Recipes by Megan Winfrey

High-five! You made it through the hottest weekend of the summer....so far. I haven't felt much like cooking lately - the stove makes the whole house sweltering and the A/C has a hard enough time keeping up as it is. These simple no-cook snacks are perfect for the dog days of summer. Minimal effort required and guaranteed to make you feel cooler!

Persimmon Caprese

• 2-3 ripe persimmons
• Fresh mozzarella cheese
• Mint leaves, a handful
• Good quality olive oil
• Maldon (or other good quality) sea salt flakes

Assemble each bite with a slice of persimmon, a slice of cheese, and a mint leaf. Lightly drizzle with olive oil over the plate, and top each bite with a few sea salt flakes. Serve chilled for more cooling power!



Watermelon-Mint Cocktail Pops

• 1 personal watermelon, cubed and deseeded
• 1/2 cup raspberry vodka
• Mint leaves, a handful
• Popsicle molds

Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until a smooth, consistent texture forms. Pour the mixture into the popsicle molds and freeze for at least 8 hours, preferably overnight. Keep for up to a month in the freezer!

Box Contents Week of July 31st 

CSA Box Contents Week of July 31th

Medium Box Red Carrots Malabar Spinach Peppermint Melon - Farmer's Choice Sweet Pepper Medley Red Potato Butternut Squash Summer Squash Medley

Recipe by Mackenzie Smith

Soa Davies’ recipe for Smoky Tomato Jam from Short Stack’s Vol. 2: Tomatoes has become a mainstay in my kitchen over the past few years. It’s a nice addition to a charcuterie board and works beautifully on a BLT or grilled cheese sandwich for a classic with a kick. I drop a tablespoon or two into soups and sauces for a sweet/sour/smoky bonus all the time. Maybe you don’t need to can all of those tomatoes-- make some jam!

Photo by Rick Cortez.

• 6 cups tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (about 8 large tomatoes)
• ¾ cup sugar
• ½ cup sherry vinegar
• 3 tablespoons smoked salt
• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika

Place all of the ingredients in a heavy-bottomed stainless steel pot and simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened and almost dry, about 1 hour. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to two weeks.

At our tomato party back in May, I spread this jam on toasted baguette brushed in olive oil and sprinkled the platter with basil and parsley. A simple snack for cocktail hour, and an unexpected way to make your tomatoes shine.

Photo by Rick Cortez.

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 had the immense privilege of interviewing Evelise Sandidge, one of our longest CSA Pickup Site Hosts and very warm and engaging long-time Austinite with quite the green thumb.

Located in the Zilker Park neighborhood, her home is a beautiful limestone cottage with a vast yard verdant with an impressive array of greenery, most notably her fragrant and blooming plumeria. Folks often refer to her carport setup as the "Cadillac" of pickup sites as she's honed it's effectiveness over the 12 years she has been hosting. She makes sure that everyone's veggie pickup is seamless week after week and we couldn't be more grateful for the JBG CSA community that she cultivates. Learn more about Evelise below!

Evelise. Photo by Allison Smoler.

How long have you been a CSA Site Host?

I moved here in ‘01, so I would say I started being a host in ‘03 or ‘04. I know that when I started JBG just had 2 markets. They had the one downtown, and they might’ve had another one… Brenton would deliver the veggies to my house on Saturdays. Back then, my day was Saturday, but now it’s Friday because the markets are so busy these days. On Saturday, he’d drop off the veggies and that went on for quite awhile until he got so busy. So, 12 years.

How did you hear about the farm and get involved?

I found out about the farm at the Downtown Market, and my friend Jill was taking me by Brenton’s booth because she loved his vegetables. That was when he was still on Holly Street. Then he said he was going to be gone because he was moving. We didn’t realize what he was moving to! We were like, “Oh my god! This guy is really going to do something HUGE!” Which he has.

So then, I got on the website and they were looking for hosts! So I thought, I could definitely be a host! I have a carport, so I contacted them and a few months later I was the Zilker Neighborhood host! JBG brought the table, veggies, ice chest, and clipboard, and everything just grew from there.

Photo by Allison Smoler.

Do you have any funny delivery truck run-in stories?

Lucas is a hoot, he’s a sweet pea. I always see him at music events. We have all these mutual friends that are musicians, and he’s hanging out with them. It’s such a small world... Lucas is everywhere I go when it comes to music.

Photo by Allison Smoler.

What’s your standard plan of action when it comes to leftover veggies?

If I’m not getting a box, I’ll use them. I’ll donate them to friends who are having a challenging time or need food. A lot of times I’m out of town on Fridays, so I’ll have the neighbors come by and check around 7 pm (when the pick up window closes) for extra veggies. They always get used, and nothing goes to waste. I use what I can, but I always share.

What is your favorite veggie? What veggie stumps you the most?

Cukes, peppers, and tomatoes are my favorites... I like all those together. My favorite season is summer for veggies. I like all veggies though. I can’t think of anything that I don’t use besides the sweet potato vines. I just don’t know how to use them!

My favorite thing that comes in the box is melons. Oh my goodness, I love melons. When it’s melon season, I freak out. I had a melon in my box last week or the week before that was like a cross between a honeydew and something yellow-y. It was spot on. It was perfectly ripe to eat right then, and I did.

Photo by Allison Smoler.

What is your favorite recipe?

I would have to say a pasta sauce because I can utilize so many of the veggies - onions, tomatoes, peppers, garlic, zucchini, squash. Anything that can be chopped up and put into pasta sauce, I do that. Because I’m cajun, we always use onion, green pepper, and celery. So, I just add everything else on top of that.

I prefer any recipes where you can use a ton of the veggies, and pasta sauce is definitely one of those. You can put everything but the kitchen sink in it.

Where did you learn to cook?

My grandmother, Mawmaw, and mom taught me. Though when I was growing up, I didn’t want to eat anything but junk food. I would eat away from the house, but as I got older and started living on my own, I would call both of them for the recipes that I grew up with. My darling daughter, Sharamay, and I went to visit Mawmaw a couple of years ago when she was 101 in Louisiana (she's 104 now!). Mawmaw always made fig preserves and kumquat preserves for us growing up, and we have pictures of her and Sharamay from that trip standing at the stove stirring kumquats. Even at 101 she is still teaching the art of cooking. She doesn’t remember all the recipes anymore, but my mother sure does.

Mawmaw and Sharamay in 2013.

Sharamay, Mawmaw, and Evelise.

All my cooking skills come from Louisiana and flying by the seat of my frying pan. Whenever we would get to one of our relative's homes, they'd have a bathtub full of crawfish, and big huge pots outside filled to the brim with crab and shrimp. Louisiana is for eating.

Photo by Allison Smoler.

What are you cooking now?

Stuffed peppers. I put meat, rice, and quinoa in them. I don’t go for a lot of red meats, so I use ground deer meat.

When you aren’t gushing over the CSA, what do you do?

I garden. That’s what I’m doing for a living right now. I was doing interior plants, but I now do gardens for people... more flower and ornamental type gardens. I do weeding, pruning back, watering, and stuff like that.

Back in the 80’s I lived in a biodome in NC. I ran a three-story geodesic dome greenhouse. We grew our own food there. There were two swimming pools that were 15 feet across that helped with the moisture. So, the different floors had different vegetables growing on them. I had veggie gardens around, too - we did french intensive gardening. We had a cow we milked, we made our own butter, we had chickens that we got eggs from, and ate the chickens, too. I learned a lot about gardening there.

Photo by Allison Smoler.

If you were stranded on an island, what three things would you bring?

• My darling daughter
• Seeds
• Water

You need water to grow seeds, my darling daughter would help me plant them... that’s all I need!

A huge thanks to Evelise Sandidge for taking the time to meet with us and her continued support of the farm. Another huge thanks to Allison Smoler for taking beautiful photographs! 'Til next time.

Dog scene at the Hergotz office. Photo by Ada.

Since our staff photographer, Scott David Gordon, is adventuring in the Northeast for a couple weeks, we thought viewing daily farm life through the lens of some of the JBG employees would be a fun and new way to experience Week 31. Another scorching week with a mid-week rain to cool things off a bit... check out Ada, Becky, Will, Angel, and Anna's farm and barn photos below.

Unloading veggies at Hergotz. Photo by Anna.

A mountain of CSA boxes at Hergotz. Photo by Ada.

Peppers a plenty. Photo by Ada.

Sunflower bounty. Photo by Anna.

Watermelon man. Photo by Ada.

Sunrise at the Garfield farm. Photo by Will.

Tractor bird. Photo by Will.

Will returning a neighbor's calf. Photo by Angel.

Cover crops. Photo by Becky.

Brenton and his posse. Photo by Becky.

Recipe and photo by Mackenzie Smith

A fresh take on pasta salad is a great addition to any summer barbeque or potluck. This recipe is great as-is, and a serves as a firm foundation for any mix-ins you have on hand and strike your fancy: tomatoes, olives, capers, feta, pickles, marinated vegetables, toasted whole spices-- you really can’t go wrong! I like to make a big batch on Sunday and have it for lunch during the week, topping with nuts and seeds for crunch and protein. Don’t skip salting and squishing your squash to remove excess water-- this step will prevent you from a soggy summer salad that will lose its allure long before it should.

Photo by Mackenzie Smith

Serves 8-10

• 1 pound orzo + about a tablespoon of salt
• 5-6 small-medium to large zucchini and/or squash
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil
• Juice and zest of one lemon
• ½ tablespoon maple syrup
• ½ cup chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon each of thyme and oregano, finely chopped
• A handful of basil and mint leaves
• S&P to taste

Shred zucchini with a cheese grater, as coarse as you can. Put it in a colander or a fine mesh sieve and sprinkle with a teaspoon of salt before stirring. Drain over a clean bowl while you prepare everything else, 10-15 minutes. Cook the orzo in salted water, according to the directions on the package. While the orzo is cooking, grate garlic into the olive oil and add lemon juice and zest along with the mustard seeds and maple syrup. Whisk it. Chop your parsley and thyme and stir into the dressing. Drain your pasta and let in cool in a colander. Check on your zucchini/squash, which should be sitting over a little puddle of squash water. Using a spoon, press against the colander to release more liquid, squeezing out as much water as you can. Stir the squash into the orzo and add your dressing. Add your mix-ins if you have them. Clap basil mint leaves between your hands before tearing them once or twice and sprinkling over your salad. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

CSA Box Contents Week ofAugust 7th

Medium Box Red Beets Orange Carrots Cucumbers Eggplant Medley Melon Okra Sweet Pepper Medley Red Potatoes Butternut Squash Summer Squash

Andrew McCloskey was born and raised in the Texas Hill Country and currently resides in Austin, Texas. He studied photography at St. Edward’s University in Austin, where he learned an appreciation for film. In the years since, time, memory, and consistent shooting have given him new perspectives on his work and the style that forms it. Driven by a desire to record beauty and light, the work generally focuses on contextualizing subjects and landscapes to the experience of discovery. Currently, Andrew spends his time working as a chef and delving into the deepness of what it means to “grow up”.  All of the photos below were shot on medium format film, perhaps apparent from the richness of afternoon colors that Andrew captured. Seeing as we're farmers and not photographers, we had to refresh ourselves on medium format photography.  This was a great read that we thought we should share (the more you know, right?).  Hope you enjoy this week's view into the farm as seen through some fresh eyes. To see more of Andrew's work, checkout his website or his Instagram.

Photo by Andrew McCloskey

Photo by Andrew McCloskey

Photo by Andrew McCloskey

Photo by Andrew McCloskey

Photo by Andrew McCloskey

Photo by Andrew McCloskey

Photo by Andrew McCloskey

Photo by Andrew McCloskey

Photo by Andrew McCloskey

Photo by Andrew McCloskey

Photo by Andrew McCloskey

Photo by Andrew McCloskey

 

CSA Box Contents Week of Aug 14th

CSA Box Contents Week of Aug 14th

Medium Box
Cucumber
Eggplant, Black
Greens, Sweet Potato
Melon, Farmers Choice
Okra
Pepper, Jalapeno
Pepper, Sweet Medley
Potato, Yukon Gold
Squash, Butternut
Squash, Zucchini

Recipe by Megan Winfrey

There's something to say about the warmth and ease of a perfect bowl of grits. It's one of my favorite bases for anything from roasted vegetables and grilled meat to poached eggs and smoked salmon.

Easy to throw together with kitchen staples, this is a great go-to meal for busy weeknights that will leave you feeling full and happy and ready for the next day. The tangy tomato gravy really takes this recipe to the next level. I used my jarred whole tomatoes from the summer harvest. Is there a sweeter smell than that of a just-opened jar of tomatoes? I think not.

Cajun Cheesy Grits with Tomato Gravy and Roasted Veggies

For the grits:

• 3 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 3 tbs. butter
• 1 tsp. Tony Chachere's Cajun Seasoning
• 1 cup stone ground grits
• 1 cup cheddar cheese

For the gravy:

• 1 tbs. olive oil
• 5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 tsp. salt
• pepper to taste
• 1 can diced tomatoes
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup half and half

For the veggies:

• 2 tbs. olive oil
• 1 tbs. Tony Chachere's
• 1 bag of JBG okra
• 5-6 carrots, large dice
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• + other veggies of your choice!

Preheat the oven to 425. On a large sheet pan, spread out the prepared vegetables. Drizzle with the olive oil and Tony's, mix thoroughly, and roast until tender but still crisp - about 15-20 minutes.

While the veggies cook, add water, milk, butter, and Tony's to a large pot and bring to a low boil. Add grits, stir, and reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring frequently, until the grits are tender. Add water if necessary to keep them creamy. When the grits are done, slowly add in the cheddar cheese, stirring as you go.

Cover to keep warm while the rest of the meal comes together.

For the gravy, start by heating the olive oil in a heavy saucepan. Add the garlic and saute until golden. Add the spices, tomatoes, water, and cream and bring to a boil. Stir often to help break down the tomatoes, and pull off the heat when the sauce has thickened.

Time to assemble the bowls. Start with a layer of grits, you can add a layer of shredded cheddar if you like, then spoon on the gravy (don't be stingy!), then top with the freshly roasted vegetables.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Week 33 has us fully into planting season. We've been making beds, the transplant crew is up to 7 folks, and we have two tractors running non-stop. We are getting the early fall brassicas in the ground, think: broccoli, cauliflower, collards, kale, chard, and cabbage. Plus, your favorite roots (carrots, beets, potatoes, fennel), spinach, and bok choy, too! Sweet potatoes are just starting to come in while summer squash, peppers, and zucchini are starting to peter out of season. Start looking forward to more green, but enjoy the summer crops while they are still around!

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’ve endured scorching temperatures and arrive in mid-August drenched in sweat with gargantuan smiles on our faces because the prospect of Fall and cooler temperatures warrants nothing but good feelings. Something about these late summer days has us relishing in brief daydreams of winter greens, cold weather stews, and loads of family quality time (the succession of end of year holidays is impending). The nostalgia of summertime swimming will arrive soon enough, but right now we’re looking forward to regular schedule that school provides.

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Back to school and we are back to our more regimented fall agendas. For a lot of us, that means more home-cooked meals. Even if you don't have children, we know your body is craving the wholesome and nourishing flavors of autumn. Super greens and hearty soups will soon be a welcome replacement to the summertime habits of late night pizza and one-too-many trips to the ice cream shop (just to cool down, we get it!). Even though Texas summers are long, change is in the air... and if you've ever thought about joining the CSA, now is the prime time. By becoming a CSA member, you have no choice but to augment your existing diet with fresh, organic produce, all week long.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Plus, home-cooked meals are immensely healthy for your family inside and out. Why don't you start a new tradition this fall? How about integrating the whole family into preparing meals? Cooking with kiddos gets them interested in the ingredients, has them taking on difficult and novel tasks, and they are more likely to taste the final product in the end! Cooking with your family is also a catalyst to start a conversation about health. If you get your children in the kitchen understanding why you use certain ingredients, you can also chat about the benefits of said ingredients as well. Additionally, kids need two main things to successfully adjust to a regular school schedule: good rest and good nutritious food!

Photo by Casey Wiggins.

If you are cooking as a family, quality time with your loved ones is inevitable for better or for worse! Back to school usually also means back to dance, soccer, music lessons, etc, meaning life can get busier quickly, making time to gather around a family meal and connect with your loved ones all the more important.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Getting back into the swing of the school year can be hectic, but with a little help from your friends at JBG, you can relax a bit! We like to think of our CSA program as a tool that ameliorates your meal planning, and simplifies life during the work week. We make planning meals easy as pie. Each week, we'll give you a list of the veggies (plus beautiful images from our staff photographer, Scott David Gordon) that you will receive. These veggies are an easy source of inspiration to plan any meal, can be incorporated to family-favorites, or can inspire new culinary adventures. Got picky eaters or food allergies? Did you know you can customize your box? If you're a member, all you need to do is login to your account the weekend before your upcoming delivery, click on "My Deliveries," and you'll see your options to swap out veggies you are less keen on for ones you prefer.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Meal prep and meal planning is essential to being able to sustain a cooking regimen. There are plenty of nutritious, seasonal, 30 minute meals that will feed a hungry crowd. Want to cook more? Or, want to cook healthier, whole meals for your family? The CSA is a great way to delve into this practice. Not the inspired chef? No worries. Each week on our blog we publish recipes catered to that week's offerings. Did we mention we deliver? That's right, we drop off veggies straight to your home or neighborhood. Skip the grocery store, and go straight to the source for your fall menus. If you join now, you can enjoy the joys of dwindling summer crops + emerging fall favorites... think: brassicas galore!

Check out our photo post for an update of the extensive menu of crops currently being planted. 'Til next time!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

CSA Box Contents Week of Aug 21st

CSA Box Contents Week of Aug 21st

Medium Box
Beet, Red
Bok Choy
Carrot, Orange
Eggplant, Medley
Greens, Dandelion
Greens, Sweet Potato
Okra
Pepper, Anehiem
Pepper, Sweet Medley
Potato, Sweet
Squash, Yellow

The greenhouses are full of transplants. Lots of new crops going in the ground soon. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Beating the heat in week 34. The usual end of summer blues and everyone is back to school. We are busy training a fleet of new delivery drivers and got to enjoy the awe-inspiring solar eclipse at the beginning of the week. Looking for a job? We are hiring! Check out more information here.

Heading out at sunrise to do some planting. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Harvesting sweet potato greens. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Dew on a melon. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Watermelon family. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Yummy Arugula. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Braising mix coming up. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Bin of Spring Onions. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Turnip Harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon

White Japanese Turnips. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Row of Zinnias. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Zinnia with Bumble Bee.

Bok Choi. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Bok Choi hand off. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Pulling up Sweet Potatoes. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Bin of Sweet Potatoes. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Flat Leaf Parsley ready to be planted.

Running the vacuum seeder. The greenhouse crew is super busy these days. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Sunflowers Bunches. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Half day harvest loaded up. Photo by Scott David Gordon

 

Prizer Gallery. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

It’s time for the 5th Annual Farmer as Artist show at Prizer Arts & Letters! This exhibition explores the connections between farming and creativity and includes art from over 20 individuals who work in farming. With work from farmers at Boggy Creek Farm, Millberg Farm, Tecolote Farm, Urban Roots, Johnson’s Backyard Garden, Munkebo Farm, Farmshare Austin, Genesis Gardens, Agua Dulce, Texas Hill Country Olive Co, EllenMental Acres, Sand Holler Farm and more, this show is not to be missed. Proceeds from art sales to benefit Farmshare Austin.

Prizer Gallery. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Mackenzie Smith

Local Central Texas farmers share photography, painting, sculpture, mixed media, poetry, fiber arts, metals, woodworking, etc). The Prizer Creativity Room will be open and filled with supplies and invitations for participatory making on the theme.

Free food and drink, plus no shortage of delightful folks!

Prizer Gallery. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Drew Johnson

JBG Participants include the following:

• Brenton Johnson
• Drew Johnson
• Lyndsie DeCologero
• Mackenzie Smith

Prizer Gallery. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Opening Reception: Saturday, September 9, 6pm to 9pm

Exhibition Dates: Saturday, September 9 - September 23rd

Location: 2023 E. Cesar Chavez, Austin 78702

Contact: info@prizerartsandletters.org

CSA Box Contents Week of Aug 28th

CSA Box Contents Week of Aug 28th

Medium Box
Carrot, Red
Eggplant, Black
Greens, Arugula
Greens, Sweet Potato
Melon, Farmers Choice
Okra
Onion, Multiplying
Pepper, Sweet Medley
Potato, Sweet
Squash, Butternut

Recipe and Photo by Megan Winfrey



There's a lot to love about the JBG blog, but I really look forward to the veggie indexes. It's so interesting to read about all the different varieties of eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, etc., and to identify them in my CSA box. This recipe is from the "Plethora of Peppers" blog post - which I've referred to about a dozen times this summer! I plan to use these pickled cherry bomb peppers in so many ways - on top of hummus, with burrata cheese, salt, and pepper a la Martha Stewart, in martinis and Bloody Marys, in omelettes, on nachos, on green salads, pasta salads, couscous salads, you name it.