CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 3rd

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 3rd

Large Box
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage
Carrot, Orange
Cauliflower
Farmers Choice
Greens, Kale, Curly
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Cilantro
Lettuce, Romaine
Onion, Spring White
Radish, French Breakfast

Over the holidays, Ada Broussard served a beautiful salad featuring 4 or 5 different kinds of thinly sliced radishes, a smattering of herbs, olive oil, lemon juice and flaky sea salt. This is an ode to Ada’s salad, with a fun tip: giving radishes 5-10 minute bath in ice water will cause them to ruffle up so they get extra crunchy. I use the radishes-in-ice-bath trick any time am eating thinly sliced radishes (hello tacos, posole!), ice in the freezer and a few extra minutes to spare. Dry cold crunchy radishes on a towel before serving.

I think Ada would agree with me, that the key to a show-stopping radish salad is a selection of as many types of radishes as you can find. The one in the picture features purple daikon radishes, watermelon radishes, and plain ol’ red radishes that may or may not go by another name. French breakfast radishes would also be tasty and beautiful here.

As far as how to dress your multi-radish salad, opt for a high-quality olive oil and flaky salt, then use whatever you have on hand for the finishing touches. Acid in the form of citrus, vinegar or pickle juice all work well, and mint is my favorite herb to balance the spice of the radish, but other soft herbs like parsley, cilantro, dill or tarragon are also excellent here. And hey, a drizzle of honey never hurt anyone! Use what you have and don’t think twice. Make a point to take in the intricate beauty will find when you stare into the cross section of each slice of radish. Nature is a trip!

Photos by Mackenzie Smith Kelley

 

The JBG Community has many facets. It includes our employees and their families, of course, our CSA Members, our market customers (their dogs), and our restaurant partners. Yet there is one more facet of our community that is perhaps more jovial, more selfless, and more diverse than the rest: our volunteers.

Volunteers at Hergotz helping to put together roasting bags for the farmers' markets. Have you ever seen a more colorful table? Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Since JBG’s Holly Street days (when our farm was a garden, our fields a backyard) volunteers have been an integral part of the story. In the “old days”, volunteers used to actually pack CSA boxes! Volunteers' hardworking hands have helped save thousands of pounds of root crops from damaging freezes and seed over a million vegetables - each tiny seed going into an individual cell tray, sometimes picked up one by one and sometimes rolled around in our nifty vacuum seeder. Not only could we not do it without our volunteers, we simply wouldn’t want to. Farming can be tough, and on the hardest of days, when the bins of carrots just don’t seem to end, our tribe of volunteers are a welcome addition to the barn and greenhouse. A volunteer’s genuine enthusiasm for the vibrancy of our watermelon radishes or the smell of our dill help remind even the grumpiest of farmers that what we’re doing is, in fact, neat. And apart from the general cheerleading-affect that our volunteers have on our operation, they’re also just wonderful people to be around. The makeup of our volunteers is as diverse as the vegetables we grow. There are the college students, the musicians, and the artists. There are those who visit us in between jobs when they find themselves with the gift of free time. There are the retirees and the flocks of teachers who descend in the summer, the hippies and the corporate team-builds. We love them all, and if you’re a volunteer reading this - thank you! You are an integral piece in the puzzle that is our local food system, and your hard work truly does help get fresh and nutritious vegetables from the JBG fields into our collective community. And if you’ve never volunteered with the farm before, we thought we’d take a quick moment to tell you about the program.

For most folks, the most exciting part of volunteering at JBG is the fact that after a day of volunteering, we’ll send you home with a giant bushel of veggies. We sometime hose corporate team builds (is this you??) and in these instances some groups decide to take their veggies home and some donate the fresh produce to local soup kitchens. If you come to volunteer at JBG, you'll choose between two locations: Hergotz or Garfield.  Whichever you choose, any good volunteer should leave with a bit of dirt under her fingernails, mud on her shoes, and a great big smile.

Hergotz Packing Shed: Monday-Friday, 8am-1pm

Okay, technically, if you come on a Monday we get started a little later… everyone needs to ease into the week. Our Hergotz Packing shed is located at 9515 Hergotz Lane and is just near the airport, behind Callahan’s General Store.

Volunteers at Hergotz help with all of the post-harvest processing of our vegetables, including the sorting and packing of produce for farmers’ markets and our CSA boxes. Volunteers at Hergotz should expect to stand the whole time and to work outside under a covered pavilion. Hergotz volunteers should expect to spend some time getting to know our carrots. Purple carrots! White carrots! Beautiful carrots! Carrots that hopefully have a great personality! Leg carrots! Volunteer at Hergotz and you’ll likely have a very funny carrot riding home on your dashboard. Though the majority of our need for volunteers at Hergotz is M-F, we occasionally need help on Saturdays welcoming home our weary market staff and helping them break down their trucks.

Our post-volunteering recommendations involve a field trip to Callahan’s (make sure you see the baby animals) or a beer at one of two nearby breweries: Live Oak or Hi Sign.

Did someone say carrots? Photo by Scott David Gordon

Garfield Farm Greenhouse Volunteering: Monday-Friday 8:30am-1pm

If you’re eager to get outside and experience ground zero of our local food system, plan to volunteer a day in our greenhouse. The address to our “Big Farm” where this volunteer shift is located is 4008 River Road, Garfield Texas. Look for the Garfield water tower, then go a bit further. (If you pass the gigantic Squirrel at Berdoll’s Pecan shop you’ve gone too far…).

Garfield volunteers can expect to help our Greenhouse Manager, Giana, in day to day greenhouse tasks including soil mixing, filling of flats, planting of seeds, and getting plants staged and ready to go for placement in the fields. If you’d prefer a volunteer shift that is predominantly seated, shoot us an email to see if there is a lot of seeding to be done; this job is usually done seated at a table, overlooking our perennial herb beds, with some faint Austin radio playing in the background. If it sounds dreamy, it is!

After a day on the farm, we recommend you swing by our favorite Thai restaurant in town, which happens to be located in Garfield: Little Thailand! 

Transplant Sale Volunteers: A Saturday Opportunity for all you 9-5ers!

We know that our weekday volunteer slots are prohibitive from many of you, and so we’re happy to announce that we have several Saturday volunteers opportunities coming up at our Annual Transplant Sale! On Saturday February 29th, March 7th, March 14, and March 21st we are looking for several volunteers to help us at our transplant sale, happening at our Garfield Greenhouses. The perfect activity to satiate your spring fever! Volunteers for these Saturdays will be given the option to take home a CSA box or some transplants as a thank you for their time. If you’re interested in planting a spring garden but don’t know where to start, come volunteer with us! You’ll have all day to choose your transplants and pick our farmers’ brains on how to grow your best garden yet. If you want to signup to volunteer at this sale, please email Angie directly with “Transplant Sale Volunteer” in the subject line - volunteer@jbgorganic.com .

Last year's greenhouse sale - so many happy gardeners! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

How to Volunteer:

It’s easy. Just fill out this Google Form and our Volunteer Coordinator Angie will confirm your volunteer shift. If you have any questions about volunteering or perhaps just need a purple top turnip recipe, don’t hesitate to reach out. If you’d like to volunteer for the Transplant Sale, skip the Google Form and just email Angie directly - volunteer@jbgorganic.com

Scheduled to Volunteer?

Please come dressed in closed you don’t mind getting dirty or wet and wear closed toed shoes. There are lots of hazards for open toes! If it’s cold, dress like an onion - in lots of layers. If it’s hot and you’re wearing a sleeveless top, we recommended you bring sun screen. Hats, water bottles, and a light snack are never a bad idea. Ever!

Angie, left, and some of our amazing volunteers. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

We asked our Hergotz Volunteer Coordinator, Angie, why folks should come volunteer with us and she responded, “They should consider volunteering with us because it is fun! They get loads of veggies and an inside look at how those veggies get to market. They will meet other people who are almost guaranteed to have similar interests….You get five dedicated hours to get to know interesting people.” Over the past 7 years we’ve had a wonderful lineage of folks leading the Volunteer Program: Marty, Andrew, Sarah, Ciara, Nicki… Angie joins the ranks of these wonderful JBGers, and even though she suggests you should volunteer to get to know other volunteers, we think you should volunteer to get to know Angie! And of course, come for the veggies and crazy carrots, too.

 

 

 

 

 

In case it hasn't been on your radar, we publish this fabulous staff-favorite-centric post every first Friday of the month! 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!

Fawn: First, I'd like to give a shout out to the HOPE market, where I started working the JBG booth back in 2010. A few months ago, I switched to working the Hi-Fi Mycology booth at HOPE (see my second staff pick.) The HOPE market will be hosting it's last market February 23, so come and see us before the end! I'm pretty sad to see this small, eclectic east side market go...

Fawn at the Hope Market 10 years ago! We couldn't help ourselves, and found several photos of Fawn at the Home Market over the years. Scroll to the end of this post for the full timeline.

My second pick: Hi-Fi Mycology! (IG: @hifimyco) I started working at the Hi-Fi farm late last summer. Talk about the best of both worlds with Hi-Fi and JBG: mushrooms and veggies! It's been a great learning experience, delving into a new kingdom. Mushrooms are amazing. Here's a picture of some reishis I grew at home. I've currently got these brewing in a tincture, and I've been thankful for reishi's immune boosting properties this season!

Fawn's beautiful reishis.

The Farm: Our Annual Transplant Sale is live! Order your transplants online for delivery to a farmers' market... or better yet, just make a day trip out to the greenhouse! Details and list of available transplants here. 



Scott: I am showing some new work and there is an opening for the group show this Friday.

I Picked You A Flower

Opening February 7th, 7-10pm February 8th - March 14th Open hours: Saturdays 12-4pm

This visual arts group exhibit features paintings, photographs, and sculptural works that explore the thin line between the romantic and sinister. In the shadow of grand gesture, they steer around notions of obsession, entanglement, regrowth, gender expectations, and coded communication. Floral and bright, with a hint of musk.

Works by: Alison Sagebiel
, Carlos Carballo, 
M Laursen
, Jaime Reynolds
, Navasota Sering
, Rohitash Rao, Scott David Gordon

Vault Stone Shop 4361 S Congress Ave, Suite 103 Austin, TX 78745

Faith: I made this collage a few weeks ago as a gift for someone and am very happy with how it turned out. First time using glass! It's off getting framed in eggplant matting and cherry wood framing right now. I can't wait to see it in its final form this month.

Cut paper, broken glass, glue. Photo and collage by the talented, Faith!

Heydon: I am working my way through The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, and I am totally enthralled. It is shocking, sad, and mind-boggling. Turns out I am very into scientific nonfiction.

We've been watching HBO's The Outsider on Sunday nights and, man, if you want to get spooked... watch it. It's a brilliant adaptation of Stephen King's novel by the same name with players, Cynthia Erivo, Mare Winningham, Jason Bateman, and Ben Mendelsohn (among many other talents) shaking me up weekly with their performances. Check it out.

Finally, this picture of recipe developer extraordinaire, Megan Winfrey, shining like the star she is. I took a couple of weeks ago and already have it framed in my house.

Curious what recipes this cowgirl has contributed to the JBG blog? Just search "Megan Winfrey" in the search bar and her archive will come up!

Hector: Hola y'all! I'll be joining the famous Cream Team for the 14th Annual Chili Cook-Off on 2/9 at Jo's Coffee on 1300 S. Congress Ave. Come try all the chilis!



Daniel: I want to plug a really cool screening of my documentary film Hoops Africa: Ubuntu Matters with a Q&A session afterwards on Saturday February 29 at 5:30. It's going to be held at the outdoor amphitheater at Community First! Village, which is a 51-acre master planned community that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness. The film is collection of stories celebrating the growth of basketball in Africa, centered around the philosophy of Ubuntu. Tours of the village start at 5:30, film screening is at sunset (around 6:30) and your ticket includes a meal combo from the resident run food truck, Community Grille.



Ada: Club Home Made (the meal prep club I started!) has a Chicken Soup class that coming up on Monday 1/10 and it's going to be awesome! A dear college friend of mine (who is now a local chef) will be helping teach this class. Plus, the chicken we're using is coming from Yonder Way Farm- folks that I've had the pleasure of knowing for many years through JBG! This communion of college friend, farm friends, and incredible ingredients is why I started this meal prep club. There are still some tickets left, and you should come! You'll leave class with everything you need to make a gigantic pot of nutritious (and delicious) chicken soup. Details and tickets here! 

This is a Club Home Made class! They're no fun.... no fun at all.

Stephanie: I've only worked the Farmers Markets for JBG for years; however, I had the pleasure of filling in on a CSA neighborhood delivery route last week. I was reminded of how special CSA is to a community, and how JBG is such a staple of the Austin scene. A door of one CSA member left a special note about how much she loves her vegetables, another supporter had a sign in their yard about loving their CSA JBG membership. When I was lucky enough, I met the people receiving their order in-person. We are really lucky to have our JBG CSA!

Fawn & The Hope Farmers' Market: A Decade Long Love Affair

Fawn 10 years ago and Fawn this year. The cauliflower has gotten bigger!

2018



2019

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 10th

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 10th

Large Box
Beets
Broccoli
Cabbage, Red
Carrot, Orange
Cauliflower
Greens, Chard, Rainbow
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Cilantro
Lettuce, Romaine
Onion, Spring White
Radish
Turnip, Rutabaga

Still looking for a little something to give your loved one, to show you care? How about a smattering of transplants (that you can pre-order) from our online transplant sale, and a promise to tend to your garden of vegetables with all the care and intention that you bring to your relational garden of love? Or what about a ticket to the Gardening Workshop that we're hosting?

No? No garden space? Hate workshops? Prefer a bunch of dead roses to a bundle of living transplants, destined to feed and nourish you throughout the months to come?  Okay... we get it...how about just cooking a special meal for your loved one? Below are three of the sexiest recipes to ever grace the JBG Recipe Archive, sure to sweep you off your feet.

BEET AND CARROT SOUP WITH MISO AND CHICKPEAS Recipe and Photo by Mackenzie Smith

Let it be known that soup made of root vegetables is made even better with a few tablespoons of miso and a can of chickpeas (or other mild tasting legume) blended in at the end. Miso adds a mellow sweet/salty/umami flavor that balance earthy roots, and beans add the protein I know I will need come lunch time.

The silky texture of a pureed soup is lovely as-is, but I always find myself wanting to add something crunchy and something sour to make it a full midday meal. Here, I added savory granola, a bit of dill and sliced pickled okra to jazz things up, but the last of a bag of chips, crackers or toasted nuts and seeds and any pickle and herb will do. Bonus points for a soft boiled egg or a dollop of yogurt!

Photo by Mackenzie Smith 1 bunch carrots, cut into small pieces 4-5 beets, peeled and cut into small pieces, roughly the same size as the carrots 1 clove of garlic 1 2-inch thumb of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped 1 onion, roughly chopped 1 teaspoon salt 1 quart of broth 1 large can of chickpeas 2 tablespoons miso Boil vegetables in broth and salt until beets are tender. Using a ladle, transfer the solids to a blender. Add chickpeas and blend until smooth. Add miso and blend. Taste the soup and add salt if you need to, then take it for one more spin in the blender.

Top with something sour and something crunchy and a sprinkle of fresh herbs.

Balsamic Roasted Red Carrots & Onions Recipe and Photos by Laura Lee Imhoff

I have a confession… I’ve never made a recipe just because I liked the color of something so much. I don’t know why but I wanted to see what this blank canvas of a white plate would look like with the purples, reds, and magenta of these carrots, onions, and pomegranates. That being said, if you’re looking for an easy, healthy side to stick to your New Year’s resolutions, this definitely covers all the bases.

Ingredients: 1 bunch JBG red carrots, cut lengthwise 1 red onion, sliced 1 tablespoon of oil (I use avocado oil, but olive oil works) 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar (2 to roast, 1 after) Salt and pepper to taste 2 tablespoons JBG parsley, minced Pomegranate seeds for garnish, optional

Directions: Preheat oven at 425ºF Toss carrots, onions, oil, and 2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar in a baking sheet Place in the oven to roast for 20-30 minutes or until onions began to caramelize, mark sure to toss halfway through Remove from the oven and drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of balsamic vinegar Garnish with parsley and pomegranate seeds Enjoy!

Note: I highly recommend using a high-quality balsamic vinegar. It makes all the difference in the world as far as flavor.

CHOCOLATE BEET CUPCAKES Recipe and Photos by Megan Winfrey

Well, my sweet baby angel girl is a year old. Last week was a whirlwind to say the least - with birthday parties, travel, and too many bad food indulgences. It was also fantastic and I loved every minute of it. There was one indulgence that I couldn't feel guilty about, but it was none-the-less rich, chocolate-y, and sweet. I've been wanting to try this recipe for awhile now, and I hope ya'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Chocolate Beet Cupcakes

4 small or 2 large beets 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 2/3 cup buttermilk 1 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/4 tsp. salt 1 large egg 1/4 cup canola oil 1 3/4 cup powdered sugar, divided 2 tsp. vanilla extract 4 oz. cream cheese, room temperature

Preheat oven to 350ºF and line 12 muffin cups with paper liners.

First, cook the beets by submerging them whole in a pot of water and boiling them until you can pierce a knife straight through - about 30 minutes. The bigger the beet, the longer it will take to soften. When done, let the beets cool, then peel off the skins by hand. They should fall right off, and if they don't, scrape the skins away gently with a spoon. Dice the beets, then add them to a blender with the butter cream. Blend until a smooth puree forms, reserve 2 tbs. in a small bowl, then transfer the rest to a large bowl.

In a different bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the egg, oil, vanilla, and 1 cup of powdered sugar to the beet puree and whisk all together. Lightly stir in the dry ingredients, then spoon the batter into the lined cups. Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let cool completely before icing.

For the frosting, combine the rest of the powdered sugar, the cream cheese, and the reserved beet puree in a bowl, then blend with a hand mixer until smooth. Top each cupcake with a generous dollop and smooth out to the edges.





 

Position Title: Wholesale PM Packing Crew Location: 9515 Hergotz Lane, Austin, TX 78742 Department: Wholesale Position Summary: JBG is currently seeking a dependable and hardworking individual to join our Wholesale Packing Crew. This crew is responsible for washing, processing, and packing vegetables harvested on the farm, with their primary focus being Wholesale orders. Efficiency is key is this position, though the team is also responsible for ensuring the highest level of produce quality, order accuracy, and compliance with health regulations. They will work closely with the Wholesale Packing Manager and other department teams to guarantee that operations and orders are completed correctly and in a timely manner. This includes working as a team with other departments when the demands arise.  All farm employees are expected to be courteous, demonstrate a strong work ethic and attention to detail. We take pride on the farm in producing the highest quality vegetables through quality work. Responsibilities:

• Receive, process, and package vegetables harvested on the farm
• Maintain a clean and sanitary working environment
• Ensure quality of all produce
• Prepare and package wholesale orders
• Communicate with other teams regarding workload and quality to ensure highest quality and improve systems over time

Qualifications: Required

• No previous experience required, only a desire to learn farm work
• Keen sense of detail and ability to apply this to packing standards
• A mantra that “Teamwork doesn’t seem like work!”
• Flexibility - hours and responsibilities may change due to seasonal demands or other farm happenings, and willingness to work late hours is essential

Preferred

• Previous experience in a warehouse setting and/or with produce standards.

Physical Requirements:

• Ability to repeatedly lift 50lbs
• Ability to repeatedly kneel, bend, and squat
• Ability to withstand exposure to varying weather conditions
• Ability to withstand prolonged standing or walking

Schedule: Monday-Wednesday 3:30pm-midnight and Thursday-Friday 3:30pm-11pm.  End of shift time varies depending on daily orders; flexibility required. Compensation & Benefits: Payment is $13 / hour, paid bi-weekly.  Permanent full time employees are eligible for Individual Health Plan benefits. All JBG employees receive a weekly share of vegetables. Directions for Applying: Please send an email with the subject "PM Packing Crew" to jobs@jbgorganic.com with your resume + a bit about yourself.  The responsibilities & duties listed above are intended to communicate general priorities of this position, but should not be understood as an exhaustive list of all work requirements to be completed at JBG Organic.  JBG Organic provides equal employment opportunities (EEO).

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 17th

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 17th

Large Box
Beet, Chioggia
Broccoli
Carrot, Rainbow
Cauliflower, Romanesco
Citrus, Oranges
Farmers Choice
Greens, Collards
Greens, Kale, Dino
Greens, Salad Mix
Herb, Dill
Onion, Spring White
Roasting Veggies

By Heydon + Isaac

Ever shoot for the stars in the kitchen and then just completely fail? Well, this is the story of my better half and I aiming really high with a crash and burn as the ultimate outcome. Disclaimer: there’s no new recipe from us this week; however, there IS a funny-ish anecdote and links to other more *polished* recipes.



It started off like an ordinary beginning-of-the-week recipe-brainstorming series of texts, me vouching for an easy written piece on the understated power of blanching kale to augment salads (maybe next time?), and Isaac scheming up some elaborate culinary feat that he vows he can whip up in a couple of hours (and usually can… let’s be real, he’s the true artist here). With the perfect maelstrom of night school, work travel, band practice, and full-time jobs - we had only the late-night hours of Tuesday to come up with something blog-worthy for dinner.

The farmers’ market was stacked with picturesque bouquets of golden and red beets (Lyndsie at Mueller truly is a virtuoso of product placement), so we felt like it was the obvious veggie to feature. Plus, with a surfeit of beets throughout the year, why not add another recipe to the mix. Anyhoo, I go to the store, get the carefully curated list Isaac dictates over a quick phone call -- he’s installing some complex light fixture and shouldering the phone as I simultaneously fly through the market. He gets home and we start the process around 9 PM. The aioli to pair with the beets is way too salty the first time around. We end up making that twice. Damn good the second time though, I must say. You can find the recipe here for that. YUM.

After having the beets roasting in the oven for 40 minutes, these scorching hot roots were peeled and chopped, rolled in eggs, and covered in a mixture of cornstarch and chili powder. We dropped the first bout in only to realize the oil is most definitely not hot enough. Isaac stands over the pot cursing as he scoops the first round out... some VERY sad, mealy and mushy beets emerge.

We salvage the final handful of beets and get the oil to the correct temperature. After a short bath in the oil, we pull out about 8 tiny, perfect chunks of beets to enjoy. It’s around midnight at this point and we are starving. They are quickly scarfed down, heavily doused in the aforementioned aioli. We look at each other, both fully frustrated, and laugh. The house smells like the State Fair, or more specifically like standing directly next to the funnel cake stand. The counters are covered in oil and cornstarch, and we are BEAT. I slide the compost bin across the floor from its usual spot and we get to sluggishly cleaning the massive frying mess together. Even though we were mostly thwarted in our endeavor, those couple bites of fried beets were truly salty bliss. If this story has you jonesin’ for some successfully fried beets (I don't blame ya), either hop over to East Side Kings or try your luck and follow this divine recipe.

Godspeed in the kitchen. I will be laughing about this experience for a long time to come. ‘Til next time, folks.

[link https://www.clubhomemade.net/product-page/gardening-workshop-at-vrdnt-farm ]

 

The theme of the week was dictated by the weather at the farm. It was very cold and very rainy, and our farm crew donned all the rain gear the tool shed had to offer. Mud clung to root vegetables like carrots and our boots gained an extra 5 pounds of mud-weight.

This week was cold and rainy at the farm. Underneath these heavy-duty rain coats and pants is the warmest of winter gear. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvesting and processing carrots when it's wet outside is quite the chore - unearthing the long taproots from thick mud without breaking them is skilled task, and washing the carrots covered in sticky mud takes extra long. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The greens of this planting of daikon radishes took a beating from the cold and rain and so the radishes were harvested in bulk. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The best spot to work this week? In the warmth of our greenhouse. Here, Greenhouse Manager Giana gets pepper plants ready for the transplant sale. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Heirloom pepper plants, ready for your home garden. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

An army of raincoats, ready for direction. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Did someone say mud? Photo by Scott David Gordon.

An enchanted forest of chard leaves, shiny and bright from the recent rain. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Discarded chard stems, mixed in mud. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Picking only the best leaves for a brilliant bunch. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Chard leaves and stems are equally edible: chop the stems and use them as a colorful substitution for celery and saute the greens for a silky substitution for spinach. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Our annual transplant sale is happening now. You can order transplants online for pickup at a farmers market, or you can make a trip out to Garfield and visit our Greenhouses which, for the next few weeks, have transformed into a public-facing nursery. This year, we are opening up the greenhouse for more dates than ever: Saturday Feb. 29, Sat. March 7, Sunday March 8, Sat. March 14, Saturday March 21, and Saturday March 28th. On these dates, the doors will be wheeled open (they’re on rollers) beginning at 9am and wheeled closed at 1pm. In addition to our transplants, we’ll also have a selection of farm-grade tomato cages and stakes, compost, and fertilizer. In other words, we’re prepared to be your one-stop shop for an amazing spring garden.  Last but not least, on Sunday, March 8th, we’re hosting our annual Spring Gardening Workshop, taught by Farmer Becky and Ada of Club Home Made. Tickets and details here. 

Want to grow a bounty like this? JBG transplants are poised to produce. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Farmer Becky has taught the JBG Gardening Workshop for the past 3 years. We're stoked to have she and her Club Home Made partner Ada lead the workshop again! One ticket is good for the whole family. Bring the kiddos - we'll have some activities and volunteers in place to keep them occupied.

This year, our sale features so many varieties of vegetables. Like an old collector purging their coins, we started this year off by cleaning out our seed cooler. We found so many special seeds that have been hiding back there, waiting to get their moment in the sun. These seeds are some of our favorite varieties, but for some reason or another, they’re not a good fit for our production or farm model. Instead, they prefer the intimate confines of a home garden, room to flourish and an opportunity to be appreciated for their uniqueness. Classic spring and summer plants adorn the selection, too, including classics like Genovese Basil (endless fresh pesto, anyone?) and heirloom tomatoes. 

We’re not here to tell you want to plant, because really, there are so many exciting varieties. But! If you do need some suggestions, here are our top 4 picks this season:

 

Cherokee Purple Tomato

If you’ve never grown your own Cherokee Purple tomatoes, please, do us a favor and plant one this season. Your experience of what a tomato should taste like might never be the same. Like all heirloom tomatoes, Cherokee Purple tomato seeds have been carefully selected by farmers for flavor (rather than consistency). A prized Cherokee Purple tomato should have a deep and dusty color that blends into moments of dark maroons, purples, and greens when ripe. The flesh is a deep crimson, and sliced in a thick steak it’s the ultimate contender for a tomato sandwich - perfecting balancing elements of sweet, acidic, and a deep deep tomato-ey taste. Though we sometimes plant a few beds of Cherokee Purple tomatoes at JBG they require a bit more space and attention that we have the labor to provide on such a large scale. For this reason, it’s up to you. 

The Cherokee Purple Tomato is really more crimson with moments of dark greens and blues. Whatever the color, it's delicious. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Our Transplant Sale offers many heirloom varieties. Come check them out in person on the last Saturday of February or any Saturday in March. We will also be open on Sunday, March 8th, when we're hosting our gardening workshop.

 

Sungold Tomato

Sungold tomatoes might rival Cherokee Purples for the title of most popular heirloom tomato, but the distinctions between these two varieties couldn’t be more striking. And for this reason, no tomato garden, and no tomato salad, salad is complete without both of these delicious varieties. Sungold tomatoes are small yellowish-orange cherry tomatoes. Sungolds are often heralded as the sweetest tomato, and a pint of these cherry tomatoes can be gobbled up like a pint of raspberries. One sungold plant in your garden can grow as tall as 8-10 feet, and if picked consistently, it will produce heavily all season long. Grow 2 sungold cherry tomato plants, and you’ll be gorging on this delicious fruit like a king or queen. 

One well-fed and well-cared for Sungold plant will yield huge clusters of the candy-like tomato, all season long. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

 

Genovese Basil

Whether you’re new to gardening or have an almanac of experience, no summer garden is complete without basil. Basil is easy to grow and is undeniably a delicious herb to have around all season - torn basil leaves are as essential to a summer plate as a sliced tomato. A bunch of fresh basil from the grocery store can run upwards of $5, making this common herb feel more like a precious box of saffron. But if you grow basil in your own garden, a productive plant will yield a basil abundance that will leave you feeling rich in green. Huge vats of fresh pesto can be slathered on bread, dolloped on eggs, or tossed with pasta, the extra frozen for colder seasons. Blend basil with olive oil, red pepper flakes, salt and garlic to make a basil oil so good you’ll want to drink it. Fresh basil leaves are essential for a trattoria-inspired summertime lunch, but are also delicious in other worldly cuisines. Plant basil next to tomatoes for some companion planting benefits: basil’s beautiful aroma will help deter pests like aphids, tomato hornworms, and flies - keeping them off of not only your basil plant, but also the neighboring tomatoes. 

Basil is always one of the most popular transplants at our annual sale, and for good reason: it's easy to grow and is even suitable for a pot.

 

Pequin Peppers

Pequin peppers are very small hot peppers, commonly used as a spice but also totally edible fresh. The peppers grow wild in Mexico and parts of the Southwest, and we hope that a few grow wild in your garden, too. Pequins pack a punch: they are a little hotter than a cayenne and about 12 times hotter than a jalapeno. Aka, a little goes a long way. Popular hot sauces like Cholula are made with pequins, and they also make a wonderful red pepper flake when dried. In fact, if you like to cook, your pantry should most certainly be stocked with chili pequin, and the best chili pequin comes from drying and grinding your own pequin peppers. No Mexican dish is complete without a dash of dried pequin. We promise, the process of drying & grinding is simple. To make the dried spice known as Coban, smoke your pequins before drying and grinding. One or two pequin plants will yield many peppers. Plant a couple more to do the Texan thing and make some homemade hot sauce to share. By the time you grow, dry, and grind the peppers, your sauce will be ready in time for holiday favors. 

 

See the tiniest red pepper in this spread? The small red dots, in the far right column? Those are pequins, and they pack a punch. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

See you at the greenhouse!

 

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 24th

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 24th

Large Box
Beet, Chioggia
Beet, Red
Cabbage
Carrot, Orange X 2
Cauliflower
Greens, Chard, Rainbow
Greens, Dandelion
Greens, Kale, Curly
Herb, Cilantro
Onion, Spring White
Radish, Purple Daikon
Turnip, Scarlett

Our Favorite Weeknight Side Salad Serves 2 Total Time: 10 minutes

We have been getting TONS of beautiful greens in our CSA box and cannot complain. Once you have a beautiful head of fresh lettuce in your salad and try to compare it to boxed salad mixes you can’t go back. We are loving the greens so much we wanted to feature them in a simple recipe - a classic side salad! We had a salad very similar to this at a restaurant in Dallas called R&D Kitchen called the pine room salad and loved it so much we decided to recreate it.

Ingredients: 1 head Romaine or Green Leaf Lettuce, chopped ½ Cup White Cheddar, Grated ¼ Cup Glazed Pecans or Almonds(we get ours at Sprouts/Central Market/Whole Foods), Roughly chopped

Dressing: 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar 1 Tablespoon Whole Grain or Dijon Mustard 1 Tablespoon Honey ¼ Teaspoon Kosher Salt ¼ Teaspoon Black Pepper

Directions: In a small bowl, whisk together the balsamic vinegar, honey, mustard, salt and pepper. Then, slowly add in the olive oil and whisk until combined. (Tip - to save a bowl - you can actually make your dressing directly into your large salad bowl and then throw your salad ingredients in!)

Combine the lettuce, cheddar, and pecans in a salad bowl and toss with dressing before serving.

This week we've got a few quick reminders.

Number 1: The first day of our Greenhouse Transplant sale is happening this Saturday, 2/29. This sale is taking place at our farm in Garfield, Texas, located at 4008 River Road, Garfield, 78612. The sale will be happening from 9am-1pm.

Number 2: Can't make it to the sale this Saturday? Lucky for you, we're opening our greenhouse doors for more dates than ever this year. Other sale dates will be: Sat. March 7, Sunday March 8, Sat. March 14, Saturday March 21, and Saturday March 28th. In addition to our transplants, we’ll also have a selection of farm-grade tomato cages and stakes, compost, and fertilizer. In other words, we’re prepared to be your one-stop shop for an amazing spring garden.

Number 3: On Sunday, March 8th, we're hosting an Organic Gardening Workshop with our friends at Club Home Made. One ticket is good for the whole family. We will have a volunteer on site to help with the kiddos and lead them in an activity so you can focus on the workshop. Tickets and details here.

Number 4: We're partnering up with TreeFolks and distributing free saplings of native trees to anyone who purchases transplants at our sale on Saturday March 7th, and Sunday March 8th. If there are any saplings leftover, the rest will be distributed the following week.

Number 5: In case you didn't get the memo, you don't have to visit our greenhouses to get your hands on our organic transplants. You can order online and pickup at a farmers' market! To see the full online offerings and order your garden transplants, click here.