Transplanting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

By Ada Broussard

Week 48 has us prepping for our holiday party! A huge thanks to The ABGB for the beer and Skull and Cakebones for the sweet treats.

It has been a mild season thus far which means TONS of veggies to sell! This is perhaps our busiest time at the packing shed, with drivers and packing crews all working a little extra.

Believe it or not, we're already doing some planning for our Spring Transplant Sale. We've been busy looking at what worked last year and what our top sellers were, so we can get the seeds ordered!

We're in week four of partnering with the Sustainable Food Center's Farm to Work program. We had a great pickup at UT this week! Also, Casey, our Customer Service Extraordinaire, made a Santa hat for Chucha, one of our sweet farm dogs. Check it out below... it's pretty cute.

Fall greens. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Vibrant lettuce mix. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Cilantro. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Baby brussel sprouts. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Textures from the fennel field. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Veins from our collards. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Collard harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Kale forever. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Fennel clean up at Hergotz. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Chucha's Santa hat. Photo by Casey Wiggins.

From every hip Austinite on your nice list this year, to the home chef who has it all, to your mom who just learned what a kohlrabi is, we've scoured the reaches of far East Austin, the deep Hill Country, and beyond to bring you the ultimate shopping guide for your local-eating, farm-conscious friends and family. Keeping your dollars local this holiday season will not only support local businesses (who in turn, often keep their money local as well!) but also will make for unique, special gifts that will be used and enjoyed for a long time to come.

So happy holidays, and happy shopping!

1. JBG Veggies + MORE!

We couldn't make this list without putting some of our own farm gifts on it! This holiday we have more options than ever to bring some of the farm straight to your loved ones:

• CSA Gift Subscription: Choose from one week to a full year of organic JBG veggies, delivered! We can think of ample reasons to gift this to a loved one besides supporting local: reducing food miles, getting more in tune with the seasons, try new foods, getting involved with the CSA community, having access to the freshest, most nutrient-rich veggies in town, and get to know some crazy farmers! Our CSA gift subscriptions are flexible and easy to redeem, plus you'll get to reap the benefits as well when you get invited over for that delicious home cooked meal! PLUS: FREE Home Delivery for all CSA Gift Certificates bought this holiday season! Price should be adjusted on our gifts page, but if you have any questions, give us a call! **This means that you can set your mom, girlfriend, cousin, BFF, or whoever up with CSA deliveries straight to their home for free! Home delivery is usually more expensive since we have to pay our stellar delivery folks to navigate Austin traffic to get to your neighborhood, but for this month, we are covering the extra fee! YEEHAW!
• Market Bucks: Not sure what they want? Market Bucks are a fail-safe way to make sure your recipient gets exactly what they need. These can be used to buy veggies at market, on JBG merchandise, or they can save them in preparation for our Spring Transplant Sale to get their own backyard garden rockin' this spring!
• Sponsored Shares: Giving a gift in someone's name might be the coolest way to support local businesses, local nonprofits, and the giving spirit this holiday. Donated produce shares go directly to The Settlement Home and SafePlace. These donations help feed Texan children and young adults with histories of trauma and abuse. Each donated share comes with a handwritten card from our farmer, notifying the recipient of their gift and thanking them.
• JBG Merchandise: For some farm fresh digs, like our trucker hats, oh-so-soft t-shirts, or tote bags, head to our farm shop and check out our offerings. These items make a great gift for a JBG supporter, or local-ag lover.

JBG veggies. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

2. Home + Kitchen

Have a friend who loves design just as much as hosting a locally sourced dinner party? These two suggestions below are sure to please.

• Kettle & Brine - A locally owned kitchen boutique catered to the consumer whose love for good design is rivaled only by their deep-seated love of food. Visit their beautifully curated store, and you will definitely come home with something for your chef-friend. Peruse their gift gallery here.
• Mother of God Ceramics - a match made in heaven, Amanda and Diana have teamed up to create elegant and uncommon pieces perfect for your kitchen table and everyday life. Check their collections here.

Beautiful Kettle & Brine set. Image courtesy of Kettle and Brine website.

3. Artisanal Goods for the Locavore

Have a family member who loves local purveyors' goods? How about a monthly selection of steaks, roasts, sausage and ground meats, smoked meats and charcuterie from Salt and Time or a 3-month/6-month or 12-month subscription to Antonelli's Cheese Club. With this subscription you receive three to five seasonal, small-batch and hard to obtain cheeses that vary from month-to-month. Have a friend who's a caffeine fiend? How about some coffee from Texas Coffee Traders? How about the nonpareil preserves and jams from Stephanie and her team at Confituras? There is nothing that tastes better on toast.

Antonelli's cheeses. Image courtesy of Antonelli's Cheese Shop.

4. Holiday Libations

Living in Austin has infinite perks, one of which is the diverse spread of local craft breweries and distilleries. Treat a friend to bottle of Waterloo Gin, or better yet, a day trip to Treaty Oak Distilling’s picturesque ranch, where you can explore their wide-ranging menu of high-quality spirits. They usually have live music and delectable bites to boot. While you’re out on Fitzhugh Road, you might as well extend the visit to include the inimitable Jester King Brewery as well! You won't regret it! Grab a bottle of Barbecue Wife's Bloody Mary mix for that one friend who loves brunches!

Rather stay in town? Grab a gift card from ABGB. They sling some of the most delicious pizza in town with GABF award-winning beers to wash it down… not to mention, they are some of the nicest people we know.

ABGB. Image courtesy of The ABGB.

5. Giving Back to the Community

Feeling the need to give back to the community this holiday season? We salute you, and have a couple of suggestions if you are more inclined to donate to local farms. We have a sweet spot for shelters, too, since our trio of farm dogs are all rescues! What could be a better present than a new puppy?

• Urban Roots
• Farmshare Austin
• JBG Sponsored Share Program
• Green Corn Project
• Austin Pets Alive!
• Austin Animal Center

Chucha. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

HERE'S WHAT OUR STAFF IS RECOMMENDING:

CASEY (Customer Service Extraordinaire): My friend here in Austin makes these really wonderful waxed canvas totes and bags at Sivani Designs Shop. I also really like the Illuminidol Celebrity Prayer Candles as a fun gift idea. This is a local company, and you can buy them at Atown Gifts. I love these awesome Tater Tats: Temporary Vegetable Tattoos as a stocking stuffer. They are a woman-run company out of Michigan and 10% of all purchases go to small-scale farms! Lastly, a great gift idea for the family with small kids: tickets to the What's the Story Steve? improv show. This is an improv show for kids every Saturday at 10 am at ColdTowne Theater. There is even a dog in the show!

Illumidol Celebrity Prayer Candle spread. Image courtesy of the Illumidol Candle website.

ADA (Marketing and CSA Manager): All about the local and vintage accessories this year: Grab a one-of-a-kind hat from Hats What She Said, a Texas-centric patch from the ladies at Fort Lonesome, or this women-farmer-focused calendar from the Texas Farmers Market.

Texas Cactus Sunset Patch. Image courtesy of Fort Lonesome's website.

HEYDON (Blog Writer): Consider becoming a sustaining member of Austin Creative Alliance? Their mission states: "Austin Creative Alliance advances, connects, and advocates for Austin's arts, cultural, and creative communities in order to strengthen and protect the character, quality of life, and economic prosperity of our region." An important endeavor to back with the exponential growth happening in Austin, and the wild amount of performance venues being pushed out of town because of the ever-rising cost of real estate. This incredible nonprofit backs many different projects in town, a full list is available here to peruse. One of my favorites is the Mother Falcon Music Lab... a creative education summer camp founded and run by an Austin band darling and some of the kindest folks I know, Mother Falcon. It's truly an magnificent camp involving so many different people bringing so many different skillsets to the table... all the campers get the opportunity to perform at a venue at the end of the week, too! So cool.

If you are looking for jewels... look no further than We Are Ancients' beauteous adornments. Austin local, Mandy Lyne, is a wizard with jewelry design. Just the embellishment your loved ones need, plus part of the proceeds go to the ACLU. Looking for funky vintage clothes for that fun-lovin' stylish friend? Give Megan a visit over at Loyal Vintage (she's also one of our incredible recipe bloggers).

Signet ring. Image courtesy of the We Are Ancients' website.

CSA Box Contents Week of Dec 4th

CSA Box Contents Week of Dec 4th

Large Box
Beet, Golden
Bok Choy, Baby
Carrot, Rainbow
Cauliflower, White
Greens, Kale, Curly
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Parsley, Curly
Kohlrabi, Purple
Pepper, Jalapeno
Potato, Sweet
Squash, Butternut

 

Recipe and Photo by Nadia Tamby

Need a break from sweets and cheese platters and general holiday indulgences? This time of year I feel sometimes overwhelmed with holiday parties and like to sprinkle in a few healthy salads for balance. Although, this salad (or variations of it) are actually my go-to dinner year-round. With a little prep at the beginning of the week, I can wash and trim the kale and put it in a large Ziploc bag for a quick salad any day of the week. I especially like that I can make a big batch of it and the kale is hearty enough to stand up to the dressing so that leftovers aren’t soggy. If you feel that the kale has softened too much the next day, simply add more greens or grains to soak up the extra dressing. Make a soft or hard-boiled egg and you’ll have a filling healthy salad to take to the work the next day!



Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 lemon, zest and juice
• 1 lime, zest and juice
• 2 tablespoons raw honey
• 1 garlic clove, grated (optional)
• 1 bunch kale, washed, ribs removed, and torn into bite size pieces
• Assortment of colorful vegetables cut into different shapes (for this salad I used peeled, sliced raw Chioggia beets* and chopped yellow and green peppers)
• ½ cup cooked quinoa or other grain
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Topping (optional, but delicious and worth the extra step!):

• 1 tablespoon butter (or olive oil, but I like the richness the butter gives the nuts and fruit)
• 2 tablespoons cashews or other nuts
• 2 tablespoons dried cherries or other dried fruit
• ½ teaspoon curry powder, cumin, or other spice of your liking
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Grated cotija cheese

Instructions:

Zest the lemon and lime into a bowl and add olive oil, citrus juices, grated garlic (if using), salt and pepper and honey. Whisk to emulsify (the honey helps to keep the oil and citrus juice from separating too much). I like to use a Microplane grater for the citrus zest and follow up with the garlic clove – and it saves you from the tedious task of chopping garlic. This is where you could also mix up the dressing – add a tablespoon of tahini or a nut butter to make a creamy dressing. Add toasted sesame oil and grated ginger for an Asian flair. Finely chopped cilantro and a jalapeno for spicy Mexican flavors. The base dressing is so versatile you can play around with it in infinite ways – be creative!

Toss the kale in the dressing at least 10 minutes before eating so that it has time to soften. Add any other vegetables and grains. If you just cooked the quinoa or other grains, let them cool slightly before adding them to the salad (though its ok if they are still a little warm – they will also help soften the kale).

You can add any other veggies you have too, raw or cooked – it’s even a good way to use up leftover already roasted veggies. I find that sometimes I don’t have enough leftovers to make a whole meal, but chopped up and tossed into a salad, I can use up that extra half a cucumber, or grilled broccoli or roasted sweet potato (or whatever you have) from an earlier meal in the week to make a more filling and colorful salad.

In a small sauté pan, heat up 1 tablespoon of butter. Add the nuts and the dried cherries (and ground spices if using) and sauté until the nuts are lightly browned, the cherries have plumped up (and the spices are fragrant). This should only take a minute, so keep an eye on it. Remove this quickly and transfer it to a bowl as they will burn quickly.

Serve the salad and top it with grated cheese and the fried nut and cherry mixture. *Chioggia beets have a beautiful pink spiral pattern on the inside and are beautiful when sliced raw. When you cook them, the color bleeds into the white part of the beet and they aren’t quite as pretty, so I highly recommend eating these ones raw.

This week we are featuring Ian McKenna, a 13-year old kid gardener and hunger advocate, born and raised here in Austin. We first connected with him through Instagram, as he is very active on that social media platform and won one of our Market Bucks contests with his extensive knowledge of farming and vegetables. He works in conjunction with Katie’s Krops, a nonprofit started by another young gardener in South Carolina that has expanded to over 100 gardens in 33 states. Ian donates organic produce to local hunger relief organizations as well as to families at his school who could use the extra veggies. We are so inspired by all the work that Ian does, and the support that we in turn receive from him. He took time out of his busy school schedule to meet with us one afternoon this week. We toured his home garden and got to know a little more about this hard-working, community-conscious kid. Check it out below.

Ian McKenna with his home garden harvest.

How did you first hear about JBG?

I first heard about JBG through going to the farmers market! I saw your stand there.

You obviously have an interest in agriculture… do you have any ideas about your future career? Have you ever thought about farming?

Yes! Farming is one of the three careers I have in mind. The other two are meteorology and astronomical engineering.

If you were to encourage one of your friends to support a local farm, what would you say? Just do it. Support any organic local farm! Supporting local is supporting the community.

Why do you think that it’s important?

I think it’s important to support local farms so that you can get fresh organic produce instead of things that might be weeks old.

Where did your interest in all of this begin?

In my sister’s first grade class, they were talking about Christmas around the world and then one girl broke out in tears… and when the teacher asked what was wrong, she said, "Santa doesn't come for us because he hates poor people and we’re poor". My sister told me this story, then I immediately told my mom because I was so struck by it. I decided that we had to do something. So, Christmas morning, we brought a trunk load of presents and food to them. That’s really where this all started… that one family. It was a big family of three kids and they were living in trailer… after that morning, I thought to myself, that felt really good, what else can I do? Then I learned that most kids at my school got free or reduced lunches at school… so, that’s what got me started on growing food for people.

Ian getting his hands dirty at the community garden.

Who taught you to garden/farm?

My mom is the one who initially taught me to grow things.

How did you get your Instagram name, @wizardlizard2004?

I used to be really into magic and I love outdoors stuff especially catching lizards and studying them. We went to play MagiQuest and they asked me for a name so I told them "Wizard Lizard" because they were my two favorite things, plus I wanted something that rhymed and was catchy. I added 2004 because that's the year I was born.

If you had to explain to someone why joining the CSA is a good idea, what would you say?

I would say it’s a good idea because it’s an easy and convenient way to get fresh, healthy produce!

Can you tell us about your charitable work?

I’m part of a nonprofit called Katie’s Krops… it’s a national youth-based nonprofit. It started with a girl named Katie that grew a massive cabbage that fed over 250 people at the local soup kitchen. Since then she has wanted to contribute more, so she started this nonprofit! There are now over a 100 gardens in 33 states, I believe. She lives in South Carolina.

Are you a part of a community garden?

Yes, so, I have a garden in my backyard, and I also have a garden at Sunset Valley Elementary School. The food that I grow in my backyard garden I use to donate to the Central Texas Food Bank.  I bring the food that I grow at the community garden/school garden to food deserts, low income housing communities, or they get distributed to families in need at those schools where the food is grown.

How do you distribute the produce at school?

I have it set up so that kids that need and/or want the food can come by and grab some or they can harvest it themselves!

What’s your favorite veggie?

I don’t know! I like them all. Something that I’m really surprised that I can grow is the world’s second hottest pepper… the Carolina Reaper. I love spicy food. When I first got the seeds, it was the hottest. Now, it’s second. I also love tomatoes.

What’s your least favorite?

It’s not really my least favorite, but I don’t like cauliflower, because I always get my hopes up, and they always get eaten. More often than not, they are destroyed by pests. We are still trying to figure out a way to keep them out. Collards, cauliflower and broccoli are some of the pest-favorites. I like to eat them, but they are hard to grow.

Ian harvesting at his home garden.

What’s your favorite crop to grow?

ANYTHING. I really actually like cauliflower, it’s just been a frustrating process and it’s never worked out for me (at least yet).

Do you like to cook? What’s your favorite holiday meal?

Yes! If you count cookies, then that. I have a special, secret recipe that no one knows what the secret ingredient is. Even if someone tries really hard to figure it out, they still haven't. It's a really good recipe.

Yum... what’s your favorite veggie-centric meal?

I love brussel sprouts… most people are grossed out by it, but I think they are great. My mom makes a mean brussel sprout dish.

Do you have siblings? If so, do they help with your charitable work?

I have one sister. Sometimes, yes, most times, she’s just there being annoying like most little sisters are.

Ian and his sister.

Do you try and get your friends or schoolmates involved in your work?

I usually just try and spread the word. Most kids say that they don’t have time, but I tell them if they grow just one tomato plant it can make a difference. They are reluctant, but they usually get involved if I bother them enough.

Do you have any idea how to get more people involved in growing food or supporting local farms?

Posting on social media is helpful in getting the word out. Also, just getting out there talking to folks about what we're doing helps in interesting people.

If you were stuck on a desert island, what three things would you bring?

• a mobile garden
• a mobile kitchen
• a genie lamp, so I can get three more wishes

A huge thanks to Ian and his family! If you want to follow along on Ian's ending hunger escapades in town, follow him on Instagram here.

Serious radish cleaning. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Everyone is trying to stay warm this week! We're asking Santa for some new boots and muck suits. We went to Cunningham Elementary School this week with the Sustainable Food Center + PEAS to talk farming! We chatted with Kindergarten to 2nd graders about different jobs on the farm, biodiversity, and what kind of veggies are currently growing in the fields. We got to see their school garden, and do a mindful tasting exercise with some of the kale and collards that their kiddos grew. See photos here.

Casey, our cheerful CSA Administrator at Hergotz, is bringing the holiday cheer this year. She brought some decorations from home, decked out the office, and also organized a little office Secret Santa. We are all feeling a bit more jolly after our employee holiday party last Friday. A huge thanks to Brenton and Tracy who both cooked for the whole farm!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvesting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Rainbow chard. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Green onions. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Kohlrabi. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Kohlrabi leaves. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

A muddy harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Muddy radishes. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Office decorations. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Casey and her decorations. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Stockings for the JBG team. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Carrot rinse. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The volunteers pickin' peppers. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

CSA Box Contents Week of Dec 11th

CSA Box Contents Week of Dec 11th

Large Box
Beet, Chioggia
Cabbage, Savoy
Carrot, Orange
Cauliflower, Green
Greens, Collards
Greens, Kale, Red
Herb, Parsley, Flat
Onion, Multiplying
Squash, Butternut
Turnip, Scarlett

Recipe and Photo by Megan Winfrey

During the holidays, I know that I'm going to be eating like crap and I accept it completely. That's why, when I can, I try to get in a few "veggie only" meals to even it out a bit. These collard wraps are so easy, delicious, completely customizable, and ridiculously healthy. Throw in anything but the kitchen sink, a little hummus or hot sauce, and you're right set for a delicious lunch.



Collard Green Wraps

• 3-5 collard leaves (or however many wraps you're making)
• Filling ingredients - I used:
• Ham
• Tomato
• Carrot
• Hummus
• Spinach

Fill a saucepan with about 4 inches of water and bring to a low simmer.

Steam the leaves one at a time by placing the leaf on top of the simmering water for about 30 seconds on each side.

Remove each leaf to a paper towel to drain. I stack them up, with a paper towel between each. (Use those moist paper towels for cleaning up afterwards!)

Prep your fillings, then lay out a leaf on your cutting board, pile everything up in the center, then tuck the sides and roll like a burrito.

Slice diagonally down the center, grab your favorite dipping sauce (optional) and enjoy!

Christmas-y lettuce mix. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We are reaching the end of the year! We have had record-breaking harvests because of this amazing and sustained mild fall weather. Cauliflower is the newest crop to the market stands, and brussel sprouts are on the way. It was our Wholesale Manager, Mike Mo's birthday this week. Scroll down for an epic glamour shot of him and our veggies.

Still looking for presents for your loved ones? Hop on over to our farm shop for some farm fresh ideas!

Spinach harvest fun. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Kale forever. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Curly kale harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Brussel sprouts sizing up. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Japanese turnips freshly harvested. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Cauliflower peeking out from it's leaves. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Collard harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Golden beets drying off in the afternoon sun. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Grumpy veggie. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Birthday boy, Mike Mo, showcasing the weekly CSA veggies. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Greetings from the farm! Becky, our Farm Manager, and Brenton, our Head Farmer, have been crop planning like crazy for the past two weeks. They've been talking to farmers, seed reps, pouring over new seed catalogs, and looking at seed variety trials. All of this scrutiny for the continued innovation here at JBG. When it comes to vegetable variety, we don't cut any corners. We LOVE cultivating new vegetables out in the fields.

Speaking of variety, do you like watermelons? Well, this coming summer is sure going to be a sweet one. We have even more varietals of watermelons headed your way. Can you believe it? On top of all this crop planning, we are working on plans for a new barn, and have our certified organic certification renewal inspection next week!

Transplants. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Our harvests this fall have been record-setting. This wonderful and sustained mild weather has allowed us to continue farming and harvesting top notch vegetables for longer than usual. We've been able to enjoy crops like tomatoes and peppers deep into the fall, which is a unique and wonderful anomaly. Keep your eyes peeled for the newest crop to market, cauliflower. Brussel sprouts are sizing up and coming to market stands soon, too.

Cauliflower in the wild. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Our annual transplant sale is just around the corner! We are preparing an immense menu of herbs this year, the most that we have ever offered. Think: sage, lemon balm, rosemary, lemongrass, chamomile, marjoram, catnip, and so much more. We will be hosting a gardening workshop on the second weekend of the sale as well with our very knowledgeable Farm Manager, Becky, running the show.

Transplant sale of years past. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The change from fall to winter means another sweet treat for our CSA members - 'tis the season for winter citrus! Every year, JBG partners with our good friends at G&S Groves in McAllen, TX to bring you certified organic oranges and grapefruit delivered to your home and community. David Strohmeyer is really an impressive farmer and never fails to deliver on sweet Texas citrus. We'll carry these beauties as long as they are in season (through Spring). Citrus is available for delivery to farmers markets or with your CSA box for only $12 for a 10 lb bag! Find more details about the Bulk Citrus sale here. Get your orders in this weekend to start enjoying fresh squeezed orange juice and grapefruit juice as early as next week!

Roxy, the farm dog, loves her some citrus. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Still looking for gifts for your loved ones? Head on over to our farm shop to get some farm fresh ideas! How about gifting a JBG cap and some market bucks (you can use these at the transplant sale, too) or donating a share in honor of someone else to those in need? You could also grab a CSA subscription for the chef in your life! If you sign up for a CSA this month, we will waive the home delivery fee. What could be a better gift than fresh veggies on your doorstep week after week?



Ever wanted to work on the farm and get your hands dirty with the most fun & friendly crew around town? Check out our job openings here. We are in need of some hard-working harvest and transplant crew additions! Take a peek and spread the word if you know someone who might be a good fit.

CSA Box Contents Week of Dec 18th

CSA Box Contents Week of Dec 18th

Large Box
Beet, Red
Cabbage
Carrot, Rainbow
Cauliflower, White
Greens, Collards
Greens, Kale, Curly
Herb, Fennel
Lettuce, Mixed head bag
Onion, Multiplying
Potato, Sweet
Radish, Red

Recipe and Photo by Mackenzie Smith

A good raw beet salad is one of my favorite ways to enjoy such an earthy vegetable. I prefer mine crunchy, zingy with spice and tang, well-rounded by maple syrup and olive oil, and very pretty. This recipe works well with any variety of beet, but I love using JBG’s show-stopping candy canes here, spreading the decorative circles out all over the plate to really let them shine.

Photo by Mackenzie Smith.

Raw Beet Salad with Ginger Lime Dressing

• 3 candy cane beets, very thinly sliced
• Juice of a lime
• A teaspoon of freshly grated ginger
• Salt
• Maple syrup
• Olive oil
• Fresh mint

Photo by Mackenzie Smith.

Squeeze a lime over the freshly grated ginger, and stir together. Pour over the beets, and sprinkle with salt. Let sit for at least 20 minutes. Place beet rounds on a plate, then drizzle with olive oil and maple syrup. Sprinkle with flaky salt if you feel so inclined. Garnish with fresh mint.

Note: The photo above features sliced avocados with Marcus Samuelson’s chermoula sauce. Click here for that recipe.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Dear Friends and CSA members,

I wanted to take a moment to reflect and express gratitude for another abundant year here at JBG Organic. Now, as the days are the shortest, we are making plans for our next season and taking stock of the last. This year has been one of the most abundant years in the history of our farm! With the exception of a hard frost in the Spring, we have had close to perfect weather all year and fared Harvey with minimal damage to the farm. Ideal weather paired with our incredibly hard working and dedicated staff has resulted in some of our highest yields and best quality vegetables we’ve ever grown.

Of course, none of this would ever be possible without the enduring support and patronage of our CSA members. You are changing our local food system, one CSA purchase at a time. We employ 100 Austinites with fair wages and jobs they believe in, and are creating an Austin in which farm work is a viable and respected job. Your support helps ensure the safekeeping of precious farmland and makes an economic statement that local organic agriculture is important, not only because it is healthy for your family and the environment, but because it tastes great too!



I was especially touched in the wake of hurricane Harvey at the outpouring of care and generosity from our CSA community. With your support we were able to donate over 300 CSA shares to communities in need.

I am incredibly grateful to have the privilege of growing food every day for you and your families. We are immensely optimistic about next year. We have been poring over crop-planning for the year ahead, analyzing mistakes from the past 5 years, and exploring new vegetable varieties. Get excited, we have so many exciting things ahead. Next year I look forward to continuing to cultivate community and a more accessible, healthy and delicious food system in Central Texas. Here's to 2018!

Ada, Brenton, and Krishna. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Sincerely, Your Farmer, Brenton

The SFC Downtown Farmers Market. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The end of the year is almost here and the holidays are upon us. We visited the SFC Downtown Farmers Market this past weekend on a rainy day. Our spread of greens right now is vast and varied, come grab a bunch of something green you've never tasted before!

We have been planning for the year ahead nonstop. We are ecstatic to try cultivating all kinds of new vegetable varieties. Get ready to expand your palate.

Carrot bunches. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Chioggia beet beauties. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Visit our market stands to taste different kinds of greens from all over the world! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Cleaning up those carrots. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Spinach galore. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplantin'. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Up close and green. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Carrot harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Getting romanesco and personal. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Beautiful contrast. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvesting on a beautiful day. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Turnip for what?! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Grooming off the turnip leaves. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Becky hard at work, crop planning. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

CSA Box Contents Week of Dec 25th

CSA Box Contents Week of Dec 25th

Large Box
Beet, Red
Bok Choy
Cabbage
Carrot, Rainbow
Cauliflower
Greens, Chard, Rainbow
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Cilantro
Herb, Fennel
Onion, Spring Yellow
Potato, Sweet

Recipe and Photos by Mackenzie Smith

Photo by Mackenzie Smith

The first time I made broccoli and cheddar dumplings, it was out of sheer necessity. It was the winter of 2016. My boyfriend, Jason, and I were living in Brooklyn when Jonas struck NYC. Jonas was a blizzard severe enough to shut down the subway for a day or two and Mayor Bloomberg closed the public schools for two days.

Instead of preparing for the storm, I spent the day before Jonas at a happy hour that lasted well into the evening, after all of the shops had closed. I woke up the next day hungry and hungover.

After a glass of alka seltzer and a piece of sourdough fried in olive oil with a healthy helping of hangover shame, I took stock of our fridge: a container of roasted broccoli, almost a whole head of roasted garlic, a few pieces of roasted Jerusalem artichoke, a lemon, a near-empty tub of white miso, a single egg and a full bag of sharp cheddar cheese.

I laid back down, wishing I would have made it to the store before they all closed down for the storm, praying the alka seltzer would kick in soon. Right before I dozed off, I remembered that two packages of dumpling wrappers were stowed away in the back of our freezer.

As the snow fell in giant flakes outside of our window, Jason and I watched The Last Man on Earth and folded dumplings together. We didn’t brave the weather until late that night when our bellies were full of broccoli and cheddar dumplings laced with miso and garlic and the snow was waist-high.

We have lived in Austin for a little over a year now, and have fully embraced the weather here. The 40-degree weather that usually gets up to 50 mid-afternoon is FREEZING and we want to stay in and make dumplings as much as we did when the snow piled on top of the cars parked on our block.

Cauliflower will work just fine in place of broccoli in this recipe, and any cheese could play for cheddar here. A head of roasted garlic isn’t entirely necessary here: if you don’t have one, you could sub in a clove or two of fresh, or a teaspoon or so of garlic powder. I use my kitchen shears to cut my broccoli into tiny pieces. If you don’t have shears, chop them with a knife-- just don’t skip this step. If the broccoli is too big, it will be hard to fold your dumplings without tearing the wrapper. This recipe does not include Jerusalem artichoke because I haven’t seen any in our CSA this year, but they will surely improve the dumpling if you have some to add!

Photo by Mackenzie Smith

Ingredients

• 1 raw egg
• 1 Tablespoon white miso
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• About a head of roasted garlic, skins removed
• 6 ounces (about a cup and a half) shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• About 2 cups of roasted broccoli, cut into small pieces
• 1 medium sized baked potato, or half of a large one, skin on (sweet potato or white beans would probably be great here, too!)
• 1 package of dumpling wrappers (I get mine from Hana World in Parmer Lane in Austin)

Whisk the egg with miso and sesame. Stir in cheddar and garlic. Add vegetables and stir until they are evenly coated in the egg and cheese mixture.

If you are storing dumplings for later, freeze them on a single layer in a sheet pan for about 20 minutes before putting them into ziplock bags and back into the freezer.

I like Appetite for China’s method for pan-frying dumplings, but they are also easy to prepare by dropping into boiling water and cooking until the dumplings float to the top of the pan.

Dipping Sauce

Mix together equal parts soy sauce and rice vinegar, then add a few tiny drops of sesame oil, a teaspoon or so of chili oil, and top with thinly chopped scallions.

Photo by Mackenzie Smith

A very merry 2018 from the JBG farm family to yours! This week we revisit and celebrate 2017 in photographs, and prepare to start the cycle all over again in the New Year. We want to take a brief moment to shower our farm photographer, Scott David Gordon, with all the praise and accolade we have in us! Scott is an unbelievably invaluable asset to our farm - he's out in the fields week after week, rain or shine, to take dazzling photos so that we can share our daily farm-fresh experience with you, our community. Thank you, Scott!

JANUARY:

Sunrise harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplants. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

February:

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Citrus. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplanting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

 

March:

Transplant sale. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Rainbow kale. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplant shower. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Montana at the helm. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

April:

Foggy harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Garlic galore. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Spring Picnic and Garden Gallop 5k. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Spring Picnic and Garden Gallop 5k. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Spring Picnic and Garden Gallop 5k. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomato gradient. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

May:

Tomato fieldwork. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Potato wash. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Zinnia harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Farmers Market fun with the fam. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Meet your Farmer Happy Hour at ABGB. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

June:

Tomato season with the kids. Photo by Casey Wiggins.

Tomato U-Pick. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Farm dog Missoula posing with the 'mater bounty. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Vineyard. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Flower fields. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomato field. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

July:

Mackenzie, our recipe blogger, during the tomato dinner. Photo by Rick Cortez.

Farm vehicle views. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Pepper time. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tracy and the sunflowers. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Melon toss. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

August:

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Okra fields. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

CTFB donation bags. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Office dawgs. Photo by Ada Broussard.

September:

Transplant team. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Mueller Farmers Market. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Becky aiding in preparing beds. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Montana in the shop. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

CSA boxes going out. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

October:

Jackpot. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Fall Harvest Open House. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Fall Harvest Open House. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

JBG Employee Costume Contest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvesting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Ada and Mike Mo celebrating National School Lunch Week at the cool kids' table. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

November:

Market bounty. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Broccoli harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Cleaning carrots at Hergotz. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

BTS weekly veggie shoot. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

December:

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Wonky veg face. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Will in the fields. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Thanks for an amazing year, we can't wait to see what 2018 will bring! Happy New Year!