CSA Box Contents Week of April 2nd

CSA Box Contents Week of April 2nd

Large Box
Beet, Red
Carrot, Rainbow
Greens, Chard, Rainbow
Greens, Dandelion
Greens, Mizuna
Greens, Salad Mix
Herb, Parsley, Flat
Kohlrabi, Purple
Onion, Spring White
Radish, Purple Daikon
Radish, Red
Turnip, White Japanese

Recipe and Photos by Nadia Tamby

This might sound very involved but the only part that takes some attention and time is making the spring onion jam. You can prep everything days in advance and throw this together in a few minutes the night you are serving it. If you’re like me, you’ve been getting a bunch of spring onions in your CSA box for a couple weeks now. I usually wash and thinly slice all of them and store them in a container to use throughout the week. I garnish meals with the green parts and use the white parts in breakfast hashes and anywhere you might use onions. Despite tossing them into everything from salads to scrambled eggs, I am still left with too many. Make this sweet-savory “jam” and use it on cheese/charcuterie boards, on salads, on toast with eggs. This isn’t exactly a real “jam” in consistency but rather caramelized green onions, so I usually just put the hot mixture into small jars and refrigerate them. They keep fine in the fridge for a month as long as you are careful to use a clean spoon.



Ingredients:

• 1 bunch golden or red beets (reserve greens for another use, trim ends)
• ½ lemon (zest and juice)
• Fresh goat cheese
• Toasted hazelnuts
• Drizzle of good extra virgin olive oil

Jam:

• 2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
• 2 bunches spring onion, sliced thinly (trim off roots and dry ends)
• ¼ cup white wine (anything will do, sweet or dry)
• 4 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon black mustard seeds
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions:

Roast the beets for about 45 minutes at 425F. I wash them and wrap them in foil (forget seasoning them at this point, you’re going to peel them after anyway), and roast until they feel firm but can be pierced with a knife. Let them cool a bit and peel them by rubbing the skins off with your hands. Slice them and drizzle olive oil, lemon juice and zest on them. They can be stored for a few days like this in the fridge to soak up the lemon flavor.



Make the “jam”:

In a small pot, heat up butter or oil and sauté the green onion until soft but not browned. Add the mustard seeds, sugar, salt, apple cider vinegar and white wine and cook on low to medium-low heat stirring until most of the liquid evaporates. Taste and adjust salt or sugar or vinegar to your liking. If your jam seems more like soggy green onions, simply add a few more tablespoons of sugar and let it caramelize the greens a little more (and let more liquid evaporate).



Serving:

Serve the beets on a platter with a few dollops of spring onion jam, a smear of goat cheese on the plate, and top with toasted hazelnuts (toast whole nuts on a skillet for a few minutes until they smell nutty, then give them a rough chop). Drizzle extra olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

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!

Farm folks showcasing the kiddos' Spring Picnic artwork. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Becky (Farm Manager) - O.Henry Pun-Off World Championships. Basically exactly what it sounds like. A bunch of world class punsters throwing down the best of dad humor. May 12. 11-4pm @ The Brush Square Museums Foundation. (right downtown) I go every year. It's always a good laugh-- bring a blanket and some lawn chairs and Come on out!!

Scott (Staff Photographer) - I’m really looking forward to the Fusebox Festival happening April 18-22. You get to see and interact with local, national, and international artists and experience things that are innovative and out of the ordinary.

“The performances, the parties, the meals, the discussions, etc, leverage and celebrate the potential of the live situation."

To learn more be sure to listen to my interview with one of the founders Ron Berry which will be released Saturday morning April 7th on the Austin Art Talk podcast. You can subscribe on any podcast app or listen directly through the website.

Missoula (Farm Dog) - My new life jacket from REI! Isn't it cute? I wore it out of the store and haven't wanted to take it off since. Got it for my paddling trip on the South Llano this weekend. Plan to grab some grub at the Junction Truck Stop after. Quality small-town eats right there!



Ada (CSA and Marketing Manager) - I've been really into radishes lately. I used to think radishes were only good for a crunchy garnish, but after watching an episode of Top Chef where radishes were the star of the show, I've been super inspired. I'm panicking a bit, knowing that radish season will soon be over. How many radish dishes can I get in before that?! I've yet to finish watching this season but am rooting HARD for Shirley. GO SHIRLEY. I hope she wins.

Heydon (Blog Writer) - I just got back from a mini-vacation in Las Vegas! I went to see my boyfriend perform with Petra and the Wolf. It's an incredibly unique puppet show put on by Glass Half Full Theatre and scored by Mother Falcon. The puppets are marionettes, and the musicians are on stage whilst the puppeteers are performing. It's magical for kids and adults alike. The troupe had 7 performances at The Smith Center for Performing Arts within a couple of days... talk about a beautiful and awe-inspiring space!

Petra peeps. Photo by Dannie Snyder.

I'd never been to Vegas previously, so I really enjoyed walking a TON, getting lost in casinos, ogling the crazy plant installations, and people-watching to the max. If you've never been to Las Vegas, you should think about experiencing it. It's like nowhere else and such an interesting pocket of our country. So weird and wild simultaneously. Go to the Peppermill Restaurant and Lounge (thanks for the tip, Ada), it'll be your new favorite diner/bar, for sure. My favorite casino, you were probably wondering? El Cortez, hands down.

Pete (Wholesale Manager) - Birthday is on April 9th, and going hiking with the family this weekend. Going back to school at St. Edward's University this fall, and they are one of our restaurant customers too!! Looking forward to Avengers: Infinity War coming out! Cannot wait until pepper season starts... my favorite veggies.

Megan (Recipe Blogger) - Let's see let's see...just a lot of family stuff happening this month- my daughter's 3rd birthday party, baby showers, and crawfish boils! I'm excited to incorporate my CSA produce into the dishes I'll prepare for these events. I'm also super excited to go to the Sounds and Sips event at the Thinkery on April 12th. Think night at the museum...for adults! There will be interactive and educational pop-ups from all sorts of local collectives and of course, booze and food! Read all about it here.

Finishers. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Our Spring Picnic and Garden Gallop 5K was a huge success! A GIANT thanks to everyone who came out to walk, jog, enjoy music, sling delicious food/coffee, or just hang out in the grass! We love having the community out to the farm during this most beautiful season. Our photographer, Scott David Gordon, once again captured so many beautiful moments this past Saturday that we published the collection in its entirety on our Facebook, check it out here. Keep on runnin' and see you next year!

Regan sound-mixing. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Starting the race! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Hydration/snacking station. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tractor-top views. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Roxy really taking "rogue running" literally and showing her own interpretation of the garden gallop route. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Route snacks. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Finishing hand in hand. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Setting up picnics. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Sandpile conquering. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Pals. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Celebrating a completed run with a KISS! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Brenton, Steve, and Ada, three huge players in throwing this event year after year. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

JAMS! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Little Picasso. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tractor hangs. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Happy folks. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The race winners! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Picnic peeps and the Giner Armadillo food truck in the distance. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Krishna, our CEO, made it with his FAM! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Ginger Armadillo slinging delicious food. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Long-time picnic attendees. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

More music! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Trampoline chaos! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The finished veggie artwork from the picnic at Hergotz. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

What an amazing Spring Picnic and Garden Gallop 5K! We honestly can’t stop thinking about it. The music was incredible, the run route a rugged good time, the weather was gorgeous, and the company couldn’t have been better. Our photographer captured so many beautiful images from the day, that we posted the collection in its entirety on Facebook here. Check ‘em out and tag yourself!

Picnic views. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We have quite a lot of thanks to mention... so, here we go! First of all, thank you so much to our volunteers, we honestly couldn’t have done it without you. We know you could spend your Saturday doing anything else, and that you donated your time to us means the world. Thank you to Marcelo’s Sand and Loam for donating sand! The sandpile was once again a HUGE hit, and even better with a fresh supply to conquer. We are grateful for Whittlesey Landscape Supplies for kindly gifting mulch so as to transform our mud pit into a dance-able and picnic-able surface. Oscar Ornelias and Jonny Nicholas had everyone grooving, too, and for that we are ever-so-thankful! We are so lucky to have so many talented musicians here in our fair town.

Dancin' folks. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Sandpile shenanigans. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Jonny Nicholas' set. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We appreciate The ABGB for being such wonderful partners and supplying beer to quench our hard-working volunteers’, musicians’, and employees’ thirst. A huge thanks to The Ginger Armadillo for once again trekking out to the farm to sling their delectable fares and to Chameleon Cold-Brew for ensuring that everyone was sufficiently caffeinated and entertained with their cornhole and giant Jenga! We are also thankful for Austin Materials Marketplace for supplying most all of the materials for our kids’ activities and all the signs in general. Recycling materials is so fun!

Austin Materials Marketplace made this possible! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We want to thank everyone in our community who came out to hang, enjoy a picnic, or dance to some rockin’ tunes. To the runners and walkers, we are grateful that you came out and braved the mud. Made for a rugged and farm-tastic run, eh? Steve Sisson and his Rogue Running crew once again transformed our muddy farm into one awesome 5K route, and for that, we are so very grateful. A huge congrats to our two first place winners, Tanya Stanley and Jason Brooks! Keep on runnin', folks! 'Til next time.

Steve calling the shots. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Winners of the race! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

 

CSA Box Contents Week of Apr 9th

CSA Box Contents Week of Apr 9th

Large Box
Beet, Golden
Bok Choy, Baby
Carrot, Orange
Greens, Arugula
Greens, Kale, Curly
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Cilantro
Herb, Peppermint
Lettuce, Romaine
Onion, Spring Yellow
Turnip, White Japanese

Recipe and Photos by Megan Winfrey

If you ever find yourself at Polvos on South First, which I really hope you do (and regularly), you'll notice the incredible salsa bar in the middle of the main dining room.

Personally, I'm not a salsa snob. I don't have a favorite salsa in town like most Austinites, I just ask that it's not roasted.

At Polvos, I usually skip the salsa all together and go for pico de gallo and lots and lots of escabeche - the spicy pickled carrots you may have wondered about. I could make a whole meal out of them.



I had never tried making them before, so I was excited to give this recipe a go.

I substituted golden beets for the cauliflower because I had so many in my CSA share. I'll probably stick to the recipe next time, as the beets didn't crisp up like I wanted them to. Still delicious, though!

Whether straight out of the jar, on tacos, or in salads, escabeche is a new fridge staple in our house!

Glorious greens. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We are in a transitional time at the farm. We are moving from hardy crops to the tender, heat-loving ones. We had our first potato harvest this week, so look for them at markets this weekend! Tomato season quickly approaches with green tomatoes coming very soon.

Prepping beds. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Potatoes forever. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Gorgeous carrots. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Carrot harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Vineyard. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Grapes a-growin'! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomatoes growing up. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Getting the cages on the 'mater plants. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Mountain of cages. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Beet harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Green tomatoes! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Potato crops. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

It’s transition time at the farm! Days are getting longer and temperatures are slowly rising. With the arrival of Spring, we are moving from the hardy, winter crops to the tender, heat-loving ones. All the tomatoes, peppers, okra, and eggplants have been planted and fertilized! Onions are starting to bulb out, too! The cucurbits are in the ground and on their way, but it’s been tough for the melons this season. What’s a cucurbit, you might wonder? Think cucumbers, melons, and squashes! They love the heat, so this cool snap has them growing at a slower pace. We are holding our breath until they are ready to be picked! Summer's fruits sure are the bee's knees.

Tomato season quickly approaches with the first batch of green tomatoes headed to markets soon. Dust off that favorite fried green tomato recipe! Red tomatoes will be headed to your plates in the next month. We’ve been getting all of our ducks in a row in preparation for the wonderful yet chaotic tomato season; getting a good harvest/sorting team together, dialing in our commitments with wholesalers, and putting our ‘mater game faces on. Grapes are growing, but winter sure did take its toll on our vineyard.

Guess what we had the first harvest of this week? Potatoes! See you at markets this weekend to get these hot ‘taters! ‘Til next time!

Grapes slowly growing! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

'Maters. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Green tomatoes coming soon! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

CSA Box Contents Week of Apr 16th

CSA Box Contents Week of Apr 16th

Large Box
Beet, Chioggia
Bok Choy, Baby
Carrot, Red
Greens, Collards
Greens, Kale, Curly
Herb, Dill
Herb, Fennel
Lettuce, Braising Mix
Onion, Spring White
Potato, Red
Radish, Black Spanish
Turnip, Scarlett

Photo and Recipe by Nadia Tamby

This is a low-fuss, no-mess way to prepare bok choy as a side dish. You hardly need a cutting board, and from start to finish it only takes about 10 minutes to cook. You can dress it up by playing around with the oil you drizzle on top or let the bok choy shine and use a neutral-tasting oil and sea salt. I made a ginger-scallion-garlic oil to top a piece of oven-roasted salmon in one version, so I wanted to play around with some Asian flavors. Toasted sesame oil is a staple pantry ingredient in my house. I highly recommend Kadoya brand if you are looking for some in the store to have on hand. You can use soy sauce but as I was out, I used Bragg liquid aminos. They taste different, but you just want something with umami and salty flavor, so either one works for this. The soy/sesame combination still worked really well for a quick breakfast of quinoa and fried eggs too!



Ingredients:

• Bok Choy, washed and sliced from the base in half or quarters depending on the size of the bunches (You can use either baby bok choy or a large head for this recipe)
• Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil or toasted sesame oil
• Sea salt or soy sauce (or tamari or liquid aminos)

Equipment:

Make sure you use a pan large enough to fit bok choy pieces or a pot with a steaming basket. Either way, you want the lid to fit or else you’ll have to steam in batches.

Instructions:

Fill the bottom of your pan or pot so that there is about an inch of water in the bottom. If you are using a steaming basket, place the bok choy in the basket and cover with the lid. Place on medium-high heat and check after about 4 minutes. The leaves should be bright green but wilted and the base should be easily pierced with a fork or knife. Err on the side of under-cooked or you’ll have a brownish-green and less fresh tasting dish. If you are using a larger shallow pan without a steaming basket, add the bok choy directly to the water and cover. Strain and let excess water drip out of the bok boy and drizzle with oil and soy sauce. A little toasted sesame oil goes a long way, so don’t use it the way you would olive oil!

Sorting beets. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We're starting to feel the heat! Sunscreen and Gatorade are in high demand. With the soil warming up, all the weeds are really starting to germinate, so we are working hard to get on top of them. Tomatoes are setting their first fruits, and eggplants and peppers are just starting to flower, too! We are finishing up our large bulk harvest of cool weather crops like beets and carrots, and bracing ourselves to get all of the potatoes out of the ground. Sweet potato slips are growing fast... in another week or two we'll be harvesting them to transplant over 11 acres.

Beets! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomatoes a-growin'. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Fields of green. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvest loot. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Chard! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tomato fields! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

More fields. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Bok choy. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Ever heard of the Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), WIC, or SNAP? What about the SFC and how they are contributing in a major way to food access in our fair city? Well, this week we want to give these forces of good in our community a little highlight.

Downtown Farmers Market. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

FMNP + WIC

Founded by Congress in 1992, the FMNP expands WIC participants’ access to fresh, local, and seasonal fruits and veggies while simultaneously supporting local farmers by increasing sales at farmers markets. What is WIC, you might wonder? “The WIC Program [or the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children] provides supplemental foods, health care referrals and nutrition education at no cost to low-income pregnant, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding post-partum women, and to infants and children up to 5 years of age, who are found to be at nutritional risk” according to the USDA website. The grants that fund the FMNP are distributed from the federal government and divvied up from state to state. This program runs every year from April to October, and almost 2 million WIC participants receive FMNP benefits. Around 14 million dollars in revenue are redeemed by farmers nationwide annually! Talk about an incredible program and food justice being served!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

SNAP

Another food access miracle is the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, this is one of the largest initiatives currently at work in the federal government to address food access to low to no-income people in the US. As the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities aptly states: “SNAP provides important nutritional support for low-wage working families, low-income seniors, and people with disabilities living on fixed incomes. Close to 70 percent of SNAP participants are in families with children; nearly a third are in households with seniors or people with disabilities. After unemployment insurance, it is the most responsive federal program providing additional assistance during economic downturns.” The federal government provides all of the money for this initiative, while individual states operate and administrate the program. Here in Texas, folks receive a monthly stipend meant for specifically for nutritious food. This sum is made available through the Lone Star card, which works like a debit card and is used at markets for groceries.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

How SFC is Majorly Contributing to Austin’s Food Access

One of the Sustainable Food Center's core values is justice and “believ[ing] that the community’s inherent power and leadership is the foundation for a truly equitable and sustainable food system.” Thus, it’s no surprise that they are spearheading the implementation of above initiatives in our community and championing food access for all of the Austin population. Because of the SFC, we accept WIC and SNAP payments at all our SFC and Texas Farmers Markets stands (think: Cedar Park, Mueller, Sunset Valley, and Downtown)! All of the WIC and SNAP transactions we receive, the SFC processes. They take care of all the administrative paperwork and let us focus on growing food! According to SFC data, FMNP brought in $63,000 in fruit and vegetable sales last year alone. Talk about food access and safeguarding our local farms! We really are so lucky to have the SFC ensuring that EVERYONE has access to local, healthy, and fresh food in Austin.

Click here to check out more initiatives that the SFC is heading to make sure that folks get the most out of their FMNP benefits.

CSA Box Contents Week of Apr 23rd

CSA Box Contents Week of Apr 23rd

Large Box
Beet, Red
Broccoli
Carrot, Orange
Greens, Arugula
Greens, Dandelion
Greens, Kale, Dino
Herb, Basil
Herb, Fennel
Kohlrabi, Purple
Leek
Potato, Red

Recipes and Photos by Megan Winfrey

• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 8 oz. baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
• 4 tbs. olive oil
• 8 eggs
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 cup cheddar, shredded
• 1/2 cup parmesan, shredded
• 3 cups torn kale leaves
• salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a heavy bottomed skillet, preferably cast iron, heat 2 tbs. olive oil over medium-high. Add the mushrooms and onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes or until golden brown and then remove to a plate and set aside.

Whisk the eggs and sour cream with a bit of salt and pepper. Whisk in the cheddar and half of the parmesan. In a small bowl, toss the kale with a bit of olive oil and massage it into the leaves.

In the same heavy skilled, add the remaining olive oil over medium heat. Add the egg mixture followed by the mushrooms and onions, the kale, and finally the rest of the parmesan on top.

Cook until the frittata is set around the edges, about 2-3 minutes.

Transfer to the oven and bake until completely set, about 20-25 minutes.

Once baked, loosen the edges with a knife and turn the frittata onto a plate. Slice and serve with Yellowbird hot sauce.

BONUS RECIPE

It's officially spring and the bugs are OUT. Since we compost at home, we tend to struggle with fruit flies, and I know we're not alone! I'd like to share with y'all this ingenious fruit fly trap that my good friend Kathryn shared with me. It will take out an entire fruit fly population overnight!!

Here's what you need:

• a wide mouth mason jar
• dish soap
• apple cider vinegar
• very ripe fruit
• coffee filter
• tape

In the bottom of the jar, mash up the ripe fruit. Add just a splash of apple cider vinegar and a few drops of dish soap. The fruit needs to be above the liquid line, as it is what attracts the fruit flies.

Pinch the center of the coffee filter and fold the rest upwards into a sort-of cone shape. Cut the tip to make a small hole in the center of the filter. Push the hole down into the jar while folding the sides around the rim.

It won't be perfect and the filter will bunch up in places, it's okay. Tape the edges of the filter to the outside rim, so that the cone won't move out of place.

THAT'S IT!

The flies will smell the ripe/decomposing fruit and fly into the little hole, where they will get stuck. When they eventually fall into the liquid, the dish soap keeps them from being able to fly/crawl out. Trust me, by morning you will have a little fruit fly graveyard to marvel at.

People picking up their CSA box at the Mueller market. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Springtime has us exhilarated and full of energy! The spring crops are here and summer crops are arriving just around the corner. The CSA boxes are vibrant and varied, and we can't get enough of these gorgeous vegetables!

We popped by the Mueller market this past Sunday to capture some of the market excitement and catch up with our CSA community. If you love this market, we have some awesome news for you! Texas Farmers Market at Mueller will be starting up a Wednesday night market this coming week, debuting May 2nd from 5 to 8 pm. Yeehaw!

Golden beets. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The JBG market stand at Mueller. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Gorgeous day at the Mueller market. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Pond hangs at the Mueller market. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Meanwhile, at the farm... peppers growing! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvesting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Packing up the harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

'Maters shaping up. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

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

Tomatoes shaping up. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Sticker fridge at the barn really filling up. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Potato harvest! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Carrot rainbows. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Ada setting up the CSA box photo. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

This time of year has us swooning with the warm, crisp, sunny days and the cool, breezy nights. The intoxicating fragrance of jasmine and honeysuckle envelop you as you mosey through your neighborhood. The wildflowers are like swathes of paint on a roadside canvas as you drive to work. The allure of central Texas this time of year is like nowhere else. As everything under the sun transitions from winter hibernation to spring bustle, we, ourselves are going through an awakening, too. We stash those winter overcoats and break out the cooler, more breathable clothes, and make those outdoor plans we skipped time and time again because the weather was too cold or too wet. Or, let’s face it, perhaps we just had the winter blues. As the natural cycle of seasons progress, spring has us shaking off that winter skin. We spring clean, picnic, and get way more active. With all this new found inspiration and energy, what better time than now to cleanse your system, revamp your diet, and channel creativity in the kitchen?

Spring at the farm is as extraordinary as it gets, and boy, do our CSA boxes physically manifest that magic. The boxes contain so much color and variety, it’s truly a pleasure and all-encompassing sensory experience packing and opening them up week after week. It couldn't be a more perfect time to experiment with that crop that always has you stumped. Eager to learn a new skill like making your own pasta or spring dumplings? How about a spin on a refreshing salad? Let’s all make a pact this spring to get more creative in the kitchen for our friends and loved ones.

Watermelon pops. Photo by Megan Winfrey.

Just what are all these changes + new crops we're gabbing about?

Available and thriving NOW!

• Arugula
• Spring Onions
• Radishes
• Red Potatoes
• Cauliflower
• Broccoli
• Fennel
• Basil - we had our very first harvest of this summer-time favorite this past Monday!

Spring + Summer boxes. Photos by Scott David Gordon.

On the Very Near Horizon:

• Gold Potatoes- Next week!
• Cucumbers - Second week in May.
• Green Tomatoes - Next week!
• Red Tomatoes - Fourth week in May.
• Melons - Second week in June.
• Zucchini/squash- In two weeks!
• Eggplant - Third week in June.
• Onions (the cured ones) - Beginning of June
• Sweet potatoes- Mid to late august
• Peppers - Third week in May. They're already flowering! Our shishitos and banana peppers will be our earliest available varieties. Our big juicy bells and Italian varieties will come shortly after, and the hot peppers will follow.
• Spaghetti squash - Second week in June.
• Okra - End of May/beginning of June.

collage of recipes. Photos by Mackenzie Smith, Rick Cortez, Megan Winfrey, and Scott David Gordon.

Delicious and Inspiring Recipes for Late Spring and Summer Cookin’

Roasted Spring Onions

Any of these Summer Squash Recipes

Tomato Galette

Herby Zucchini and Orzo Salad

Brenton's Famous Fried Green Tomatoes

The Perfect Early Summer Sandwich

The Quintessential Summer Caprese

A Fruity Spin on the Caprese + Watermelon Pops

Summer Dumplings

Tomato and Chorizo Stuffed Squash

Grilled Eggplant with Yogurt Sauce

Zucchini Noodles with Avocado Pesto + Shrimp

Happy cooking and see y'all next time!