CSA Members Angye and Adam Frackowiak's canned JBG tomatoes!
1) In Your Box this Week
2) Farm News:
- From the Farmer’s Perspective…”Wedding Tomatoes”
- “Coyote Creek Farm and Organic Feed Mill”, by Grit Ramuschkat, JBG Resident
3) Updates, Meetings, and Events
- Help JBG at the Farmers Market!
- Slow Food Fundraiser: Texas Artisan Showcase, June 26th
- A Photo Essay from the Ringgers
- New Arrivals at JBG
- Fast Veggie Facts
4) Quotable Food
5) Recipes, by Melissa Vance, JBG CSA Member
- Toscano Soup
- Oven Roasted Mushrooms and Potatoes
- Szechuan Green Beans
6) Produce Storage Tips
7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Info
Early Girl Tomatoes
1) In Your Box this Week
Cherry and Early Girl Tomatoes
Eggplant
Sweet and Hot Peppers
Onions
Potatoes
Basil
Melons
Summer Squash
Garlic
2) Farm News:
- From the Farmer’s Perspective…”Wedding Tomatoes”
One afternoon back in early April, Brenton called me on the JBG office line. He was on his cell phone, planting tomatoes at the River Road farm. “When are you and Travis getting married?” he asked, wondering when the two of us would be leaving for a few weeks to go on our honeymoon. “May 30th,” I replied. “Well, we’ll probably have some wedding tomatoes for you.” At first I thought he meant there was actually a variety called “wedding tomato.” Then I laughed and realized he meant the tomatoes would be just ready for harvest as Travis and I left.
And he was right. Just before Travis and I went to Dallas to get married at the end of May, the first red tomatoes were peaking out from our 4 acres of tomatoes at River Road. Then, like a landslide, the tomatoes began to produce in force. This morning when Travis and I got back, we saw tomatoes neatly packed in bins and boxes all over the packing shed. I tried to get to my desk, but the office was full of tomatoes, too! This week is the peak of our tomato harvest. After next week, the production will decline rapidly because of the Texas heat. Looks like we timed our return perfectly to get some good canning in.
The view out of Travis' and my hotel window in Santorini
Okay, so maybe East Austin’s surroundings can’t compete with the dramatic cliffs and beaches of the Greek Islands, but it sure is nice to be back home, and to see how much everything has grown in such a short time. In only two weeks, we went from maybe 50 pounds of tomatoes harvested a week, to over 5,000! The melons, eggplant, and peppers have all picked up, too. This early summer period is just right for all the summer crops to produce before the stifling heat of the late summer makes things a little more slow going. So happy eating for now!
Wedding photo: http://www.rozellphotography.com/blog/
- “Coyote Creek Farm and Organic Feed Mill–Slow Food Farm Tour,” by Grit Ramuschkat, JBG Resident
Jeremiah Cunningham moved from Austin to Elgin 14 years ago with the intent of scale down his hectic Austin life. After twice successfully battling cancer, he found himself looking for a simpler life in the country. Believing that eating well was the cornerstone of good health, Jerry and his family started growing veggies and raising a few head of cattle for meat and chickens for eggs. In order to raise truly organic animals he needed organic feed. So, in order serve his animals who “give so much but ask for so little” the best feed, Jerry decided to build an organic feed mill.
The mill with its huge storage tanks and grain-augering pipes.
This little machine grinds 50 tons of grain per week
3) Updates, Meetings, and Events
- Help JBG at the Farmers Market!
You say you want to workshare for JBG, but your schedule doesn’t vibe with our workday volunteer slots? Well, now you have a chance to volunteer at one of the JBG farmers market stands on Saturdays and Sundays! JBG currently has multi-tent stands at the Barton Creek, Downtown, Sunset Valley, Triangle, and Hope farmers markets, and we could use some help keeping our stand look stocked and fresh! Volunteers will be responsible for helping our interns in setting up the stand, stocking produce, making sure signs are up, and any other market-related duties assigned to them. In return, they can take home their choice of 10-12 veggies from our stand!
Saturday Markets (Barton Creek, Downtown, and Sunset Valley) run from 9am to 1pm. The Sunday Market (Hope) runs from 11am to 3pm. Volunteers must meet our market crew at their market 45 minutes to an hour before market begins. When the market ends, volunteers will help our interns break down the stand, and then they are free to go.
Interested in volunteering with JBG at our market stands on the weekend? For more details and to arrange a volunteer day, email Carrie at farm@jbgorganic.com.
- Slow Food Fundraiser: Texas Artisan Showcase
Date: Saturday, June 26th
Time: 4:00 – 8:00pm
Location: Space 12
Take part in this delicious revolution while sampling palate pleasing artisan foods that are all “good, clean and fair.” Enjoy what makes our state taste great: from beers and breads, cheese and charcuterie, to coffee and tea! This family-friendly event will feature live music, a marketplace, silent auction, educational producer demos and a live auction finale by Dai Due Butcher Shop’s Jesse Griffiths you won’t want to miss!
For $60 ($55 for Slow Food members), you’ll get to enjoy 12 tasting stations, plus 6 more chances to revisit your favorites! Each station will serve a small “flight” of samples. Budget-conscious Slow Foodies have the option of a 12-punch ticket for $40 ($35 for Slow Food members).
Buy tickets here.
- A Photo Essay from the Ringgers
You know them from the delicious eggs you get in your boxes. Now the Ringgers give us a glimpse into the lives of their chickens…
When the chicks are big enough, we let them out into a grassy area beside their brooder house. When they are older we move them out to pasture.
Every week or so we move the chickens to another part of the pasture. Here we are using the tractor to pull the feedwagon to the next paddock where they can find fresh grass and bugs.
Some chickens like to follow the eggmobile (it’s their home).
Grazing the goats in front of the chickens takes down the grass so the chickens can eat it easier.
- New Arrivals at JBG
There are 5 new kittens living under Marissa’s mobile home on the farm. the farm crew has been taking care of them, but we wanted to put the word out to any of our CSA members who are thinking of adopting! If so, send us an email at farm@jbgorganic.com.
- Fast Veggie Facts
Whole books have been written about garlic, an herb affectionately called “the stinking rose” in light of its numerous therapeutic benefits. A member of the lily or Allium family, which also includes onions, garlic is rich in a variety of powerful sulfur-containing compounds including thiosulfinates (of which the best known compound is allicin), sulfoxides (among which the best known compound is alliin), and dithiins (in which the most researched compound is ajoene). While these compounds are responsible for garlic’s characteristically pungent odor, they are also the source of many of its health-promoting effects. In addition, garlic is an excellent source of manganese, a very good source of vitamin B6 and vitamin C and a good source of selenium. For more info like this, go to World’s Healthiest Foods.
4) Quotable Food
An extended quote from Marion Nestle….
I once heard Eric Schlosser answer a similar question aimed at his book, “Fast Food Nation.” He pointed out that social movements have to begin somewhere and that several began with elites but ended up helping the poor and disenfranchised—the civil rights, environmental and women’s movements, for example.
I would add the organic movement to this list. It has already forced mainstream food producers to start cutting down on pesticides and to raise farm animals more humanely. As the supply of organic foods increases, and the Wal-Marts of the world sell more of them, organics should become more democratic.
But please don’t blame organic producers for the high prices. Until the latest farm bill, which has a small provision for promotion of organic agriculture, organic farmers received not one break from the federal government. In contrast, the producers of corn, soybeans, wheat and cotton continue to get $20 billion or so a year in farm subsidies.
Industrial agriculture also benefits from federally administered marketing programs and from cozy relationships with congressional committees and the USDA. In contrast, the USDA considers fruits and vegetables “specialty crops.” This kind of food politics shows up as higher prices in the grocery store.
Dealing with the elitism implied by the higher cost of organics means doing something about income inequities. If we want elected representatives to care more about public health than corporate health, let’s work to remove the corruption from election campaign contributions. If Congress were less beholden to corporations, we might be able to create a system that paid farmers and farm workers decently and sold organic foods at prices that everyone could afford.
5) Recipes, by Melissa Vance, JBG CSA Member
- Toscano Soup
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1-2 links hot Italian sausage, casings removed, crumbled
- 3 slices pancetta, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2-3 large new or russet potatoes, cut into 1/4” slices
- 1 large bunch swiss chard or kale, stems removed, sliced thinly
- Crushed red pepper, to taste
- Pinch garlic powder and onion powder
- 1/2 cup cream
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot. Add the sausage, breaking it up as you stir, and then the pancetta. Cook until browned. Toss in the onions and cook until translucent. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chicken broth, potatoes, chard, and spices and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to maintain a slow simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20-30 minutes. Add the cream and cook over low heat until heated through, only a few minutes longer. Season to taste and serve with lots of crusty bread.
Cook’s Note: This is one of my most requested recipes of all time. The broth is what makes it – so creamy and rich. Try to use homemade if possible but it’s still fantastic with store bought stock. Beet greens would substitute for the chard or kale just fine. Enjoy!
- Oven Roasted Mushrooms and Potatoes
- A handful of small new potatoes (red, purple, or gold will do)
- 2 shallots, peeled and quartered
- 3 sprigs fresh thyme or rosemary
- A handful of oyster mushrooms, trimmed
- A handful of cremini mushrooms, quartered
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced thinly
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Wash and scrub the potatoes well. If necessary, cut any of the bigger potatoes in half so that they are roughly all the same size.
In a large bowl, toss the potatoes, shallots, and thyme or rosemary with some olive oil to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Dump out onto a sheet pan and bake for about 15 minutes. Shake the pan occasionally to promote even browning.
Add the mushrooms and garlic to the large bowl and toss with some olive oil, salt, and pepper. Add to the sheet pan with the potatoes and continue to bake for another 10-15 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, or until the potatoes are cooked through. Serve hot.
- Szechuan Green Beans
- Canola oil
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1-2 tablespoons hot chili sauce (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1/2 small onion or shallot, sliced very thinly in half moons
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 3-4 handfuls green beans, trimmed
- 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
Pour 1 inch of canola oil in a medium pot. Heat to 350 degrees.
Whisk the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, chili sauce, honey, hoisin, mirin, and sesame oil together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Add a little canola oil to a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onions and ginger and sauté for just a few minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for 1 minute longer. Pour in the prepared sauce and simmer to reduce slightly.
Once the frying oil reaches 350 degrees, fry the green beans for about 1-2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon or spider, allowing to drain before adding the beans to the sauce. Toss the beans with the sauce to coat. Serve the green beans hot, with a drizzle of additional sauce and sesame seeds on top.
Cook’s Note: If you want to avoid frying, simply boil the green beans until al dente before adding them to the sauce. The frying just gives them a crunchier texture and dimpled appearance. They aren’t pretty to look at but they’re tasty! Enjoy!
Cook’s Note: It’s best to start roasting the potatoes before adding the mushrooms or the mushrooms will end up too crispy. This is also very nice with a little Worcestershire and fresh thyme sprinkled on top at serving time. Enjoy!
6) Produce Storage Tips
Green beans can be stored in the vegetable crisper for several days without loss of quality. Be sure to wash only before using, not before storage!
7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Info
Johnson’s Backyard Garden
9515 Hergotz Lane, Box E
Austin, TX 78742
Office Phone: 512.386.5273
Office Hours: M-Th 8am to 5pm, Friday 8am to 12pm
The farm office is closed 12 pm to 1 pm for lunch.
e-mail: farm@jbgorganic.com