Contents:
1) In Your Box this Week

2) Farm News

• New Pickup Site for Tarrytown
  
• Harvesting and Washing Arugula
• Fall Garden Planting Tips
• Riding Across Iowa
• T-Shirt Contest Winner
  

3) In the News

4) Events

• Outstanding in the Field

5) Quotable Food

6) Recipe: Texican Squash

7) Produce Storage Tips

8) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Info

1) In Your Box This Week

Okra
Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Honeydew & Galia Melons
Basil
Winter Squash
White or Red Onions
Caribe Potatoes
Sweet Peppers
Pablano and Anaheim Mild Peppers
Jalapeno and Serrano Hot Peppers
Black, purple, green, white and Rosa Bianca Eggplant
Yellow, Zephyr, Patty Pan Squash and Zucchini

2) Farm News

• New Pickup Site for Tarrytown beginning September 2

Lilo Pomerleau has graciously offered to serve as our new Tarrytown host.  Starting on Wednesday, September 2nd, Tarrytown members will now pickup their vegetables in the carport of Lilo’s home at 3402 Bonnie, Austin, TX 78703.  Click here to see a Google Maps image of the site.  Many thanks to outgoing Tarrytown host Allision Phillips – we appreciate her efforts and wish her luck in her move.

• Harvesting and Washing Arugula… aka Rocket

We are currently harvesting lots of arugula so members can expect a large bag of this delicious salad green in their boxes this week.  We’ve been experimenting with how to wash and dry all of this arugula.  Brenton has been testing the merits of putting a large mesh laundry bag full of just-washed arugula into a washing machine and then putting it on spin cycle.  The washing machine acts like a large vegetable spinner, pulling the water away from the leaves.  We can then bag up the greens for member boxes.  Once members get their vegetables home, they should give the arugula a second washing and let it dry before refrigerating it.

• Fall Garden Planting Tips

September and October are very busy planting times for us at the farm, and we are currently preparing field beds for all of the transplants that are growing in the greenhouse.   For those members who are interested in planting their own fall gardens, here’s a list of some of the vegetables that you can plant in the fall: Broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, chard, collards, endive, kale, lettuce, and mustard.  For a more complete list with detailed planting times, check out the Travis County Garden Planting Calendar on our website (to access this, to our website at www.jbgorganic.com,  click on the “More Info” tab, then click the Gardening Information  link, and finally click the link for the Travis County Garden Planting Calendar).

• Riding Across Iowa: by Grit Ramuschkat, JBG resident and newsletter contributor

This summer my husband Steven and I participated in the Register’s Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI), the longest (we rode 450 miles in 7 days), largest (20,000 riders participated) and oldest (this was the 37th year) touring bicycle ride in the world. We trained every free minute for this and you’d find odd group photos in the newsletter, with everyone wearing dirty farm clothes but Steven and me – we wore dirty cycling clothes… .

I had never been to America’s Heartland and was curious to see the center of so much debate with my own eyes. We started our tour in Council Bluffs, Omaha’s sister city on the west side of the Missouri River, in the South Eastern corner of Iowa and for the first four days we faced one hill after another. These were exciting hills to ride on with long descents that made for a nice adrenalin kick and a temporary feeling of freedom, before the not so glamorous uphill part approached. The scenery was very nice as well. Other than in Texas these days, the surroundings were saturated in a deep, lush green, the corn had outgrown us humans and stood proud and straight, no weeds in sight. The soy beans were knee-tall and dark green in color. The interspersing grass was lush, long and bowed in the wind. The rows of corn were marked at regular intervals with signs indicating variety and seed provider. Every so often, the green gave room to a little group of farm buildings glistening white in the sun or a few yellow or silver storage silos. I spotted one abandoned silo site, former home of a local seed saving company. At one point on the route, the locals proudly announced on written signs, what percentage of corn went into the various food products awaiting us at our next rest stop. In short, this world looked pretty, pretty unflat :-), peaceful and healthy to me. The products that came from the earth were the source of life for the kind people hosting us during our week long ride.

What startled me so much was that I was riding through one big monoculture (or better two big monocultures) and it was hard for the eye to see it as such! My eyes couldn’t see that 98% of the soy was genetically modified. It was not apparent that the corn we passed wasn’t my favorite dish corn on the cob multiplied by a trillion, but was grown to become cattle food, ethanol and high fructose corn syrup. The landscape didn’t look like the one that made us so sick (I guess, I expected the product grown by industrial agriculture to look somewhat gloomy, grey and sickening). It wasn’t obvious that the reason the farm houses were far apart, was that the land in between was owned by just one farmer. Solving omnivore’s dilemma seemed easy, logical and straightforward to me, back then, when I was reading about it at home.

In the end, riding across Iowa, reminded me how challengingly complex it can be, to bring change to a landscape that is no doubt grey, gloomy and sick in theory, but full of green, peace and joy in the hearts of the local people and visiting riders. I’d like to encourage all of you to challenge yourself and do RAGBRAI, be part of such a big adventure, enjoy the hospitality of the locals up there and make up your own mind about what our corn belt is and should be!

• T-Shirt Contest Winner

Shelley Herbert is the winner of our t-shirt contest!  With a guess of $1,500, she came closest to estimating the cost of two loads of manure compost.  Of all the entries, Shelley’s was the highest but it still fell short of what it actually cost us, which was $2,500.  Thanks to all who participated and congratulations to Shelley.

3) In the News

Thanks to both Michael Klug and Michael O’Donnell for sending us this New York Times editorial about the state of industrial farming: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/23/opinion/23kristof.html?ref=opinion

4) Events

• Outstanding in the Field

Get your tickets while you still can for the Outstanding in the Field (OITF) dinner here on the farm on September 29th.  OITF’s mission is to, ” is to re-connect diners to the land and the origins of their food, and to honor the local farmers and food artisans who cultivate it.”  To read more about Outstanding in the Field, please visit their website at http://www.outstandinginthefield.com.  We hope you can join us for this wonderful event in September here at JBG.

5) Quotable Food

“But although Outstanding in the Field appears unusual, in fact, celebrating the harvest is something we humans did with absolute regularity until fairly recently.  What seems exciting now – sharing the bounty of freshly picked ripe food with a community of people – was commonplace before the dawn of industrialized agriculture.  I feel strongly that is both our obligation and our privilege to actively explore what the meaning of that sharing and community-focused life was in order to regain a little of its dignity.”  Jim Denevan, founder of Outstanding in the Field

6) Recepies

Thank you to Amy Ringger of Ringger Family Farms for sending in the recipe for Texican Squash

Texican Squash

2 1/2 lb. summer squash or zucchini, cubed or sliced
4 Ringger Family Farm eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2-1 lb. Monterey Jack or cheddar/colby cheese, cubed or grated
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
3 TB flour
4 oz. green chiles or your own pickled jalepenos
1 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips or bread crumbs

Cook squash in 2 cups water until barely tender, about 7 min.  Drain
and cool.  Combine eggs, milk, cheese, salt, baking powder, flour,
parsley, and chilies together, fold squash into mixture.  Sprinkle 1/2
the crumbs into a greased 9 X 13 pan and pour in squash mixture.
Sprinkle top with more crumbs, bake for 30 min. till firm.

7) Produce Storage Tips

We aim to grow and package our vegetables to maintain the highest taste and nutritional quality possible. However, once they’ve left the farm it’s up to you to keep them fresh and nutritious. There’s no refrigeration at the CSA drop points so it’s best to pick up your box as early as possible. Here are some additional tips on how to store this week’s share:

Tomatoes should be kept uncovered at room temp, but can be refrigerated if very ripe. All other fresh vegetables belong in the refrigerator.

Peppers and Cucumbers should be stored in the crisper, and washed before use.

Basil can be stored upright in a jar of water at room temperature, or in an open bag on the counter. These three all do well frozen also (they will loose texture but not taste).

Eggplants, Potatoes, Onions are best kept moderately cool, no lower than 50 degrees. A cool, dry dark place is best- on the counter, in a cupboard or basket. Don’t whole store onions in the refrigerator because the moisture is bad for them. Don’t store potatoes near onions. The onions will absorb moisture from the potatoes.

Summer Squash will last 4-7 days in plastic bags in the crisper.

Melons should be ripened before refrigeration, stored in plastic bags when ripe. Melons should be used as soon as possible after ripening.

Checkout our storage tips on our website for a more complete guide, and of course, feel free to contact us with any questions. is your guide for how to can, freeze, dry, pickle or ferment just about anything.

8) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Information

Johnson’s Backyard Garden
9515 Hergotz Lane, Box E
Austin, TX 78742

Office Phone: 512.386.5273
Office Hours: M-F 8am to 12:30pm

e-mail: farm@jbgorganic.com

Contents:
1) In Your Box this Week

2) Farm News

• What’s Going on at the Farm
• New Pickup Site Search for Tarrytown
• The Garlic Man Video
• The Slow Money Movement
• A T-shirt contest!!

3) Events

• Outstanding in the Field
• Teaching the Garden: Workshop for Educators School Garden Mentor Training
• The Garden Club of Austin presents the 3rd Annual Fern Symposium
• Sunset Valley Farmers Market’s 9th Annual Chili Fest
• 13th Annual Grape Stomp at Becker Vineyards

4) Quotable Food

5) Recipes

• Helpful Tips on Cooking Okra
• Crockpot Chicken and Sausage Gumbo
• Chicken and Spinach Quiche
• Zucchini Cake

6) Produce Storage Tips

7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Info

1) In your box this week

Okra
Watermelon, Cantaloupe, Honeydew & Galia Melons
Basil
Winter Squash
White or Red Onions
Caribe Potatoes
Sweet Peppers
Pablano and Anaheim Mild Peppers
Jalapeno and Serrano Hot Peppers
Black, purple, green, white and Rosa Bianca Eggplant
Yellow, Zephyr, Patty Pan Squash and Zucchini

2) Farm News

• What’s Going on at the Farm

When the summer season ends on the farm, it not only means that our crop selection will change it also means that we will say goodbye to a few of our summer field hands. Tyler and Tony will both be leaving to return to Texas State University. Tony, who is pursuing a degree in economics, will also be studying agriculture sciences this term while Tyler spends a semester in China teaching English as a second language. David will be starting high school in Austin as a freshman this year. They will all be missed greatly. And it’s just not about the wisecracks that abound on the farm during their presence; they also work pretty darn hard.

This also means new faces have started showing up on the farm. Ryan moved here from Birmingham, Alabama just a few weeks ago. He’s been working on the farm a couple of days a week and also holds down a job at Whole Earth. Keith, who hasn’t actually started working here yet, has moved into the other open space at the farm. Keith hales from Los Angeles and will be a full time farm hand with us for the next several months.

The okra has finally hit it’s stride or the deer have found some new delicacy to nibble on. You may recall that we had to plant extra okra in the barn field to protect it from the always hungry deer. But as nature would have it, the back field of okra is now producing crates full of the little buggers every other day and the barn field is just coming on. Happily for you, this means you should be seeing quite a bit of okra coming your way in the next month. Get out your favorite Gumbo recipes now.

The last of the  five walk in coolers was recently installed and it’s already full of produce.  The barn continues to be a big project for Chalon. He says he’s getting too old to spend an entire day (day after day) on top of a hot metal roof in 100-plus degree weather.  Yet his progress is evident and the barn will be finished soon enough.  Sections of the barn that are not being remodeled were cleaned and organized last week. This may not seem like a big deal, however, I’m the one in charge of the barn and so I’m greatly overjoyed to see this kind of group activity going on when the days get too hot in the field.

• New Pickup Site Search for Tarrytown

We are continuing our search for a new location in Tarrytown to serve as our pickup point in this part of Austin.  Our current host, Allison Phillips, has done an excellent job, and we thank her for this.  Allison is moving soon, though, so we are looking for a new site.  We are open to commercial or residential suggestions that can provide a cool place for the vegetables (either air-conditioning or lots of shade) and easy access for CSA members (ample parking and pickup availability until 7pm).  Hosts are given a free box every quarter in exchange for the work they do.  Please email us at farm@jbgorganic.com if you have any suggestions and/or questions.

• The Garlic Man Video
  

Brenton stumbled across this entertaining and informative garlic video. Watch The Garlic Man and enjoy! It’s almost time to plant garlic and Bob Anderson, The Garlic Man, offers a great planting/harvesting guide on his web site.

• The Slow Money Movement

If you haven’t heard of it yet, the Slow Money concept follows many of the ideals of the Slow Food movement. Woody Tasch asks three insightful questions and offers his take on how we can change culture and economics through informed decisions about food and investing
–What would the world be like if we invested 50% of our assets within 50 miles of where we live?
–What if there were a new generation of companies that gave away 50% of their profits?
–What if there were 50% more organic matter in our soil 50 years from now?

Also check out the slow money alliance website for more info.

• A T-shirt contest!!

We received two semi truck loads of composted cow manure today. The soils here are so much happier when we spread around a good bit of manure. You get better veggies from better soil. You can also win a free Johnson’s Backyard Garden t-shirt (three different styles available) by emailing us with your best guess of how much the pile of manure cost! Many will enter, only one will win. Be first to offer your best estimate of our manure pile costs.

3) Events

• Outstanding in the Field

There are a limited number of seats left for the Outstanding in the Field dinner here at JBG on Tuesday, September 29th.  The event starts at 3pm and includes cocktails, a farm tour, and a several course meal with wine parings all prepared by Dai Due chef Jesse Griffiths (www.daidueaustin.com).  The meal will be served in the shade of our pecan grove.  Get your tickets while you still can by going to the Outstanding in the Field website at www.outstandinginthefield.com.

• Teaching the Garden: Workshop for Educators

September 12, 2009 from 9am – 1pm Location TBD Help foster a brighter, healthier future for children in Central Texas by teaching youth to grow their own food. This workshop shows how to successfully start and sustain a school food garden. You will also gain hands-on experience and knowledge of vegetable gardening in Central Texas. Registration required. Cost $20 per participant to cover snacks & printing of materials. Contact Jess Guffey at 236-0074 x 105 or email jess@sustainablefoodcenter.org

• School Garden Mentor Training

September 26, 2009 9am – 1pm Location TBD
Join the community of school garden mentors in Austin! This training will prepare volunteers to help support and sustain successful school vegetable gardens. School gardens enrich academic learning, encourage healthy eating habits and provide children with invaluable opportunities to interact with the outdoors.
Learn about:
- Benefits of school gardens
- Garden Mentor roles & responsibilities
- Building support & relationships
- Where to find resources
Registration required. Cost $20 per participant to cover snacks & printing of materials. Contact Jess Guffey to reserve your space: call 236-0074 x105 or email jess@sustainablefoodcenter.org

• The Garden Club of Austin presents the 3rd Annual Fern Symposium

Aug 28-29  Featured speaker is Sue Olsen, author of Encyclopedia of Garden Ferns. Tickets may be purchased in advance or at the door. For pricing and more details, view the Fern Festival brochure, go to http://www.fernfestival.org or call 512-288-2442.

• Sunset Valley Farmers Market’s 9th Annual Chili Fest

Saturday, August 29, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.
Toney Burger Center, 290 West, between Brodie and Westgate

Craig Barton will be here with his CHILI ROASTER. We’ll be roasting: Mild “Big Jim” Hatch Chilies And Spicy “Sandia” Hatch Chilies. Buy 1 lb. or buy 100 lbs.! Our farmers will be offering the freshest selection of Texas Jalapenos, Serranos, Poblanos, Habaneros, and much, much more. Over 100 booths of local farmers, specialty foods, and local artisans. Hot & Spicy Live Music, Moon Bounce and Face Painter for the kids. Contact: Salila Travers 512.443.0143, svfm@austin.rr.comsunsetvalleyfarmersmarket.org.

• 13th Annual Grape Stomp at Becker Vineyards

August 29, 30, and September 5, 6, 2009

Also on Sunday, September 6th we will host the 6th Annual “Lucy and the Italian Woman” Grape Stomp Contest. So get dressed up and join the fun! Prize for the best Duo. Saturdays 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sundasy Noon–6 p.m. Contact Info: 830-644-2681 Email: beckervyds@beecreek.net URL: http://www.beckervineyards.com

4) Quotable Food

• Bad men live that they may eat and drink, whereas good men eat and drink that they may live.

Socrates (469 BC – 399 BC), from Plutarch, ‘How a Young Man Ought to Hear Poems’

5) Recipes

• Helpful Tips on Cooking Okra

One suggestion for handling okra so that it is not slimy: While okra is still whole, rinse thoroughly, pat completely dry with toweling. Place whole pods in zip lock freezer bags. Leave in freezer until okra is frozen solid (at least overnight is best). Remove from bag, slice while still frozen. Add immediately to dish – don’t allow to thaw even a little, as the water contact is what encourages the slime to come out.

When fresh okra is in season, we slice it and then cook it down very slowly in a heavy pot (not cast iron, it darkens it.) with a few fresh or canned tomatoes, onions, garlic and about a tablespoon or so of vinegar. Plain old white vinegar. All of this is mixed up and cooked covered until okra is tender. This is sometimes referred to as “Smothered Okra.” It is usually seasoned with salt, black pepper and cayenne. It can be eaten as is or cooled and frozen and added to gumbo.

• Crockpot Chicken and Sausage Gumbo, from southernfood.about.com
  

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons oil
1/2 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/2 inch slices
3/4 to 1 pound boneless chicken thighs, cut in bite-size pieces
1 1/2 to 2 cups cut okra
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup frozen medium shrimp, cleaned and cooked
1 1/2 cups uncooked regular long-grain white rice
3 cups chicken broth or water

In small saucepan, combine flour and oil; mix well. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook, stirring constantly, about 8 to 12 minutes or until mixture turns a light red-brown. Place flour and oil mixture in 3 1/2 to 4-quartcrockpot. Stir in all remaining ingredients except shrimp, rice, and broth or water. Cover and cook on LOW for 7 to 9 hours. Add cooked shrimp to the gumbo; mix well. Cover and continue to cook on LOW for 20 minutes longer. Meanwhile, cook rice in the broth or water according to package directions. Serve gumbo over the hot cooked rice.

The next two recipes come from one of our egg suppliers, The Ringger Family,www.ringgerfarm.com

• Chicken and Spinach Quiche

1 pie shell 9 inches,sprinkle 1/4 cup shredded cheese in the bottom. In a bowl, combine 1 cup diced cooked chicken, 1/2 cup of chopped, cooked spinach (squeezed dry), 1 small chopped onion, and 3/4 cup shredded cheese. Spread on the bottom of the pie crust. In the same bowl, add 2 eggs, 3/4 cup milk, 3/4 cup mayonaise, 1/2 tsp. salt and pepper to taste. Mix well and pour over chicken mixture. Bake a t 350 for 40 min. or until a knife comes out clean. If you don’t have some frozen spinach, use another type of summer green in this quiche, or zucchini, shredded.

• Zucchini Cake

1/2 c. soft butter or oil
1 1/2 c. sweetener of your choice
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 c. oil
2 eggs
1/2 c. sour cream or yogurt
2 1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
4 TB. cocoa
2 c. shredded zucchini
Mix all together and sprinkle with chocolate chips and nuts. Bake at 325 for 40 min.

6) Produce Storage Tips

We aim to grow and package our vegetables to maintain the highest taste and nutritional quality possible. However, once they’ve left the farm it’s up to you to keep them fresh and nutritious. There’s no refrigeration at the CSA drop points so it’s best to pick up your box as early as possible. Here are some additional tips on how to store this week’s share:

Tomatoes should be kept uncovered at room temp, but can be refrigerated if very ripe. All other fresh vegetables belong in the refrigerator.

Peppers and Cucumbers should be stored in the crisper, and washed before use.

Basil can be stored upright in a jar of water at room temperature, or in an open bag on the counter. These three all do well frozen also (they will loose texture but not taste).

Eggplants, Potatoes, Onions are best kept moderately cool, no lower than 50 degrees. A cool, dry dark place is best- on the counter, in a cupboard or basket. Don’t whole store onions in the refrigerator because the moisture is bad for them. Don’t store potatoes near onions. The onions will absorb moisture from the potatoes.

Summer Squash will last 4-7 days in plastic bags in the crisper.

Melons should be ripened before refrigeration, stored in plastic bags when ripe. Melons should be used as soon as possible after ripening.

Checkout our storage tips on our website for a more complete guide, and of course, feel free to contact us with any questions. is your guide for how to can, freeze, dry, pickle or ferment just about anything.

7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Information

Johnson’s Backyard Garden
9515 Hergotz Lane, Box E
Austin, TX 78742

Office Phone: 512.386.5273
Office Hours: M-F 8am to 12:30pm

e-mail: farm@jbgorganic.com

Table of Contents:

1) In Your Box this Week

2) Farm News

• Fall Seeding and Planting
• Test Crops
• Workshare
• New Pickup Site Request for Tarrytown
  
• Op-Ed on Late Blight
  

3) Events: Outstanding in the Field

4) Quotable Food: Julia Child

5) Recipe for Kabocha Squash

6) Produce Storage Tips

7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Information

1) In your box this week:

Okra
Two melons – Watermelon, Cantaloupe & Galia Melons
Basil
Acorn Winter Squash
White, Yellow, or Red Onions
Caribe Potatoes
Sweet Peppers
Pablano and Anaheim Mild Peppers
Jalapeno and Serrano Hot Peppers
Black, purple, green, white and Rosa Bianca Eggplant
Yellow, Zephyr, Patty Pan Squash and Zucchini
Garlic Head

2) Farm News

• Fall Seeding and Planting

While working in this August heat, we all look forward to cooler weather. It helps that we are in the middle of seeding and planting for fall crops. Jessica has been busy seeding flats for broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, collards, kale, brussel sprouts, kohlrabi, bok choi, fennel, more squash and cucumbers and lettuce. Her efforts will help ensure we have lots of variety in the coming months.

• Test Crops

This week, we are  planting more squash, & cucumbers and finishing up our final plantings of peppers, eggplant, and basil. We are also transplanting broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, collards, and brussel sprouts several weeks ahead of typical planting dates to see if we can extend their growing times. This will help us refine our planting calendar and crop rotation schedule. If we can plant a little earlier or extend our harvest of particular vegetables a little longer, it will allow us to offer members increased vegetable variety.

• Call for Workshares

JBG is looking for a few hearty souls willing to brave the August heat and help us harvest, wash, and pack vegetables on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8am to 1pm.  It is hot, but we always manage to have a good time.  Plus, all who participate get to take home a free vegetable share in exchange for their efforts.  If you are interested in learning more about Workshare, please call Carrie at 512-386-5273 or email us at farm@jbgorganic.

• New Pickup Site Request for Tarrytown

We are looking for a new location in Tarrytown to serve as our pickup point in this part of Austin.  Our current host, Allison Phillips, has done an excellent job, and we thank her for this.  Allison is moving soon, though, so we are looking for a new site.  We are open to commercial or residential suggestions that can provide a cool place for the vegetables (either air-conditioning or lots of shade) and easy access for CSA members (ample parking and pickup availability until 7pm).  Hosts are given a free box every quarter in exchange for the work they do.  Please email us at farm@jbgorganic.com if you have any suggestions and/or questions.

• Late Blight Op-Ed

Thank you to members Birgit Enstrom and Michael O’Donnell who both sent in this interesting op-ed on the late blight plant disease that has adversely affected this summer’s tomato crop in the Northeast: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/opinion/09barber.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1 In this op-ed, writer Dan Barber traces the rapid spread of the disease back to the area’s excessive rainfall, the presence of the disease in starter plants from industrial growers, and, surprisingly,  the increase in home gardening. He argues that home gardeners may have inadvertently helped to spread late blight by purchasing infected plants from places like Home Depo, Lowes, Kmart, and Wal-Mart. While he in no way wants to discourage home gardening, he asks gardeners to consider their connection to the whole agricultural system, pointing out that infected spores can travel up to 40 miles. He states that gardeners can reduce the likelihood of using infected transplants by purchasing from local growers or by seeding their own. On a larger scale, he stresses the need for diversified vegetable farming (instead of large mono-crop farms) since such diversity helps shield farmers and communities against the damage that can be done to a single crop.

3) Events

• Outstanding in the Field

There are a limited number of seats left for the Outstanding in the Field dinner here at JBG on Tuesday, September 29th.  The event starts at 3pm and includes cocktails, a farm tour, and a several course meal with wine parings all prepared by Dai Due chef Jesse Griffiths (www.daidueaustin.com).  The meal will be served in the shade of our pecan grove.  Get your tickets while you still can by going to the Outstanding in the Field website at www.outstandinginthefield.com.

4) Quotable Food

“I’m awfully sorry for people who are taken in by all of today’s dietary mumbo jumbo. They are not getting any enjoyment out of their food.” — Julia Child

5) Recipe for Kabocha Squash

Thanks to Birgit Enstrom for sending in this recipe from justhungry.com:

Sweet and spicy roasted kabocha squash

• 1/2 small to medium sized kabocha squash
• 3 Tbs light brown, natural cane, or muscovado sugar, plus a bit more for sprinkling
• 1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper or hot chili powder, more or less to taste
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 Tbs soy sauce
• Oil for drizzling – pumpkin seed oil is preferred, or use toasted sesame oil, argan oil, or walnut oil (see notes)

Preheat the oven to 200°C / 400°F. Line a baking sheet or two with silicon baking liner or parchment paper.

De-seed and cut the squash into slices about 1/2 cm or 1/4 inch thick. (Use a sturdy knife for cutting squash or pumpkin, on a stable surface, and be careful!)

Combine all the dry ingredients. Toss the squash slices in this until coated thoroughly. Add the soy sauce and toss well again.

Spread the slices in a singler layer on the baking sheet. Drizzle over them with the oil, and optionally sprinkle more sugar on them. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, then turn over, drizzle with more oil and sprinkle more sugar, and bake for an additional 10-15 minutes.

Serve hot or at room temperature.

Notes

Toasted pumpkin seed oil (Kürbiskernöl) is a mainly Austrian speciality, though they make it here in Switzerland too. It’s very nutty and dark, and is terrific in dressings and marinades. Toasted sesame seed oil or walnut oil can be substituted, or even expensive argan oil.

Instead of cinnamon, nutmeg and cumin, you can use a ‘pumpkin pie seasoning’ mix (or if you are in the Germanic parts of the world, a Lebkuchen mix would do too.)

6) Produce Storage Tips:

We aim to grow and package our vegetables to maintain the highest taste and nutritional quality possible. However, once they’ve left the farm it’s up to you to keep them fresh and nutritious. There’s no refrigeration at the CSA drop points so it’s best to pick up your box as early as possible. Here are some additional tips on how to store this week’s share:

Tomatoes should be kept uncovered at room temp, but can be refrigerated if very ripe. All other fresh vegetables belong in the refrigerator.

Peppers and Cucumbers should be stored in the crisper, and washed before use.

Basil can be stored upright in a jar of water at room temperature, or in an open bag on the counter. These three all do well frozen also (they will loose texture but not taste).

Eggplants, Potatoes, Onions are best kept moderately cool, no lower than 50 degrees. A cool, dry dark place is best- on the counter, in a cupboard or basket. Don’t whole store onions in the refrigerator because the moisture is bad for them. Don’t store potatoes near onions. The onions will absorb moisture from the potatoes.

Summer Squash will last 4-7 days in plastic bags in the crisper.

Melons should be ripened before refrigeration, stored in plastic bags when ripe. Melons should be used as soon as possible after ripening.

Checkout our storage tips on our website for a more complete guide, and of course, feel free to contact us with any questions. is your guide for how to can, freeze, dry, pickle or ferment just about anything.

7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Information

Johnson’s Backyard Garden
9515 Hergotz Lane, Box E
Austin, TX 78742

Office Phone: 512.386.5273
Office Hours: M-F 8am to 12:30pm

e-mail: farm@jbgorganic.com

Table of Contents:

1) In Your Box this Week

2) Farm News

• Guest Writer
• August on the Farm
• Crop Rotation Planning

3) Events

4) Quotable Food

5) Recipe: Baba Ghanoush

6) Produce Storage Tips

7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Information

1) In Your Box This Week

White, Yellow, and Red Onions
Caribe Potatoes
Assorted Sweet Pepper
Hot Peppers- Jalapeño or Serrano
Basil
Watermelon or Cantaloupe or Honey Dew or Galia
Eggplant
Summer Squash and Zucchini
Garlic and a small amount of Okra

This list is subject to change depending on availability and quality of crops on harvest day. You’ll find the most accurate packing list on the homepage of our website.

2) Farm News

• Guest Writer:  Office Manager Carrie Kenny

Bess is on vacation this week, so I am temporarily taking over her duties as the newsletter writer. Last week, I, too, was lucky enough to be able to take a vacation, and I enjoyed the relatively cooler (and wetter) weather on the East Coast. It rained three times while I was there, and the grass was indeed greener (literally, at least).

• August on the Farm

Now, I am back in the browner pastures of JBG and facing the heat of August. It is very hard to farm in August in Texas. I can’t really say this from experience as I work in the only air-conditioned space on the farm. However, I can see the toll the 100+ degree heat takes on those working in the field as well as on the crops. It helps to know that we are currently seeding crops in the greenhouse for the fall season. This forward-looking action serves to remind everyone that cooler weather, like the fall vegetables, will eventually be here.

Members who have been with us through a full season will know that vegetable variety goes down in August as we are limited by what we can grow this time of year. We do anticipate a larger okra harvest in the next two to three weeks and hope to harvest baby arugula a few weeks from now. Also, we have been able to supplement member boxes with storage crops such as potatoes, garlic, winter squash and onions. In the coming year, we are planning on doubling the number of storage crops we can offer, adding in vegetables such as carrots, celeriac, turnips, beets, cabbage, pumpkins, sweet potatoes, and rutabaga. So, this time next year, members can anticipate receiving a wider variety of vegetables in their boxes.

• Crop Rotation Planning

Increasing the amount and variety of storage crops we can offer requires instituting a highly detailed, long-term crop rotation plan for the farm. Developing a crop rotation plan has been a priority for JBG. Brenton has opted not to take a vacation this year and is instead spending a lot of his time working on such a plan with his brother, Aaron.

Prior to working on the farm, I really had no idea how much work goes into creating and managing a diversified vegetable growing business. Like most city-dwelling Americans,  I had a rather idyllic vision of farm work. When I was growing up, farming was rarely discussed, either at home or at school. When I did think about it, I often romanticized the physical work involved and didn’t really consider the analytical efforts required. Working at JBG has been a strong reality check. The physical needs of this farm truly are unrelenting, and in this heat especially, the work is far from idyllic. It is clear, too, that the analytical and intellectual demands of the farm are just as great as the physical ones.

Nothing highlights the complex thinking needed in diversified vegetable farming more than crop rotation planning. Currently, Brenton and Aaron, are devising a long-term crop rotation plan and computerized mapping system that will allow JBG to offer the greatest variety of vegetables it can in a sustainable way. JBG grows about 100 different types and over 300 varieties of cash, flower, and herb crops year-round (as a point of comparison, most conventional farms only grow about 3–4 types of crops and often don’t farm year-round). While designing a crop rotation plan for JBG, Brenton and Aaron must allocate field space over the course of the year for all of these crops. Soil structure, insect patterns, seasonal temperature, land use efficiency, and long-term sustainability are just some of the factors that have to be taken into account when developing such a plan.  Here is a snapshot of what we’ve developing so far for a planting, harvesting and sorting calendar:

I spoke to Aaron about what it’s been like to work on JBG’s computerized crop rotation plan. He said, “It’s definitely a puzzle. When I started, it was like working on a normal Rubic’s cube.   But Brenton keeps adding other factors to the equation. Now, it’s like working on a 16-sided Rubic’s cube. Brenton keeps adding more colors to the cube.” To say the work is challenging is an understatement.  Here is a snapshot of what we’ve developed to track what we can plant, what we can expect to harvest, and what we can store each month.  The top chart lets us know what we can plant each month, the middle shows what we can expect to harvest, and the bottom displays what can be held in storage.  If you look at the second dip on the middle chart, you can see where we are now.  The good news is that we will have a lot to harvest in the months to come as indicated by the upturn on the chart.

Once it is completed, though, this crop rotation mapping system will be invaluable. Help for developing crop rotation plans has long been available to conventional farmers through the Federal government’s Natural Resources Conservation Service’s (NRCS) Equip program. As part of a new effort to serve organic farmers, JBG recently signed an Organic EQIP contract with NCRS which provides the farm cost share funding to help with conservation crop rotation, nutrient management, cover cropping, and pest management.

Brenton is really excited about the opportunity to create all of these long-term plans. Until recently, JBG has used a more intuitive system for planting. For example, if there was field space, we would look at the planting calendar and pick something that would flourish in that particular season. However, JBG has gotten too large to rely on an intuitive method alone. Having a well-designed computerized crop rotation plan in place will help take JBG to the next level and ensure that members receive a wide variety of high quality organic produce year round – even in the heat of August….

3) Events:

• FRESH Film Feast Benefiting SFC

Tuesday, August 25, 7pm at Boggy Creek Farm

EDIBLE AUSTIN AND ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE present an Alamo Drafthouse Film Feast at Boggy Creek Farm on Tuesday, August 25. The event will feature a screening of the new food movie, FRESH, and will benefit the Sustainable Food Center (SFC). All interested community groups are invited to attend as co-hosts and help us present an evening of conversation, farm-fresh picnic feasting along with viewing this outstanding new film about food in America. Co-hosts include Front Porch Project, Farmhouse Delivery, Zhi Tea, Maine Root, Texas French Bread, Greenling Organic Delivery, Paula’s Texas Spirits, Independence Brewing Co., Better-World Maker’s Co-op, Slow Food Austin, Urban Roots, Green Corn Project, Capital Area Food Bank, Farm and Ranch Freedon Alliance and others. Please contact Marla Camp This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at Edible Austin to get involved.

DETAILS: Cocktails and Conversation: 7:00pm – 8:30pm; locally-sourced picnic dinner by Alamo chefs John Bullington and Trish Eichelberger: 7:30pm; FRESH film screening begins at dark. Tickets: $35 advance only (Includes food and drinks) are available online at Alamo Drafthouse. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to spread out on the lawn for picnic and film showing. Limited seating.

ABOUT THE FILM: FRESH celebrates the farmers, thinkers and business people across America who are re-inventing our food system. Each has witnessed the rapid transformation of our agriculture into an industrial model, and confronted the consequences: food contamination, environmental pollution, depletion of natural resources, and morbid obesity. Forging healthier, sustainable alternatives, they offer a practical vision for a future of our food and our planet.

4) Quotable Food

“To be sensual, I think, is to respect and rejoice in the force of life, of life itself, and to be present in all that one does, from the effort of loving to the breaking of bread. It will be a great day for America, incidentally, when we begin to eat bread again, instead of the blasphemous and tasteless foam rubber that we have substituted for it. And I am not being frivolous now, either. Something very sinister happens to the people of a country when they begin to distrust their own reactions as deeply as they do here, and become as joyless as they have become.”  James Baldwin, The Fire Next Time

5) Recipe: Baba Ghanoush

Many thanks to frequent contributor Sarah Sloan for sending us this recipe:

Baba Ghanoush from AllRecipes.com

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Cook Time: 40 Minutes

Ready In: 3 Hours 45 Minutes

Servings: 12
“This classic, pungent Middle Eastern spread is best when refrigerated for three hours prior to serving.”

Ingredients:
1 eggplant
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Place eggplant on baking sheet, and make holes in the skin with a fork. Roast it for 30 to 40 minutes, turning occasionally, or until soft. Remove from oven, and place into a large bowl of cold water. Remove from water, and peel skin off.
3. Place eggplant, lemon juice, tahini, sesame seeds, and garlic in an electric blender, and puree. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer eggplant mixture to a medium size mixing bowl, and slowly mix in olive oil. Refrigerate for 3 hours before serving.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2009 Allrecipes.com Printed from Allrecipes.com 8/4/2009

6) Produce Storage Tips:

We aim to grow and package our vegetables to maintain the highest taste and nutritional quality possible. However, once they’ve left the farm it’s up to you to keep them fresh and nutritious. There’s no refrigeration at the CSA drop points so it’s best to pick up your box as early as possible. Here are some additional tips on how to store this week’s share:

Tomatoes should be kept uncovered at room temp, but can be refrigerated if very ripe. All other fresh vegetables belong in the refrigerator.

Peppers and Cucumbers should be stored in the crisper, and washed before use.

Basil can be stored upright in a jar of water at room temperature, or in an open bag on the counter. These three all do well frozen also (they will loose texture but not taste).

Eggplants, Potatoes, Onions are best kept moderately cool, no lower than 50 degrees. A cool, dry dark place is best- on the counter, in a cupboard or basket. Don’t whole store onions in the refrigerator because the moisture is bad for them. Don’t store potatoes near onions. The onions will absorb moisture from the potatoes.

Summer Squash will last 4-7 days in plastic bags in the crisper.

Melons should be ripened before refrigeration, stored in plastic bags when ripe. Melons should be used as soon as possible after ripening.

Checkout our storage tips on our website for a more complete guide, and of course, feel free to contact us with any questions. The National Center for Home Food Preservation is your guide for how to can, freeze, dry, pickle or ferment just about anything.

7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Information

Johnson’s Backyard Garden
9515 Hergotz Lane, Box E
Austin, TX 78742

Office Phone: 512.386.5273
Office Hours: M-F 8am to 12:30pm

e-mail: farm@jbgorganic.com