In case it hasn't been on your radar, we publish this fabulous staff-favorite-centric post every first Friday of each month! This is the inaugural picks post of 2018, and we thought it deserved a highlight since it's one of our long-time favorites and definitely a skim-worthy feature if you're in the market for new ideas and inspiration. Ever wonder what your local farmers do off the fields? Cue: 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!

Ryan and the radishes. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Farm, in general

Mark your calendars! Our Spring Potluck is Saturday, March 31... it'll be a bundle of fun with a Garden Gallop, music, tons of kids' activities, and veggies galore, of course.

Our transplant sale is also coming up fast! It will take place over three Saturdays: February 24, March 3, March 10th. On the March 3rd weekend, we will be having a Spring Gardening Workshop with Becky + Brenton from 10am-noon. The workshop will be from 10am-11:30, with either a wagon ride or walking tour the last 30 minutes. Please note: we are doing things a bit differently this year with regard to the transplant sale! We won't be doing any online sales... we will only be selling transplants in person at the farm; however, for the weekend of March 3rd, we will take online orders and deliver them to farmers' markets only.

ALSO, PRE-TRANSPLANT SALE! Curly kale, tuscano kale, cabbage (red, green, and savoy), plus onions... all for sale. Prices below:

Price for everything (except onions): Trays of 100 plants for $20/tray. If you buy five or more, the price per tray is $15.

Onion price: Onions are available in bunches of 50-75 plants. We have 3 varieties: our favorite red short-day, Texas Early White and yellow Texas super sweet 1015Y, all well adapted to central Texas.

Prices are as follows:

• # of Bunches
• 1 $15
• 5 $37
• 10 $60
• 15 $73
• 20 $86
• 30 $105 (full case)

To order, please e-mail or call Noemi at: noemi@jbgorganic.com or (512) 666-3460. All transplants must be picked up at the farm location (4008 River Rd, Cedar Creek TX, 78612) OR HERGOTZ M-F 8-4:30pm. Please schedule your pick-up time with me at least 24 hrs in advance. We accept cash, check or credit card. Payment due at time of pick-up.

Becky (Farm Manager)

In the theme of culinary explorations, I have to take a moment to admit how smitten I am with the Instapot. Instapot came into my world at Christmas time, and at first I was skeptical... usually anything that claims to do everything actually does nothing well. BUT, this wonderful kitchen gadget is the exception. About 40% of my meals are now coming out of this pot. Because pressure cooking speeds up the cooking time; I can get home, throw a bunch of veggies in the pot, and have it be done cooking by the time I'm done getting cleaned up from work. Also, It sautes well, if I want to start out by browning onions or meat before pressure cooking without getting another pan dirty. *Swoon* Plus, did I mention it makes yogurt, steams veggies, works like a classic slow cooker and makes rice in 10 min? Yes, I know being this smitten with a cooking gadget is really uncool-- and NO, I am not an Instapot sales rep. Just a very busy farm manager who likes a good hot stew at the end of the day.

Here's a recipe I made last night that came out well:

• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 5 heads of garlic, minced
• 1 quart of stock
• 2 small heads of cauliflower, roughly chopped
• 1 bunch of swiss chard or beet greens, chopped
• 1 scarlet turnip, cubed
• 5 carrots, sliced
• 1 tbs of Ghee or other cooking oil
• 1 bay leaf
• Curry powder (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)

First cook the onions and garlic on the "Saute" Function.

Then, throw everything else in the Instapot, close it and press "Pressure cook" function for 20 min.

Come back in 20 min, tweak salt and curry powder to taste. and ENJOY! (You can also make this in a regular pot ?)

Montana (Direct Seed Lead)

Coffee. Dark roasted, French pressed, and blended with coconut oil and grass-fed butter. By the quart. It's plantin' season, y'all!

Brenton (Head Farmer)

Oh, my picks?! RUNNING. I've been on a health kick. After I heard about the US News and World Reports best diets, I've been diving deep into the Mediterranean diet and Dash diet.

I've been CRAZY into smoothies. I've been making the worst smoothies you can imagine. So, I've always loved the taste of V8 and Bloody Marys, so for awhile, I was on a kick of recreating that: celery, cherry tomatoes, garlic, carrots, and spicy chili pequin peppers, ground, white vinegar, black pepper, parsley. YUM! [gross]. I drank those for a few weeks and then couldn't take it anymore. Then, I moved onto my next gross smoothie creation... take your standard banana-yogurt-blueberry smoothie, and kick it up with a huge handful of salad mix. Kale would've been the obvious choice, but I had a bag of salad greens on hand. Juiceland, you hiring? Most people do a fridge clean-out with a soup or stew, but I just throw mine in a blender and drink it. All this running and smoothie-drinking is paying off. I've lost 10 lbs!

But I did make these awesome Dutch donuts called Oliebollin for New Years. The literal translation is oily balls. Seriously! Grease splashed all over my face and I got a little burned! I also went to L'oca D'oro and it was really top notch. The food was really enjoyable, I had beet ravioli. It was awesome. It reminded him of my trip to Italy. Plus, every month they focus on different regions of Italy. I love to cook and am really picky most of the time. I've been eating out a lot lately and it really was a standout.  Highly recommended!

Taylor (Spray Team)

My dream came true this past month! all I've wanted was to own a restaurant on the beach, listen to reggae, cook on the beach, and meet people. This happened! On a getaway to Costa Rica this past weekend, we befriended the owner of a local spot who gave us a cooking lesson and let us work in his restaurant for the day (we weren't doing anything else!). This restaurant was incredible. I was only in Costa Rica for 4 days, and we ate here for at least four meals. Cool and Calm Cafe! "Welcome to Cool and Calm, Treat it like it's your home!" - That's the motto, and how the owner would greet everyone who entered. I made coconut milk from scratch! We also made Caribbean chicken, rice and peas, fish tacos, patacones (fried plantains), and this delicious mixed-cabbage salad with a mustard vinaigrette that is served on everything.



Wanna try your hand at some patacones? Here's a basic recipe.

Andrew (CSA Line Lead)

My second show this month is a heavy hitter. It's on Sunday, February 18th from 3 to 6 PM at Work Well Austin. WE ARE is a collaborative effort blending the photographic eye of "Magnetic Focus Photography" Nikki Acosta with the concepts of Cindie "Stormie" Corbin. Drinks, fire spinning, and yours truly serving crunchy riffs. Maybe even a radical beagle named Butters.

Photos by Magnetic Focus Photography.

Megan (Recipe Blogger)

I've made a lot of fun plans in February that I'm super stoked on. First, there's the Jay Farrar (Son Volt) set at ACL Live this Saturday (2/3). Son Volt is a classic Americana/alt-country band whose tunes elevate the summertime-backyard-BBQ or river float. I'm excited to see them stripped down to a duo, for a softer take on some of my all-time fav summer jams. Next up is the Pop Up Magazine show at Hogg Auditorium on the 21st. The Pop Up Mag crew has been through Austin before - my oldest and dearest friend is one of the producers - but this will be my first time seeing the show in person. And my only expectation is to be completely blown away. Having never witnessed a live storytelling performance with an orchestra, visuals, and incredibly moving content - I'm riding this wave of glowing reviews and awe-stricken friends right into my seat. And you should, too!

Last on the docket, and arguably the most exciting, is seeing Daniel Tiger LIVE at Bass Concert Hall on the 24th. I have an almost 3-year old, and she's going to lose her freakin' mind! And Daniel Tiger is actually one of my favorite kid's shows, Ugga Mugga!

Ada (CSA + Marketing Manager)

I just finished a "30 at home" challenge, where I cooked all my meals at home for 30 days. The idea is simple, and mostly it was, but it did make me aware of some of my serious taco-grabbing tendencies. Although it wasn't necessarily the goal, I ended up saving a lot of money, which made purchasing really nice proteins (thanks, Salt + Time) a no-brainer. Finished up the month with a posole-inspired soup and used up the rest of my Thanksgiving chicken/turkey stock, and some delicious smoked pork that was also hanging out in my freezer. Top with half a perfectly ripe avocado and a very generous squeeze of lime, and boom-shaka-laka. If you're reading this, I invite you to check out this challenge!



Just got my new favorite pair of jeans from @loyalvintage. No picture to share, but they look just like these Wranglers. My kinda pants.

Mike (Wholesale Manager)

All things Fareground!

Henbit - The Pork Sando. Just eat it!

Dai Due Taqueria - all the tacos, but get an extra of anything with the wild boar.

Contigo - the burger with a start of kimchi flavored wings with any of the sauces.

Farground Austin. Photo by Robert J. Lerma. Courtesy of the EATER Austin website.

Heydon (Farm Blogger)

Music: Kendrick Lamar's performance at the Grammys this year, holy moly. His unparalleled musical stylings paired with Dave Chappelle and incredible choreography... I had chills and jaw dropped the entire time.

Movies: I, Tonya, Lady Bird, Call Me by Your Name, Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri, The Shape of Water, The Post... I've been going to the movies a ridiculous amount the past month thanks to my newly acquired MoviePass membership.

This picture of my beau by his really good friend, roommate + bandmate, and incredibly talented photographer, Tamir Kalifa. This is an oldie from one of their Mother Falcon tours... speaking of, all the band members host a music camp for kids every summer called Mother Falcon Music Lab. "Diversity and accessibility are central to the Mother Falcon Music Lab’s mission. Each year, the summer music camp has aimed to provide need-based scholarships for up to 50% of its attendees. Through their membership in the Austin Creative Alliance and a generous grant from the City of Austin, MFML has the wonderful opportunity to offer a creative learning experience to any applicant." So think about donating to MFML and helping sponsor a really unique and life-changing experience for a music-loving kiddo? It's really an incredible camp, plus, they have a showcase at the end of both sessions, so you can come see the campers slay at a venue in town. Watch the video here to get a better idea of what the camp is really like.

Photo by Tamir Kalifa.

I just finished Yoga with Adriene's TRUE: 30 Day Yoga Journey yesterday and am feeling psyched about my home practice. Check it out here, maybe a little yoga revamp is just what you needed.

Marc (Farmers' Market Manager)

I wanna give a shoutout to my Instapot that I got for Christmas. It goes with our veggies, you know? You can make your bone broth in an hour, roast a pork shoulder in two. It makes my life easy when I'm really busy. (Shout out to Becky - I totally understand the Instapot fervor).

Missoula (Farm Dog 1)

Sneaks. Sneakers and jeans. I've always had a positive association with sneakers (they usually mean walks, but here at Hergotz they just mean straight comfort and tender arch support). I'm just loving all the sneaks and jeans popping up at the barn. Pictured here are Brenton's (left) and Andrew's (right).



My other staff pick: Mike Mo. I know I sound like a broken record here, but this guy really knows how to pamper a pup. Pictured here is my daily neck massage. Not pictured was the spiral dog chew he treated me to this week from @daidue. I've never had a treat which such deliciously tough and chewy texture. I could smell the hog from whence it came. Plus, I don't feel bad about those extra calories knowing I'm doing my part to support local ranchers and keep the hog population at bay. As me and Jesse Griffiths say, #eatahogsavetheworld.

Rocky + Chooch (Farm Dogs 2 + 3)

Lena. That gal always has our backs and, dare we say, understands us.

Harvesting kale. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Planting season is in full swing! We are prepping the beds and getting those transplants in the ground as fast as humanly possible. Our greenhouse is VERY full of transplants right now, and it is quite the sight. On top of that, one of our spring re-finishing projects is fixing up, revitalizing, and re-painting our farm trailers. Busy, busy, busy here at the farm. Come see us at the markets this weekend, this weather is incredible!

Harvesting kale. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Brussel sprout details. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Plantin' taters. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Plantin' 'taters. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Rainbow kale sittin' pretty. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplants and their future home in the distance. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplant team. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Prepping and smoothing out the beds for planting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Evenly spreading compost over the beds. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvesting collards. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 5th

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 5th

Large Box
Beet, Chioggia
Bok Choy
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage
Carrot, Rainbow
Citrus, Oranges
Greens, Kale, Curly
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Cilantro
Lettuce, Romaine
Onion, Spring Red
Potato, Sweet

Brussel sprouts sprouting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We are making beds like crazy, and getting the early spring planting done. The heartier crops, like broccoli, cabbage, kale, and potatoes, go in first. We are about a month away from the frost-free date (usually the first week of March), which demarcates when we can start getting the tender crops into the ground (think: squashes, tomatoes, eggplants). Our grape guru, David, came to the farm this week and taught us some pro-tips about pruning. We are slowly becoming experts! 

Glorious brussel sprouts. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Ever wonder how brussel sprouts are harvested? Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The prettiest greens. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplants, fresh in the ground. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Readying transplants for the field. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Smoothing out beds for the transplants. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Our grape guru, David, teaching us the pruning skills. Photo by Brenton Johnson.

Transplant crew. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Getting the crops in the ground! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Greenhouse getting full in preparation for the transplant sale! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Some fine spring onions. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Washing carrots. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

A new year and Spring is upon us! Transplanting season is here, and not only do we equate that with working our tails off getting those beloved spring crops in the ground, but it also means we are readying for some of our favorite annual events!

• 2/24, 3/3, 3/10 - JBG Transplant Sale, Garfield Farm
• 3/3 - JBG Gardening Workshop, Garfield Farm
• 3/31 - Spring Picnic and Garden Gallop 5k

JBG Transplant Sale 2018

The first of which is the annual Transplant Sale. You might have caught some of the details in the First Friday Staff Picks post last week, but in case you didn’t, it will take place the last Saturday of February (2/24) and the first two Saturdays in March (3/3 + 3/10). Fast approaching, indeed! Get your gardens ready for our wide array of vegetables and fruits. This year, we have oodles of tomato varieties, peppers galore, flavorful fruits (think: persimmons, figs, pears, grapes, pomegranates, and more!), verdant greens, all the herbs, and even pecan transplants! Need pointers on how to prep your garden? Check out this blog post for some farm fresh ideas. Please note: we are doing things a bit differently this year with regard to the transplant sale! We won't be doing any online sales... we will only be selling transplants in person at the farm; however, for the weekend of March 3rd, we will take online orders and deliver them to farmers' markets only.

Transplant sales past. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Grape transplants. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

JBG Gardening Workshop

Also taking place on the March 3rd weekend, we will be having a Spring Gardening Workshop with Becky (our farm manager) + Brenton (our head farmer) from 10am-noon. The workshop will be from 10am-11:30, with a walking tour occurring at the final half hour. These two aforementioned horticultural wizards have some serious pro-tips on how to turn your backyard (or side yard, or community garden plot) into a productive spring garden that'll feed you and your family. This workshop is designed to equip Central Texas gardeners with the tools they need to plan and execute a successful spring vegetable garden, and is designed for novice and experienced gardeners, alike. Topics will include: site selection, soil prep, soil fertility, irrigation, planting guidelines, variety selection, and pest management. There will be useful, hands-on demos of proper planting, watering, and harvesting techniques, with a special focus on tomatoes. Participants will have an opportunity for an open discussion and Q&A session with both Brenton and Becky. Plus, a whole horde of “backyard bonuses,” as we like to call them, are included with your ticket purchase. One of which is a 10% discount off of the entirety of your transplant order! Yeehaw! Also, don’t worry, parents - we have childcare for the kids during the workshop, so you can focus on expanding your gardening know-how. Buy your tickets here!

Brenton spreading the gardening word. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Becky leading a farm tour. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

JBG Spring Picnic and Garden Gallop 5K

The annual Spring Picnic is on the way, too! We are still honing in on the details for this farm-favorite event, but think morning-time, family-friendly, and FREE fun on Saturday, March 31st! We will have music and all the activities for the kiddos... the inconquerable sandpile, tractor climbing, arts and crafts, and more. Once again, we're inviting you and your family and/or friends to tour our farm and participate in our 5k Garden Gallop. The racing experts at Rogue Running will be on site once again ensuring this run is top-notch. Feel like you don’t want to run? Well, you are in luck, because walking, meandering, or skipping through the farm is honestly the BEST way (and quite popular) to enjoy seeing your veggies growing all around you. Don't be fooled or daunted, this event is for the walkers and runners, alike! Participants are lead through a short 3.1 mile path that takes you on a journey through rows of spring onions, mountains of tomato cages, and fields of flowers! Plus, it offers an exciting opportunity to explore our 186 organic acres of farmland.Like music and dancing? Well, we will have some boot-stomping bands to keep you moving if the Garden Gallop isn't your speed. More details soon!

Farm race! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Kid's crafts. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Racers lounging on trailers post-race. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Music and dancing. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Sandpile shenanigans. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 12th

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 12th

Large Box
Beet, Red
Brussels Sprouts
Carrot, Rainbow
Citrus, Grapefruit
Greens, Kale, Red
Greens, Mustard
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Parsley, Flat
Onion, Spring Yellow
Potato, Sweet
Radish, Purple Daikon
Turnip, Purple Top

Recipe and Photos by Megan Winfrey

A good Caesar salad is a true thing of beauty. I'll happily scarf down just about any Caesar salad - boxed, buffet, I'm not picky - but made with fresh, quality ingredients, that simple iconic salad becomes a work of culinary art.

Any Italian restaurant worth its salt will have a Caesar salad on the menu, which is why I will always order one at a new place. In my experience, when that Caesar salad is really really good, the rest of the meal will be too.

Surprisingly enough, making a restaurant quality caesar at home is simple. The secrets are anchovies and lots and lots of lemon. If the thought of anchovies grosses you out, I implore you to give them a try! You've certainly ingested anchovies without knowing it, as they are a key ingredient in many dressings, sauces, and soups. They bring a sharp, salty bite and an umami flavor that is both slightly fishy and earthy. Start with anchovy paste, and pretty soon you'll be eating anchovies out of the can...if you're anything like me. Also vital to the perfect caesar is fresh, crisp, organic romaine - which is where our CSA share brings it all together.



Caesar Salad Two Ways

For both salads, start by making the dressing.

• 2 garlic cloves, minced or microplaned
• 1 tsp. anchovy paste
• Zest & juice of 1 whole lemon
• 1 tsp. dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire
• 1 cup mayonnaise, preferably organic or homemade
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Sea salt & ground black pepper

In a medium bowl, whisk together garlic, anchovy paste, lemon juice and zest, dijon, and Worcestershire. Add the mayo, cheese, salt & pepper and combine with the whisk. Adjust seasoning to taste, cover, and set aside.



FRESH:

Wash and chop the romaine and lay it out to dry, or dry with a cloth as much as possible. In a medium-large bowl, add the romaine and any add-ins you like such as grilled chicken, shrimp, steak, tofu, or croutons.

Add about 2 tbs. of Caesar dressing and toss thoroughly, so everything has an even coating of dressing.

Top with more freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and anchovy fillets (unless that's not your bag)



GRILLED:

Prepare your grill by cleaning the grates. You don't want last weekends BBQ to taint the flavors of the delicate romaine.

Light the grill and heat to about 350 degrees.

Gather bunches of romaine, still attached at the base, and drizzle with olive oil.

Place on the grill with direct access to the grates. Keep an eye on them the whole time, rotating to get an even char on each side.

Once the romaine is slightly charred all around, pull off the grill and onto a large serving platter.

Squeeze a couple fresh lemons over the whole thing, a generous shake of sea salt, and big drizzles of the Caesar dressing. Last, top with another layer of the grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

Toss to coat.

I like to eat this salad by grabbing the base of the romaine with my fingers and taking in the whole bunch in about two bites. Of course, you could put a few bunches on a plate and cut into it with a knife and fork, like a civilized person.

Montana and Becky working on the tractor. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Another week and another batch of beds getting prepped and more fields getting planted. Our greenhouse is filling up quickly with flats of a wide array of crops for you to transplant in your own backyard garden this spring. Our annual transplant sale is taking place February 24, March 3, and March 10.

Are you an amateur farmer and feel like you could use a couple pro-tips for your burgeoning gardening hobby? Don't feel daunted, come to our farmers' workshop on March 3 at the farm. You can grab transplants after you brush up on some horticultural intel from the best in the biz - Becky and Brenton.

Getting Becky's tractor started. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Wattering transplants. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Becky on the tractor cruising through the fields. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Prepping beds together, fertilizing and shaping. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvesting greens. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplanting spuds. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplanting spuds. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Lettuce head, sitting pretty. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Getting transplants in the ground. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We’ve got the Transplant Sale on our minds as the first weekend of the three-weekend event quickly approaches. We have a vast spread of crop varieties available to you this year, a selection that we continue to diversify over the years. Why do we offer and grow so many different varieties of crops here at JBG, you might wonder? Seed variety and seed preservation are important because of the trend to seed domesticate, or in other words, select seeds that are advantageous to humans, but simultaneously dwindle and simplify crop variety banks over the years. This practice has put us in danger for many reasons, but the main one being (in the words of J. Ray): “ Varietal decline threatens agrodiversity. We know this—the less biodiverse any system is, the greater the potential for its collapse. In shriveling the gene pool both through loss of varieties and through the industrial takeover of an evolutionary process, we strip our crops of the ability to adapt to change and we put the entire food supply at risk. The more food varieties we lose, the closer we slide to the tipping point of disaster.” Thus, seed variety/preservation is not only delicious on our plates and in our palates but integral equally to our future and agricultural survival. So, get to farming, folks, and grab some of those Ark of Taste varieties to expand our horticultural horizons and ensure a future for those at-risk crops facing extinction!

We also spend ample time poring over seed catalogs in order to select the crops most suited for our Central Texas soil and climate. This is all in an attempt to set your backyard garden aspirations up for success in the coming months. We will additionally be offering a Gardening Workshop (in conjunction with the March 3rd Transplant Sale) with farming masters, Becky and Brenton, just in case you want to brush up on some farming pro-tips. So, don't dally, grab your tickets here and expand your gardening know-how ASAP! Just in case you need some ideas for your garden, scroll down for some of our favorite varieties. 

Transplant spread. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Here are the top five favorite varieties we’re growing this spring:

Holy Basil

Basil is always a crowd favorite, and this year we decided to cultivate 5 varieties of it. Holy Basil, otherwise known as Tulsi, hails from India and has been traditionally used as a medicinal herb. Vastly integral in Hindu worship and the Ayurvedic school of medicine, this herb has been thought to heal a gamut of ailments such as heart disease, upset stomach, asthma, and day-to-day anxiety. Dry the leaves and use it in tea, or throw the leaves into your next stir-fry for a peppery taste. This wonder herb has innate insect repellent qualities, and because of its anti-inflammatory properties, can also be used as a salve for snake and scorpion bites.

Holy Basil flowering. Photo courtesy of Eat Your Yard Jax.

Sungold Tomatoes

Tomatoes are essential to a bonafide summertime backyard garden, and this year we are offering around 18 different types. The Sungold is one of our more beloved nightshades. With its saccharine sweet taste and compact size, this is sure to be a family favorite. You don’t even need to cook these ‘maters, pop ‘em in your mouth as a snack or toss ‘em into your salad. These fruits thrive in the heat and will grow in clusters, so make sure to stake this crop. We'll be selling cages at the sale, so you don't have to worry about additional supplies!

Sungold beauties. Photo courtesy of Bonnie's Plants.

Ginkaku Melon

This brilliant yellow Korean melon is sure to turn heads at the kitchen table. With white stripes running down the length of this smooth, oblong fruit, the meat on the inside is crisp and bright white accompanied with an extremely sweet taste. This melon is perfect for dessert or a summer respite. Thriving in the sweat-soaked months of summertime, this cucurbit crop grows in a serpentine and branching manner but can also be trained to climb.

Korean melon, sliced for snacking. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Winterbor Kale

This frilly, almost blue in hue, leafy green is not only delectable but an absolutely beautiful sight out in the fields. This kale’s dense leaves paired with a mildly sweet flavor is perfect for smoothies, salads, and wraps. Plus, it’s a rich source of vitamin K, A, C, and B6! Cold-tolerant and extremely hearty, this is sure to be the green to jumpstart your green-thumb tendencies.

Fields of kale! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Lunchbox Pepper

This pepper is exceptionally sweet and grows in a dazzling mixture of red, yellow, or orange. Its miniature size is irresistible, and might potentially be your kiddos gateway veggie to a world of healthy snacking. Not into snacking raw vegetables? Don’t fret, these nightshades shine as a sauteed side plate or thrown on a salad for that sweet pop.

Lunchbox peppers. Photo courtesy of Johnny's Selected Seeds.

Peruse our vast menu of transplants online !  And perhaps visit our Greenhouse sale! We can’t wait.

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 19th

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 19th

Large Box
Beet, Golden
Brussels Greens
Brussels Sprouts
Carrot, Orange
Citrus, Oranges
Greens, Chard, Rainbow
Greens, Kale, Curly
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Cilantro
Lettuce, Romaine
Potato, Sweet
Radish, Black Spanish
Turnip, Scarlett

Recipe and Photos by Nadia Tamby

Quick PSA: Interested in grabbing some grapefruit with your CSA? Place a citrus bulk order here before they are gone for the season!

Over the holidays, I visited my parents (who have been living in South Africa for a couple years) and came back with an appreciation for South African gins that are infused with unique aromatics and herbs. I tried a number of gins that were distilled locally with fynbos (a general term for the many shrubs that grow in the Western and Eastern Cape regions) and while I love a good G&T, sometimes I like making something a little more involved. While I’ve been obsessed with South African gin, any gin you like will work in this recipe. I used lavender bitters to accompany the florals in my drink (protea and hibiscus in the gin, and elderflower liqueur as the sweetener), but you can play around with that depending on the gin you use.

I used this beautiful bottle of protea (a type of fynbos) and hibiscus-infused gin and I wanted to create a smooth cocktail that played off the floral notes of the gin without overpowering it. I love making egg white drinks because of the texture, but feel free to leave out the egg white if you aren’t up for it. The sweet-tart flavor of Texas grapefruit is perfect for this drink and I love the pale pink hue of it as well. Enjoy!



Ingredients:

• 1.5 oz fresh grapefruit juice
• 0.5 oz fresh lime juice
• 0.5 oz St. Germain elderflower liqueur
• 2 oz gin (your preference)
• 1 egg white (freshest egg you can get!) – optional

The set-up

Garnish:

• A slice of grapefruit (cut this slice before you juice it for the drink)
• 1-2 dashes of lavender bitters (or bitters of your choosing, go with something light – not angostura bitters) - optional

Equipment:

• Stainless Steel Cocktail shaker
• Small Sieve
• About 1 cup of ice for shaking the drinks
• A kitchen towel you’re not afraid to get a little dirty

Instructions:

The egg white is optional, but your drink will look and feel completely different with it. If you are able to eat raw egg, I highly recommend it. I promise your cocktail will not taste like eggs! Since the egg is raw, I recommend the highest quality, freshest eggs you can get your hands on.

Crack your egg and separate the white from the yolk, being careful not to break the yolk into the whites, or else your drink will not have the desired smooth frothy mouthfeel you’re looking for. Drop the egg white into your cocktail shaker and remove the white stringy part of the egg white if it is in the shaker (just pinch it out with your fingers). It usually stays attached to the yolk, but just in case, you want to remove it because you certainly do not want to have that texture in your gin sour. If you aren’t able to remove it, make sure that you pour your drink through a sieve first.

Add all the other ingredients to the shaker while stirring, adding the lime juice last. If you add the lime juice first, you may “cook” your egg whites, a little like ceviche – you don’t want that.?

Close the shaker (without the ice, at first) and if you are not an experienced cocktail shaker… I suggest doing this with a kitchen towel wrapped around the shaker, and over a sink, just in case! Without the ice, the egg whites will create bigger volume and frothiness (this is why I like to do it over the sink…sometimes it leaks out a bit as the pressure in the shaker increases). Shake for about 30 seconds and then add the ice to the shaker. Shake for another minute or so very vigorously.

Pour the drink in a glass through a sieve (use a spoon to push more egg froth through the sieve if needed). I find that I need to rock the shaker back and forth a couple times to get all the liquid out. Garnish with a slice of grapefruit and add a couple drops of bitters to elevate your drink even more. If you use a dark-colored bitter, use a dropper to carefully drop the bitters onto the foam. Use a toothpick to swirl it in to create a beautiful pattern on the top.

Protea in the Cape region.

Readying for the first transplant sale weekend! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The transplant sale is upon us! The first instalment is this Saturday, 2/24. Before you head to the farm, don't forget to check out all of this year's transplants online. We are elated to be offering a vast array of herbs, fruits, and veggies. Our menu continually ameliorates and diversifies year after year, so don't miss it!

We are finishing up spring planting and captured the process of transplanting potatoes below. Check it out and get excited about some delicious summertime spuds!

Becky at the helm. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Farm traffic. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Scarlet turnips. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplanting spuds. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Getting potatoes in the ground! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Temo getting the rows ready for the transplant 'taters. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Our transplant crew having a quick 'tater tossin' break. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Working side by side. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Bunched carrots. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Carrotexture. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Grooming the vineyard. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvesting spring onions. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Spring onions. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Temo covering up the spuds with soil, so they can grow. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Some of the transplant varieties. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Seeding. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

**major contributions by Lindsey Bradley from AISD

Thanks to the Farm Fresh Fridays initiative by the Texas Department of Agriculture, JBG and AISD have partnered for a little over two years now. Can you believe it? It feels like just yesterday when Mike Mo, our wholesale manager, was crunching numbers and seeing if the collaboration was even feasible. Farm Fresh Fridays is a way for Texans to celebrate the role that agriculture plays in our community’s overall well-being. As a direct result, it's also redefining cafeteria food. All kids at AISD schools enjoy entrees every Friday featuring JBG’s seasonal organic produce!

Lunch scenes at AISD. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Over 30 million students in our country rely on school meals every day, making the seemingly-humble school lunch a very important meal - and an opportunity for us as farmers. With farm-to-school efforts taking off around the country, school lunches provide an important access point to these kids, not only nourishing future generations and fostering healthy diets, but also introducing students to the food system, in general.

Acquainting some kiddos with a brussel sprout. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

AISD REVOLUTIONIZES LUNCHES

Last school year AISD introduced seasonal menus - fall, winter, spring - to offer more variety, introduce new recipes and offer seasonal produce when available. Talk about gourmet! This included Farm Fresh Fridays, in the fall they featured JBG sweet potatoes, in the winter, greens (like collards and kale) and spring, carrots. AISD is determined to expand food access, nutrition education and sustainability. AISD Executive Chef, Louis Ortiz, and his team work closely with the district dietitian to ensure that all recipes are compliant with USDA regulations. Additionally, the school system has created even stricter guidelines through a clean label initiative with the Life Time Foundation, where they committed to eliminating what the Foundation has identified as the Harmful 7, from their menus.

Perusing the school lunch options from a higher vantage point. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Speaking of AISD Executive Chef, Louis Ortiz... he joined the district with more than 20 years experience in restaurants, as an instructor at Le Cordon Bleu Texas Culinary Academy and as a culinary trainer for H-E-B Central Market. Since joining AISD, Louis has helped evolve the cafeterias into desired dining destinations. AISD has a greater focus on cooking from scratch, has introduced more global flavors + plant-based options and offers many hands-on training opportunities for kitchen team members to enhance their culinary skills.

Chef Louis Ortiz. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Not only does AISD utilize our veggies in their Farm Fresh Fridays, but also in their sampling events. Remember when Mike Mo and Ada ventured over to Perez Middle School for the National School Lunch Week baba ganoush tasting last October? Well, they also do a tasting event during Earth Week. They will be sampling JBG radishes districtwide during the week of April 16-20 in celebration of our fair planet Earth. The point of these samplings is to expose students to new foods and educate them on the local food system. It will be similar to the baba ganoush sampling, the only difference is they will be keeping it simple with just raw radishes, not included in a recipe.

Baba ganoush sampling. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Ada and Mike Mo settlin' up their tabs at AISD. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The folks at AISD have been revolutionizing the way kids eat lunch. Augmenting seasonal prepared food menus with salad bars and even a small fleet of Nacho Average Food Trucks! The original trailer opened at Anderson High School in 2015; however, this one is stationary. AISD introduced their first mobile Nacho Average Food Truck last March and will be welcoming the second mobile truck this March. These mobile trucks rotate to a different AISD high school daily, currently serving breakfast tacos in the morning and a global nacho theme menu for lunch. They have a third truck coming later on this year that will be used for events, athletics concessions, etc. The Nacho Average Food Truck was named and the wrap design created by students at Anderson High School. As for salad bars, all AISD elementary, middle and high schools offer this option daily. Elementary schools offer a modified made-to-order, while middle and high schools offer self-serve options.

Tasting at the cafeteria. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

“A Feast for the Eyes”

Not only does AISD revolutionize palates, but also thought patterns around food with fun veggie-centric activities. This past October, AISD hosted a district-wide art contest as a celebration of National Farm to School Month. The guidelines encouraged elementary school students to create artwork honoring local farmers and the use of local produce in the school cafeteria. The students were asked specifically to focus on carrots since carrots from JBG will be provided this spring during Farm Fresh Fridays. The winning artwork is to be used as promotional signage and displayed in all cafeterias throughout the district during Farm Fresh Fridays. Kind of a big deal, right? The schools received over 200 submissions - and the three winners: McBee Elementary fifth-grader Zara Lopez-Pina placed first; her brother, McBee fourth-grader Javier Lopez-Pina, placed second; and Natividad Ignacio, a Jordan Elementary fourth-grader, placed third. Congrats to these artistic kiddos! Feast your eyes, and peruse the winning artwork below.

The winning artwork!

We are thrilled to continue this partnership for another year of nourishing the burgeoning minds of our younger Austin community. It’s truly fascinating and inspiring to see how AISD is changing the way that students dine on their watch. Keep eating your veggies, folks! ‘Til next time!

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 26th

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 26th

Large Box
Beet, Red
Brussels Sprouts
Carrot, Orange
Carrot, Red
Citrus
Greens, Collards
Greens, Dandelion
Greens, Mustard
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Parsley, Flat
Onion, Spring Yellow
Radish, Watermelon
Turnip, Rutabaga

Recipe and Photo by Megan Winfrey

For not being a salad person, I've been making a ton of them lately! Not to say that I dislike salad, it's the total opposite.

I long to be a salad queen like my fellow blogger Mackenzie but lack the confidence to seemingly "throw it all together" into an effortlessly beautiful and delicious dish.

To get my feet wet I've been following recipes, which has helped me understand the gist of proportions, texture, acidity, and the myriad of other components that make the perfect salad. With each composed salad that I make, I get it a little bit more - and hopefully, I'll soon be able to grab whatever from the fridge and pantry and whip up a "salad thing" with confidence. Until then, I'm enjoying making recipes like this...



Crunchy Cabbage & Ramen Slaw

• 1 small cabbage, cored and chopped
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, rough chopped
• 1 bunch chives, rough chopped
• 2 tbs. toasted sesame seeds
• 1 package of plain ramen noodles, dry
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup rice vinegar
• 1 tsp. sesame oil
• 1 tsp. soy sauce

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a medium-size bowl and combine well. If your sesame seeds aren't already toasted, just throw them in a pan over medium-high heat, shaking constantly for about 5 minutes or until fragrant.

In a mason jar, combine the liquid ingredients. Put the lid on and shake well. Dress the salad just before eating! The salad will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days and the dressing for up to 2 weeks.