week's leftovers or share something particularly delicious or innovative we've made, swap recipes, etc. It's a smorgasbord of local veggies, meats, cheeses... you name it. Last Thursday we were all swapping stories about the mysterious jars of pickled things that resided in the back corners of our fridge, and admitted that we were all a little timid to sample our own jars, yet completely willing and eager to give each other's a taste. So, last week's potluck theme (because some Fridays there is a theme) was: "Things we're afraid to eat". Needless to say (or perhaps it warrants a mention), everyone's pickled things were all delicious. We also sampled banana-mayo sandwiches whose flavors were a very distant memory to some Southerns in the group, but whose combination hadn't been revisited since childhood because "Things we're afraid to eat." I'm just here to say that a banana sandwich on white bread with a modest spread of Hellmann's mayo and a generous topping of Lays potato chips AIN'T THAT BAD. (And yes, I understand the social and environmental impacts of these ingredients, but for me, it's all about balance. CRUNCH.)

Mackenzie Smith (Recipe Blogger): Super jazzed about getting The World in a Pocket out onto the internet. For the past 5 years, I have been thinking about a way to talk about the idea that every culture or place has a pocket food (put simply, food-inside-of-food). Last month, Lauren Allen and I launched our little Pocketship and we are exploring the world through the lens of a dumpling (samosa, crepe, tamale, burrito empanada, etc)! We have a few recipes and stories up now, but we’re planning to expand our point of view by providing a platform where folks from all over can shine a light on their pockets, and the stories connected to them.

Photo by Mackenzie Smith.

Oh! And! My husband and I moved to Austin from NYC in September, and last Friday was his first dip into Barton Springs. Austin finally feels like home!

Megan Winfrey (Recipe Blogger): What I'm most excited about: TOMATOES! POTATOES! OKRA! PEPPERS! CUKES! SQUASH! This is my kinda produce. I love it, I live for it, I look forward to it every year.

What I'm also excited about: Some summer sun, hopefully?! I need to feel the incomparable combination of those hot hot sun rays on my skin followed by the icey icey water of Barton Springs. It's just not summer until that moment! Oh, and taking pics with an underwater disposable camera, obviously.

Barton Springs by Megan Winfrey.

Sarah Warren (Volunteer Coordinator): A friend of mine is moving to the Northeast for the summer and his dying wish was to have one last meat feast of Texas BBQ. Franklin's was recently outranked (according to Texas Monthly's survey) by a little BBQ joint in Lexington, so we decided to check it out. We camped out in Bastrop the night before and woke up at 6 AM to get there before the line got outrageous. That much meat on an empty stomach first thing in the morning was pretty rough, but baby, it was delicious and I never hurt so good. Also worth noting was the flea market across the street, where a bossy old lady sold me a little boy's cowboy hat (and a few other interesting items), pictured below:



And another glamour shot in my new hat, this one's for you mom!



Also! This hilariously passive aggressive, health conscious defacement of somebody's peanut butter in the break room! Someone's keeping someone honest and aware, tiny acts of kindness. It's things like these that make me feel that maybe the world's not such a big and anonymous place after all, you know?



Ryan Rosshirt (Barn Crew): So as far as vegetables go I've been making a lot of chilaquiles with squash and onions and Julio's brand salsa and lots of home fries with the potatoes and herbs from my garden.

As far as gardening I've really gotten into propagating cactuses from pads. People with large cactuses will give pads away for free and they're very easy to get going. Make sure you get prickly pear pads which are edible, have gorgeous yellow flowers in the spring and make those bright purple fruits all summer.

As far as activities go, we are kicking off the summer of resistance. You'll find me in the streets pretty much every weekend in June whether it's the March for Truth June 3, the March for inalienable Rights and Counteraction Against the Sharia Law March June 10, or block walking all month pushing for as much affordable housing as possible in the city code overhaul. There's also going to be a push for Austin to divest from fossil fuels and accelerate our clean power timeline. I could go on and on and on and on about opportunities to help our global community, underserved neighbors, and immigrant neighbors, but I'll leave that as my action summary for now.

Mike Mo (Wholesale Manager): Krishna. He's always keepin' the ship steady.

Krishna rules. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Heydon Hatcher (Farm Blogger): Africa Night at the Sahara Lounge. My roommate had a visitor in town last weekend from Portland, and in an attempt to show him the best time ever, we gathered a little crew to see some dear friends sax it up on stage with their band, Zoumountchi. Their musical stylings are all improvised on stage, and it's incredible. We shook, shimmied, and jived until the wee hours of the morning. It is seriously the BEST time. Smiles from ear to ear abounded all evening.

When I was home in Alabama at the beginning of the month, I had the immense privilege of photographing Jim Scott's nonpareil garden paradise on Lake Martin in southern Alabama. This work of horticultural art is such a feat, it is jaw-dropping. Check out one of their docks below, it was definitely my favorite. Such a divine oasis.

A post shared by heydon (@heydopotato) on May 12, 2017 at 8:52am PDT

Tomatoes forever. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

"Overabundance is the theme at the farm right now," as our Farm Manager, Becky Hume, said earlier in the week, "and tomatoes are the bell of the ball." With the past two years of massive crop losses, we are being graced with a mild and wonderful season. We have so much produce as of right now, our coolers are packed in both locations. Cucumber, onion, okra, and zucchini harvests are mammoth! We've recently converted one of our greenhouses into an onion curing facility... it works as a low temperature oven so that the onion's exterior gets nice and papery. On top of that, our sweet potatoes are on the way. It's quite a laborious process, but our volunteers have been quite helpful with getting the splits in the ground so that we can enjoy these 'taters later in the season!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.



Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Farm meeting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Watermelons soon! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Squash blossom. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Zinnia details. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Flower harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Sunflower details. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Flower talk. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Potato wash. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Triangle Farmers Market spread. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Eggplants are here! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Have you heard about our U-Pick event? Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Startin' 'em young on that organic produce. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Triangle Farmers Market. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Triangle Farmers Market. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

SHISHITOS! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tracy. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Time for another installment of one of our most favorite blog series: the Employee Spotlight! We hope that these interviews will help acquaint you with the folks on the farm who are largely responsible for keeping the delicious JBG vegetables rolling out, week after week.

This week, we tracked down our ubiquitous and very hard-working Barn Manager, Tracy Whitehead. Over the past two years, he has become immensely integral to every part of operations here at JBG. Whether it be communication from the main farm to the barn or wholesale department, triple-checking produce availability, managing farm folks, or figuring out novel ways to ameliorate and expedite barn procedure more efficiently, Tracy has his hands in most steps of the process of getting veggies from the farm to your plate. He has gone through an evolution of roles at the barn: Wash Crew Lead, Cooler Manager, and most currently, Barn Manager. He's quite a character, and we are oh so grateful to have him on our team. Learn more about Tracy below!

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in small towns all around Abilene, TX. From middle school to high school I stayed in a little town of about 600 people called Hawley. Go Bearcats!

What brought you to JBG?

I have been managing small scale farms for the past 6 years. Before that, I helped churches and small programs grow food for food banks, and programs to feed the needy through food banks and donation programs. The one thing I felt I was missing was learning how it all came together on a larger scale. From learning how to crop plan and grow for large scale providers, to learning how to work and manage a large group of people to make all the different aspects of a farm work smoothly. My aim is to round out the last bit of my skill set before I make an attempt to run a farm on my own.

Tracy's dash. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

What is your current role at JBG?

I currently fill the role of Barn Manager at our Hergotz location. I compile and send the Pick List to the farm each morning. This is what let's our Harvest Manager, Vicente, know what to pick for all our department's daily needs. After that, I facilitate the main communication between the farm and the barn. This can range anywhere from quality and availability issues with produce, to ensuring materials are promptly shipped between locations as needed. I assist all our departmental leads in planning out work loads based on produce availability and other events we have going on throughout the week such as markets and wholesale distribution. Afterwards, I help the barn and the farm keep its produce rotated and organized throughout the coolers. I take weekly farm visits to go over with Vicente and Becky our availability for the following weeks as well as better fine tune what crops are in demand or not. This allows our sales teams, markets, and CSA to create an amazing range of produce for our customers. From there, I help create processes and workflows that range from ways to pack and handle produce more efficiently, all the way to making sure we are as up to date as possible on health and safety standards. There is much more, but the day really is a blur! With farming there is always so much to do in a day.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

What have you learned from your role?

More than one sitting would allow me to explain! One of the most important things I've learned is how to interact and facilitate a wide range of personalities. With such a large farm/family, it really is important taking the time to understand people's strengths and weaknesses and finding a constructive and positive way to set them up to succeed. I've learned from Krishna how to breathe, calm down, and not be so fiery when conflicts arise. I've learned how to better depend on other's strengths to accomplish even larger goals.

What's your favorite thing about working at the barn?

The people. I have a burning passion for farming and educating people on areas they want to learn and improve. Many of the folks here started working because they felt a need to reconnect with the Earth and our food. I love the opportunity to give them insight on how it all comes together. Sometimes the barn can be distanced from the farm due to location. Many here simply see the produce at it's final stage. I love being able to give them insight on the entire picture and how it came to be. I look forward to seeing their faces each day and discussing what wacky tasks we have to try and solve that day. Not to mention the constant supply of good food, humor and music!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

What does your life look like off the farm?

Well outside of being a full-time farmer, I am a full-time father. I have a beautiful 4-year old daughter and a handsome 2-year old son. Most of my time is spent with them, trying to raise two positive impacts on our planet. My daughter loves crafts and planting seeds, so we spend a lot of time coming up with cool little projects. My son is just learning to talk, so a lot of time is spent with him learning the basics. When I'm not doing that I try to decompress by playing some video games (which strangely enough entail micro managing farms and people)!!

Tracy and his kiddos. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Do you cook a lot? What’s cookin’ in your kitchen?

Cooking and hosting is probably one of my most favorite things to do. This is probably one of the reasons I love farming so much. Things are so much tastier when you have put your own blood, sweat, and tears into them. I love various ways of cooking and processing meat, especially wild game. BBQ is one of my favorite things, but I have dabbled in just about everything. Cooking is like an art to me, and I am very much about presentation, taste, colors, and how they all go together. Many friends and family have pressed me to pursue a culinary career... maybe one day! The weather is just about right to start a slow smoked ham I think.

What might people be surprised to learn about you?

Hmm... maybe that I can sing just about every Disney princess song? Or maybe that I know all the My Little Ponies by cutie marks... Or maybe that before I really started pursuing farming I worked for one of the largest video game companies for 7 years? Actually, I think when people find out my age, that is the most surprising thing to them.

What’s your favorite and least favorite crops to deal with and why?

My favorite would be cucumbers, because I love pickles so, so much!! My least favorite would probably be okra, I like to call it the "Devil's Plant." It is so much work from start to finish. You have to harvest it's spiny fruit almost every day through a mass of prickly and itchy plant stalks. Afterwards you have to handle the itchy things as your packing. Not to mention, I am not a fan of the slimy taste.

What’s your favorite season?

Texas summer!! I love the heat so much. Nothing like working out in the heat, sweating all the toxins and stress of your day away. I never feel cleaner inside and out than I do in summer. Everything is alive and booming during this time. Some of the best vegetables of the year come from this season: tomatoes, peppers, melons and more! Also, nothing like relaxing in the shade, enjoying a nice ice-cold beer after a long, hard, hot day.

Enjoying that beer. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

If you were stuck on a desert island, and could only have three things, what would they be?

1. A very high quality pair of waterproof work boots
2. a Gerber Multi Tool
3. Maybe some durable plastic to create water from condensation? You can make just about everything else you need.

Staff Survey: If Tracy were a vegetable, what would he be and why?

Krishna: Celery - strong stalks to pull the load in the cooler!

Ada: A carrot - he's become as integral to our operations as our carrot crop. We grow so many carrots, and they can often be spotted in all corners of the farm - every cooler, sales of every department, usually some in the compost bin and a pile on Krishna's desk. Kinda like Tracy. He's everywhere. Anatomically, he's not too far either... lean and skinny (like one of our rainbow varieties) with some poof on top.

Mike Mo: Shishito - they/he are mild with the potential to be fiery.

Ryan: Tracy's like a beet--earthy and sweet and something you can depend on year round.

We're thinkin' Tracy will do just fine on that desert island... he's quite a resourceful one. A huge thanks to Tracy for taking time out of his immensely busy schedule to talk with us! 'Til next time, folks!

 

CSA Box Contents Week of June 5th

CSA Box Contents Week of June 5th

Medium Box
Cabbage
Carrot, Orange
Cucumber
Greens, Kale, Curly
Herb, Basil
Leek
Pepper Bell, Green
Potato, Yukon Gold
Squash, Zucchini
Tomato

Recipe by Megan Winfrey

We live in Texas, therefore we have eaten at Sonic. We have eaten at Sonic, therefore we love tots. I'm confident that these are mostly true statements. Also true - my body and my brain cannot seem to agree on when to stop eating Sonic tots. My body says NOW, my brain says NEVER. The solution to this very Texan problem? Veggie tots. Bing. Bang. Boom. Safe to eat in large quantities, and a great way to get those stubborn kiddos into veggies!

Veggie Tots

• 4 zucchini, grated
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 carrots, peeled and grated
• 1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3 tbs. fresh parmesan, grated
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Ketchup, aioli, etc. for dipping

Preheat the oven to 400.

Lightly oil a baking sheet.

Lay a clean dish towel in a colander over the sink. Add the grated zucchini to the colander, on top of the clean cloth. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat; let sit for 10 minutes.

Gather up the cloth around the zucchini and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Transfer the zucchini to a large bowl. Stir in the carrots, Panko, eggs, cheeses, oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder. Salt and pepper to taste. The mixture should hold together without crumbling. If dry, add another egg.

Form the mixture into tot shapes, or whatever shape you fancy, and place onto the prepared baking sheet.

Bake until golden brown and crispy, 18-20 minutes, flipping once during the last 10 minutes.

Serve immediately with dipping sauce, or refrigerate for up to a week.

* To freeze, transfer cooled tots to an airtight container. Freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat in a 400 degree oven until warmed through.

Zinnia glory. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Things are starting to heat up, and man, are our tomatoes lookin' good! Grab some next time you're at the market because these must be our best 'maters yet. Green beans and cucumbers are flying out of the field, too. This week, we spent a little time at the tomato sorting barn and saw how the ladies work their magic day to day. Check it out below!

Kale toss. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Green bean harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Cucumber fields. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Grapes comin' along. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomatoes. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomato harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Brenton movin' 'maters on the forklift. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomato sorting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Onions curing. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Sorting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Sorting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Roxy dog. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomato care. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Andrew on the CSA line. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Jordan delivering. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Many of you have been knocking at the barn door inquiring when we're slated to have another U-Pick, and we are genuinely happy to say that after a two year hiatus, it’s finally happening! Next Saturday, June 17th, from 8 am ‘til noon, we will be having a tomato pickin’ party out at the Garfield farm that you won’t want to miss. We have an overflowing and endless tomato crop this year, and are thrilled that we have enough bounty to once again host a Tomato U-Pick. Our 2015 and 2016 tomato seasons were subject to severe weather, leaving our yields unusually low. But this year... we're swimming in oodles of tomatoes! Rows and rows of juicy red fruit, ripe for the picking. You wouldn’t believe all the large, firm slicers and snackable, sweet heirloom cherries. Plum tomatoes; and San Marzanos perfect for preserving. Yellow and red Romas, the perfect, succulent addition to augment any salad during the summertime. Are you hungry yet? Buy one (or more!) of our 10lb. boxes and fill it with your choice of our delicious, certified organic 'maters. You-pick your favorites! Pre-purchase your tomato box(es) for $25, or buy a box the day-of for $30.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

A note on the kiddos: We might be biased, but we indubitably believe that this is one of the best events out there for your kids. We hope you consider bringing the whole family to bask in the sun and get some fresh air! The joy that comes from harvesting your own food, especially something as fun to pick as tomatoes, is hard to quantify. There's nothing quite like running down a row, choosing the perfect tomato, getting your hands dirty, and truckin’ home with the fruits of your labor. It's a memory and a snack, all in one.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Timothy Patrick Clancy.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

In addition to the tomato-pickin' party, Ginger Armadillo will be there serving up breakfast and lunch in their spiffy trailer, and Cold Ones, the inimitable popsicle cart, will be providing sweet relief from the heat. As always, our monster sand pile is ready to be conquered and our fleet of tractors ready to be climbed. New to tomato preserving and want to learn more? We've got a workshop for that on the same day!

Kate Payne. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We'll be hosting a Tomato Canning Workshop with Austin's own Kate Payne, author of The Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking and The Hip Girl's Guide to the Kitchen, on June 17th from 11 am to 1 pm. Learn how to prepare tomatoes for canning (either whole, diced, or in preparation for sauces) and see the process for putting them up using a waterbath canner pot. Workshop attendees will go home with a methodology and recipe packet for tomato canning in the comfort of their own home. Pair this new knowledge with a few pounds of 'maters, and you'll have fresh-tasting tomatoes all year long. The tickets are $30 pre-order, and $35 at the door. This class will be in our shaded lunch barn, but it's likely to be a warm day! Please dress appropriately. If you plan to pick your own tomatoes, we recommend long-sleeves, closed toed shoes, and ample sun protection. On top of that, be sure to bring something to take notes in, you won’t want to miss noting down this highly coveted preserving intel! Wondering about how you will acquire tomatoes for this workshop? Well, there are a handful of ways:

1. You can come to the farm before the workshop and take part in the aforementioned Annual U-Pick.
2. You can purchase 10 or 30 lbs. of San Marzano canning tomatoes that we'll have packed up and ready for you to take home after the workshop (Want more than that? Give us a call).
3. You can order tomatoes from our Tomato Bulk Sale that you can scoop up at a farmers' market or your CSA Pickup Location at a later date.

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.

If your tomatoes didn't take this year, or you're looking for a bit more volume, you don't want to miss this opportunity to pluck your own tomatoes straight from our bountiful crop and learn to can them all in one day! This is a true farm-to-cupboard experience! See you at the farm!

CSA Box Contents Week of June 12th

CSA Box Contents Week of June 12th

Medium Box
Bean, Green
Carrot, Orange
Cucumber
Eggplant , Black
Herb, Parsley, Flat
Okra
Potato, Red
Squash, Spaghetti
Squash, Zucchini
Tomato

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

It's heating up here in Central Texas! We've got quite the weekend coming up, too. Have you heard? Our Tomato U-Pick event is this Saturday from 8 until noon at the Garfield Farm. It's the perfect event for the whole family. The joy that comes from harvesting your own food, especially something as fun to pick as tomatoes, is hard to quantify. There's nothing quite like running down a row, choosing the perfect tomato, getting your hands dirty, and truckin’ home with the fruits of your labor. We are thrilled that there's bounty enough to once again host a U-Pick event! Our 2015 and 2016 tomato seasons were subject to severe weather, leaving our yields unusually low. But this year... we're swimming in oodles of tomatoes! Rows and rows of juicy red fruit, ripe for the picking.

On top of that, Kate Payne, author of The Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking and The Hip Girl's Guide to the Kitchen, will be hosting a tomato canning workshop from 11 am to 1 pm on Saturday, too. Learn how to prepare tomatoes for canning (either whole, diced, or in preparation for sauces) and see the process for putting them up using a waterbath canner pot! Yeehaw! See you out at the farm tomorrow!

Zucchini harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Zucchinis. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomatoes on the vine. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomato harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomato sorting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Green bean harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomato bounty. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The news stopped by, too! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Farm dog, Missoula, in 'mater heaven. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Grapes, lookin' amazing. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Rick Cortez.

Mackenzie Smith, one of the multi-talented writers behind our rockin' recipe blog, took a moment out of her busy week to write a thing or two about herself below. Being the Renaissance woman she is, we are immensely lucky to have her contributing to our blog on a bi-weekly basis. Take it away, Mackenzie!

I grew up in Odessa, Texas. After graduating college, I moved to NYC and worked for a non-profit for about 5 years before I decided I wanted to work in food media. So, I moved back to Odessa for a year to save money to pay my way through the Food Studies program at NYU.

That year, I worked at a non-destructive pipeline testing company, saving up as much as I could. The owner of the company knew I was interested in food and history, and he commissioned me to make a cookbook to celebrate the recipes that are important to his family.

So, instead of going to grad school (and into debt), I got hired to make a 200-page book filled with recipes, stories and photos of someone else’s family in West Texas. I learned a lot when I made that book (chief among those lessons: don’t try to do it all yourself--hire a team!) and found a knack for taking pretty pictures of food in the process. My mom is an artist and my dad is a photographer and an avid cook, so shooting food feels like a proper extension of all that.

I had moved back to NYC by the time I finished the cookbook in 2013. I started freelancing as a photographer, and got a job working for Short Stack Editions, a small-format cookbook publishing company focused on single ingredients. I worked there for 2 years, building their wholesale customer base, running their social media and managing the fulfillment team, all while freelancing on the side (the NYC hustle is real). I managed the social media for Extra Fancy for about a year and continued to work as a photographer for hire until my fiance (now husband) and I decided it was time to move out of the city.

Photo by Sarah Bode-Clark.

In April, Lauren Allen and I launched The World in a Pocket, a website devoted to sharing stories and recipes about pocket foods. We’re exploring the world through the lens of a dumpling-- follow along!

I am currently in the process of managing a book project with the client who hired me to make the cookbook -- this one is focused on how to build and grow a successful trade-based service business. When I’m not working on the book, I am taking commissions for portraits and working with restaurants and food-based businesses to photograph their goods/food and coach them on how to implement social media and accounting practices that are good for their goals. It’s a hybrid of services, but it’s also precisely what a lot of businesses need. I’ll be done with the business book in July and looking for more work -- holler if you need a portrait, pictures of food, or sage advice on how to run a small business!

The thing about cooking is simple: I do it because I like to.

Thanks for tuning in! Check out Mackenzie's website here, or follow along on the blog for her nonpareil recipes!

Photo by Mackenzie Smith.

Tomato salad with Parmesan vinaigrette. Photo by Rick Cortez.

We've said it once, and we'll say it again. This tomato season has been extraordinary and abounding. In all of our years of farming, this has absolutely, hands-down, been the best for our 'mater crop. People have even called in to accolade the quality! We have been so inspired and thrilled by the plethora of these sweet, succulent summer treats, that we hosted an all-tomato shindig with some friends. Think... tomato cocktails, tomato appetizers, tomato entrees, all the tomato creations. Before we jump into coverage of the event, here's a brief yet comprehensive rundown of our tomato varieties from our wholesale manager and resident tomato expert, Travis.

Red Slicing Tomatoes • These are the crown jewel of the JBG tomato season. Big and meaty, these delicious ‘maters are made to be sliced thick and placed on top of your favorite sandwich. With the perfect balance of sweetness and acidity, JBG’s red slicing tomatoes have a soft bite, but a firm flesh. Sprinkle them with a little salt and enjoy their rich, melt-in-your-mouth flavor!

Red slicers. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Green Slicing Tomatoes • JBG’s green slicing tomatoes are an absolute favorite for southern cooks. Battered and fried in a light cornmeal, these tart tomatoes are the perfect addition to a sunny summer afternoon on the porch. Some of our more adventurous cooks have begun pickling them and using the products of their experiments in novel dishes and even Bloody Mary’s.

Grape Tomatoes • Also known as Juliets, our grape tomatoes have a high sugar concentration which translates to an addicting natural sweetness. Throw them on a salad or just pop them in your mouth, but be careful, once you start snacking, it’s hard to stop! These little jewels also make for the perfect finish to homemade compotes and sautes.

Campari • Delicious Campari tomatoes are the perfect compromise in size and flavor between small, but sweet grape tomatoes and large and hearty slicing tomatoes. These little red globe-shaped tomatoes have a pronounced aroma and a delicate mouth feel.

Campari. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Sweet Treats • The all-time fan favorite, sweet treats are a light and delicate cherry tomato with a soft pink hue. Their enticing flavor and light, almost effervescent bite make these little cherries an undeniably delicious snack.

Mixed Cherries • JBG’s mixed cherries are the perfect choice for someone who wants a little of everything. While the mix contains a wide array of our delicious cherry tomatoes, notable varieties included in the mix are Juliets, sweet treats, Campari, and yellow Roma. These delicate little tomatoes provide the perfect contrast of color, size, and flavor to please every palate.

Mixed cherries. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Yellow Roma • With a low acidity and dense flesh, these tasty little Romas have a subtle sweetness that is only heightened when cooked. These ‘maters go amazingly well on a salad and provide that aesthetic “pop” to any dish that they are added to. As a tomato with a lower juice content, this variety is favorite for canning-enthusiasts.

Yellow Roma. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Red Roma • These meaty, egg-shaped tomatoes have a deep red color and a highly enjoyable flavor. As they natural have less seeds and juice, they make for the perfect canning tomato. Added to a quick pasta or light salad, JBG red Romas always shine.

San Marzano • JBG’s San Marzano’s are the quintessential sauce tomato. With a rich flavor, deep red color, and easy to remove skin, San Marzanos have been a tomato favorite for generations. Their unique shape makes them a delicious standout amongst the cornucopia of tomato options that JBG has to offer this season.

San Marzanos and yellow Romas. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

JBG Tomato Party

We've obviously gone tomato bonkers over here at the farm. This summer, when you are sure to find yourself swimming in a torrent of tomatoes, we highly recommend that you grab a couple of close friends and throw a tomato affair! Mackenzie Smith, one of our recipe bloggers, came up with a mouthwatering menu of dishes showcasing the darling of the summer crops, the tomato, of course! Nadia Tamby, CSA member and mixologist, concocted tomato-inspired drinks to pair. Thanks to the very generous contributions by two of our favorite and very cherished partners, Wheatsville and Easy Tiger, we had only the best ingredients. We will be rolling out recipes from this event throughout the summer on our recipe blog, but for now we have two of our favorites listed below. Scroll through the images from the amazing Rick Cortez, and get ready to throw your own 'mater hootenanny!

Nadia's working station complete with pickled tomatoes, the perfect cocktail embellishment. Photo by Rick Cortez.

Crostini with smoky tomato jam. Photo by Rick Cortez.

Honeydew and green tomato gimlet. Photo by Rick Cortez.

Nadia and her Honeydew and Green Tomato Gimlet makings. Photo by Rick Cortez.

Photo by Rick Cortez.

Tomato gallette with sharp cheddar and spiced red beans. Photo by Rick Cortez.

Mezcal-Cava Bloody Mary. Photo by Rick Cortez.

Mezcal-Cava Bloody Mary. Photo by Rick Cortez.

Tomato and peach salad with tomato vinaigrette on labne. Photo by Rick Cortez.

Ingredients. Photo by Rick Cortez.

Crostini with tomato jam. Photo by Rick Cortez.

Photo by Rick Cortez.

Orchiette with Marcella Hazan's classic tomato sauce. Photo by Rick Cortez.

Baked tomatoes with sausage stuffing. Recipe below! Photo by Rick Cortez.

Yellow tomato-ginger jam drink. Photo by Rick Cortez.

Photo by Rick Cortez.

Garlic Scented Tomato Salad, recipe below! Photo by Rick Cortez.

Photo by Rick Cortez.

Photo by Rick Cortez.

Baked Tomatoes with Sausage Stuffing

By Mackenzie Smith

Short Stack Editions is a small-format cookbook publication that focuses on single ingredients, and I worked for them for a few years when I was living in NYC. After cooking almost every recipe in the first few editions, I look forward to cooking from the volume on tomatoes every Summer during tomato season.

Photo by Mackenzie Smith.

Soa Davies’ recipe for baked tomatoes with sausage stuffing is one of my favorite ways to make a solid meal with tomatoes as the anchor. Green tomatoes work just as well here, and I actually prefer to mix the red and green for a variation in color and texture. And as straightforward as this recipe is, the options for riffing are endless. I often sautee leftover parsley stems with the onions until they are soft before adding the sausage to the pan, and anything else in my fridge (looking at you, ¾ cup of leftover risotto, random 2 tablespoons of braised collards) that needs to be consumed. Adding to the mixture stretches it, so an extra tomato may be necessary (bonus meal!) I have found that as long as the topping is crunchy, this dish is always tasty, regardless of the ratio of sausage and bread to anything else I decide to throw in the mix. Sausage can be switched out for your preferred protein/ground meat, just make sure to salt accordingly. Once cooked, the stuffed tomatoes will last up to three days in the refrigerator, and they reheat well.

• 4 large or 6 medium tomatoes
• 1 cup diced country or sourdough bread
• ½ cup whole milk or buttermilk
• ½ lb pork sausage, casing removed
• 2 tablespoon chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 egg
• 4 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Photo by Rick Cortez.

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Slice ½ inch off one end of each of the tomatoes, scoop out the pulp and seeds and reserve for another use. Place the tomatoes, cut side up, in a baking dish. Place the diced bread in a bowl and cover with the milk.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the sausage. Cook the sausage until well browned, breaking it up with a spatula as it cooks. Add the onion and garlic and continue cooking until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Let the meat mixture cool slightly, then transfer it to the bowl with the bread and milk. Add the egg, parsley, ¼ teaspoon of salt and two pinches of cracked black pepper. Stir the ingredients to combine.

Photo by Rick Cortez.

Marcella Hazan's Garlic Scented Tomato Salad

By Mackenzie Smith

Marcella Hazan’s recipe in Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking proves that good tomatoes don’t need much. Her instructions call for skinning the tomatoes raw, but the skin on a raw tomato doesn’t bother me at all. Be sure to keep bread around to sop up what’s left of this simple salad.

• 4 to 5 garlic cloves
• Salt
• Choice quality red wine vinegar
• 2 Pounds fresh, ripe, firm, round or plum tomatoes
• 1 dozen fresh basil leaves, washed and dried
• Extra virgin olive oil

Peel the garlic cloves and mash them hard with a knife handle. Put them in a small bowl or saucer with 1 to 2 teaspoons salt and 2 tablespoons of the vinegar. Steep for at least 20 minutes.

Photo by Rick Cortez.

If you are going to peel the tomatoes, do it before you slice them. Once sliced, arrange them on a plate. When you are ready to serve the salad, sprinkle the basil over the tomatoes and pour the garlic steeped vinegar through a wire strainer, distributing it over the tomatoes. Add enough olive oil to coat the tomatoes well, toss, taste and correct if necessary for salt and vinegar.

A huge thanks to Rick Cortez for the photography, Nadia Tamby for the cocktail concoctions, Mackenzie Smith for the amazing styling and recipes, Van Harrison for hosting, Wheatsville and Easy Tiger for supplying ingredients and bread! A huge thanks to you for tuning in! 'Til next time!

CSA Box Contents Week of June 19th

CSA Box Contents Week of June 19th

Medium Box
Cabbage, Red
Cucumber
Eggplant , Black
Herb, Basil
Onion, Yellow
Pepper, Sweet Medley
Potato, Red
Squash, Spaghetti
Squash, Yellow
Tomato

 

Position Title: Wholesale Sales Manager

Location:  Between Garfield location and Hergotz location     Department:  Wholesale

Reports To: Owner / Operations Manager                               Supervises: Wholesale Packing Crew

Position Summary:

Johnson’s Backyard Garden (JBG) is seeking a Wholesale Sales Manager to join our Sales Department. This position coordinates closely with the JBG Restaurant Sales Manager, Harvest Manager, wholesale packing crew, wholesale delivery drivers, and wholesale customers. This position must maintain and expand relationships with wholesale buyers from national and regional supermarket chains, local coop groceries as well as local food delivery businesses. The ideal candidate will have previous produce sales experience and/or retail produce experience, be able to work independently and cooperatively, and have excellent communication, negotiation and organization skills.

 

Responsibilities

• Maintain and expands relationship with wholesale customers
• Share the daily duties that support the sales process – answering phones, sending emails, modifying and emailing weekly price and availability list, running and distributing daily sales reports
• Develop new sales outlets and pursue prospective customers
• Improve sales revenue in line with established sales targets
• Communicate daily with harvest crew, packing crew and drivers to ensure orders are packed and delivered while maintaining the highest quality product
• Promptly resolve customer complaints by investigating problems; developing solutions; preparing reports; making recommendations to management
• Manage rental delivery materials, inventory and order produce packing  supplies as necessary
• Work with wholesale customers to plan production annually working closely with Farm Manager to ensure plantings are in line with customer commitments
• Identify and assess crop and storage surpluses; develops projected movements for all departments to ensure profitability
• Work closely with Restaurant Sales Manager and prepare end-of-day sales totals.
• Work together with Restaurant Sales Manager and prepare daily invoices for packing crew.
• Occasionally do local deliveries as needed.

 

 

Qualifications Required

• Proven successful experience in Sales required
• Ability to work independently and cooperatively
• Must be highly organized and be able to multitask effectively
• Must possess good communication skills and work well under pressure
• Excellent sales and negotiation skills

Preferred

• Experience in commercial farming or the produce industry
• College degree in related field

 

 

Schedule: 8 am to 4:30pm

 

Compensation & Benefits: Compensation is dependent on experience. Expected base salary will start at $16/hr, with potential sales based target incentives amounting to $48,000 a year. Permanent employees are eligible for Individual Health Plan benefits and weekly vegetable box.

 

Directions for Applying:

Please send an email to jobs@jbgorganic.com with the following format.

 

• 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.

 

By Megan Winfrey

First of all, anything with chimichurri, YUM. You'll want to make a big batch, because you'll be putting it on everything imaginable.

My big batch recipe includes:

• 1 bunch parsley, stems removed
• 1 bunch cilantro, stems removed
• 1 tbs. fresh oregano leaves
• 4 cloves garlic
• 2 tbs. red pepper flakes
• 2 tbs. lemon juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup olive oil

Put all ingredients into a food processor and blend until smooth. Add more olive oil if necessary to achieve desired consistency.

Keep in a jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temperature before using, to allow the oil to melt.

For the FGTs, (Fried Green Tomatoes) I used Brenton's recipe, which was featured on the JBG blog a few weeks ago. What a perfect and simple recipe!

I built the sandwiches in this order: toasted whole wheat bread, a little mayo, fresh arugula, FGTs, chimichurri, and crispy bacon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

That’s right, we are having yet another Tomato U-Pick! Despite all the folks who came out last weekend, we still have quite the arsenal of sweet ‘maters on the vine just ripe for the pickin’; thus, we want to invite the community out one last time! For all of you who missed our last event, here’s your chance! We had such a fun time slingin’ tomatoes in the summertime sun with friends last Saturday, we are over the moon to announce another opportunity to get out in the fields and get our hands dirty with our farm family! Ain’t nothing like harvesting your own food, especially these sweet summertime treats. Pick it or miss it! It’ll soon be too hot for our tomatoes to make it through the impending and relentless heat. The quality of this crop right now cannot be beat. If you sign up before the event, you can purchase a 10 lb box for a discounted $20, or on the day of, it will be $30 for a 10 lb box. So sign up now to take advantage of that yummy discount. Pile the literal fruits of your labor as high as you can for all that canning, salsa-making, and tomato pie!

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.

Flower U-Pick! 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.

A huge thanks to Cold Ones for keeping us cool! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Thank you to Ginger Armadillo for slingin' the delicious snacks! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Kate Payne and her canning workshop. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Kate Payne and her canning workshop. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Have you been wanting to take advantage of our bulk tomato sale and test out all those new tomato recipes you’ve been saving, but put it on the back burner? Well, now is the time to jump on over to our bulk sale page, and send in those orders! Not to alarm you, but tomato season in Texas is short and sweet. We are currently in our peak tomato harvest, but soon enough the heat is going to kick in and it will be too scorching hot for our tomatoes to set fruit. Don’t miss out on some of the last chances to purchase our locally grown, certified organic tomatoes for a great deal, straight from our Garfield farm. Now is the time to pick up these mouth-watering beauties at a local farmers’ market, at our farm, or with your CSA box! Don’t wait! Carpe Tomato!

In case you missed it, our head farmer, Brenton, was on Fox 7 News talking about all things tomato! Check it out here. 

Tomato madness. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We had an amazing turn-out at our Tomato U-Pick last Saturday (check out photos here). We loved having everyone out at the farm, getting their hands dirty, and enjoying the best crop of tomatoes that we've had yet! A huge thanks to Kate Payne for yet another amazing canning workshop. We had so much fun and received so many requests for an encore, that we are going to host yet another Tomato U-Pick on Saturday, 7/1! We can't wait... see you there? Get your hands on our 'maters before the season is over!

While we love talking about our tomatoes, our peppers are really starting to shine. Check 'em out below, we have quite the array this year. Also, summer is officially here which means... watermelons are finally here! YAY!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Herb harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplanting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Montana on the prowl. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Sunflowers ready to pop. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Zinnia and sunflower harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Okra bloom. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Carrots. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Pomegranate progress. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Peppers! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Bell pepper beauty. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Shishitos. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Jalapenos. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Recipe by Mackenzie Smith

Fresh tomatoes, the last of a pot of Louisiana-style red beans and a cheddar sharp enough to stand up next to the tang and the spice were the inspiration for this savory summer pie. I prefer the crunch and the defined flavor of whole spices in the beans, but ground spices work just as well here. Salting and draining the tomatoes keeps the crust from getting soggy as it cooks, so don’t skip that step! Emily HIlliard of Nothing in the House is a folklorist and pie-maker in West Virginia, and her pie crust recipe is my go-to. It’s easy to work with and always flaky -- ideal for making a galette.

Photo by Rick Cortez.

Make sure you salt and drain your tomatoes before placing them on your pastry-- the excess liquid will make for soggy crust.

• 1½ cup kidney or pinto beans, drained
• ½ teaspoon coriander
• ¼ teaspoon cumin
• ¾ teaspoon mustard seed
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
• 3 medium tomatoes (preferably different colors--a variety of red and green is great here) sliced ¼ inch thick, perpendicular to the core
• Butter

Adapted from Nothing in the House

Ingredients

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (or 1 c. all-purpose + 1 c. whole-wheat pastry flour*)
• 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 1/2 sticks COLD unsalted butter (12 tablespoons), cut into slices
• 1/2 beaten large egg, cold (save the other half to brush on top of the crust)
• 1/4 cup ice-cold water
• 1/2 tablespoon cold apple cider vinegar (I keep mine in the fridge)

Photo by Rick Cortez.

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and pepper. Using a pastry cutter or fork and knife, cut in the butter. You want to make sure butter chunks remain, as that's what makes the crust flaky.

2. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the COLD liquid ingredients (Using cold liquids ensures that your butter will not melt--another crucial detail for a flaky crust!).

3. Pour the liquid mixture into the flour-butter mixture and combine using a wooden spoon. Mix until dough comes together, but is not overly mixed (it should be a little shaggy). Form into a ball, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and let chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour before rolling out.

*If you use whole wheat pastry flour, you may need to add additional liquid.

Lay sliced tomatoes on a cooling rack placed over a sheet pan or in a colander over a bowl and sprinkle with salt.

While the tomatoes drain, heat olive oil or butter in a small skillet and add the spices. Cook until you can smell the spices start to toast. Stir in garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the beans. Using a potato masher or the back of your fork or spoon, mash the beans against the side of the pan as they cook. Cook on medium heat until the moisture is cooked out of the beans. Remove beans from the heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400F

Once your dough has chilled, split it in two and roll one into a flat, thin circle. Spread half of the bean mixture onto the middle part of the dough, then top with cheddar cheese. Arrange sliced and drained tomatoes on top of the cheese, alternating colors and size to keep it jazzy.

Fold the edge of the dough over the filling, letting the filling show as indicated in the picture. Brush the crust with egg wash and place a few pats of butter on your tomatoes. Repeat for the second disc of dough.

Bake at 400 for about 30 or 40 minutes, or until your crust is golden brown.

Before I made these pastries, which were a super hit at the tomato party, I read Bon Appetit’s article on common mistakes when making a galette, and an article from food52 on how to make savory galettes so I could see how to roll them out. Both articles are worth a read if you want to get better at making galettes.

Photo by Rick Cortez.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Since Scott David Gordon, our staff photographer, is out of town this week, we had a guest photographer, Casey Wiggins, pop out to the farm to document the daily hustle and bustle. You might recognize her name, since not only is she an amazing photographer, but she is also our customer service extraordinaire in the Hergotz office!

Casey is an Austin, TX based photographer who has also spent much her life working with organic farms and promoting community supported agriculture. Drawing inspiration for her photography from the landscape and people involved in growing food, her favorite things to shoot are people, light, vegetables, and her sweet pup, Odie. She loves finding extreme light differentials to create powerful images and enjoys the challenge of telling a story in a single frame.

It's full fledged summer, and we are reaching the end of our tomato season. Can you believe it? So, either join us tomorrow at our final Tomato U-Pick of 2017, or head on over to our Tomato Bulk Sale page to place an order before these sweet treats succumb to the unrelenting heat! This week, we had the wonderful opportunity to host some of the sprightly kiddos from the Spilled Milk Social Club summer camp at the Garfield farm. They harvested tomatoes that they are going to utilize in a salad that the KIDS (age 5, 6, 7) are preparing and serving at a mystery dinner. On top of that, melons are rollin' in hot! Be sure to catch them at markets this weekend.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

A quick reminder before we dive into this week's topic, our final Tomato U-Pick of 2017 is tomorrow! There ain’t nothing like harvesting your own food, especially these sweet summertime 'maters. Pick it or miss it! Soon it’ll be too hot for our tomatoes to make it through the impending and relentless heat. The quality of this crop right now cannot be beat. If you sign up before the event, you can purchase 1 tomato box for a discounted $20, or on the day of, it will be $30 for a box. All boxes can be piled high with tomatoes! So sign up now to take advantage of that yummy discount. Pile the literal fruits of your labor as high as you can for all that canning, salsa-making, and tomato pie! A note on the kiddos: We might be biased, but we indubitably believe that this is one of the best events out there for your kids. We hope you consider bringing the whole family to bask in the sun and get some fresh air! Plus, Cold Ones Pops will be out there keeping us cool with their delectable popsicles! Back to Brenton!

I'm sure that you've heard the news of Amazon's recent acquisition of Whole Foods for a hefty $13.4 billion. It's been weighing on quite a lot of food producers' minds as of late. This news definitely is accompanied with a deluge of unanswered questions and concerns, as the repercussions won't be felt for a little while. With Amazon's low-price precedent, small producers who sell to Whole Foods have been worried about how this merger will affect their dealings with this grocer. Being an extremely positive person, I think that there is a lot of potential for this next generation grocery era that we are creeping into.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

JBG has had an amazing relationship with Whole Foods since we first starting selling wholesale in 2009/10 which coincided with when we started selling to restaurants, too. Our knowledge expanded exponentially about quality and grading during this time. Before that, we didn’t have to worry too much about that with CSA and farmer’s markets; however, expectations are all about consistency with wholesale accounts. The first time we ever dealt with Whole Foods, we tried to sell tomatoes, but we had no idea how to pick them for wholesalers. None of the tomatoes we provided for them were quite ripe enough. The grocery stores didn’t have a ton of experience buying from local producers either, so we were both fishes out of water in this exchange. Whole Foods ended up buying 50 cases of tomatoes... I remember them piled up taller than me. However, the boxes weren’t strong enough to hold tomatoes, so they all started to crush in the warehouse. Needless to say, it was quite a disaster, and we ended up taking the whole order back and re-doing it. We've made a whole bunch of mistakes, especially in the beginning, but WF was and is so wonderful because they let us learn by doing. They have always been super supportive and patient with us during our learning process.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The grocer world is a tremendously competitive business segment. My brother who resides in West Palm Beach was just telling me the other day that a German discount grocery store, ALDI, is opening 900 stores in US during the next 5 years. That's crazy! There’s always going to be change because it’s such a competitive field. Those with the highest quality, best products, the best prices, and can satisfy their customers the most are the companies that are going to be the most successful. I’m excited to see what a company like Amazon can do to change how we think about what the norms of a grocery store are. Amazon is going to approach sales in a very different way... a highly innovative way that no one previously could have fathomed.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

I think that our farm has a lot of potential when it comes to this new unchartered territory. Since we produce a larger volume of vegetables, and since we are one of the larger organic farms in Texas, if the consumer is asking for local, organic produce, I think and would hope that Amazon would source from us. It's possible for us to have a healthy and thriving relationship with Amazon, just like we did with Whole Foods. Also, since Amazon has become the top business to innovate and hasten delivery to be almost instantaneous, maybe they could help us to innovate as well. I can see a model where we would have the CSA boxes ready at the barn, and Amazon would come and deliver them for us in certain situations. Our mission is to provide healthy, local and organic veggies to the community, and if someone else can come in and deliver it more quickly than we currently do, I don’t have a problem with that at all. It's exciting to think that you can place an order, and have it delivered a couple hours later. That’s what people like about Instacart, it’s convenient and a quick turnaround. Who says that organic veggies can't be a part of that business model?

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

With regard to small producers and the low-price precedent that Amazon prides themselves on, Amazon pricing is all about supply and demand. If you have something that is limited availability, the price will reflect that. The goods that are really cheap are items that are abundant with lots of competitors selling something common. For our product there are few producers, which ideally would not affect our wholesale prices. I'm not worried about competing with California organic kale, because people in Austin value locally sourced, organic food. Have we mentioned... we love you, AUSTIN!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

I know there’s demand for local organic produce, and I don’t think that it’s going away any time soon. I really do think that there is opportunity here, Amazon is great at selling products, and even better at delivering said products. Plus, the innovation never stops! I want to meet up with these folks, and figure out how to work together. I’m sad that Whole Foods has been acquired because they have been such wonderful partners, but optimistic that it can be an even brighter future! That's my two cents... 'Til next time, folks!