1) In Your Box this Week

2) Farm News:

• Goodbye to Neysa
• From the Farmer’s Perspective
• The Nitty Gritty: “Loquats & Loquat Seed Liqueur!” by Grit Ramusckat, JBG Resident

3) Updates, Meetings, and Events

• Back to School, Back to Healthy Seasonal Cooking: Join Sustainable Food Center for Cooking Classes
• Help JBG at the Farmers Market!
• Like Free Stuff? Follow JBG on Twitter and Facebook! Friday Giveaways every week!
• Now Accepting New Members

4) Recipes, by Melissa Vance, JBG CSA Member

• Fresh Cucumber Pepper Salad with Jalapeno Lime Vinaigrette
• Spicy Asian Noodle Salad
• Okra Fritters

5) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Info

1) In Your Box this Week

Sweet Potato Greens
Sweet and Hot Peppers
1015 Onions
Okra
Basil
Butternut Squash
Eggplant
Garlic
Purslane or Mint
Cucumbers
Potatoes or Beets

Coming soon!
Sweet potatoes

2) Farm News

• Goodbye to Neysa

JBG staff and Workshare volunteers said goodbye to Neysa last Friday. For the past 8 months, Neysa has been a big part of JBG. We will really miss her but wish her well as she and Travis make plans to start their own farm.

• From the Farmer’s Perspective: Preparing for the Fall

With the temperatures rising to over 100 degrees, the heat has taken a toll on our plants and has reduced our levels of production. This intense heat can weaken plants, making them more vulnerable to pests. This happened to our squash plants when they were devastated recently by army worms. These worms also took a toll on some of our cucumbers and melons. To fight future trouble, we have moved our next planting over 1,500 feet away from this infestation.

In the August heat, it helps to focus on the future. We are working hard to get our fall produce ready for planting. Our greenhouse is filling up with flats, and we have been seeding rutabega, califlower, lettuces, and broccoli. Fenel and parsley transplants are already growing in the greenhouse. In the fields last week at River Road, we planted green garlic, multiplying onions, amarath, collards, kale, bok choi, mizuna (a leafy grean) and tatsoi. This week, we will be planting the seed potatoes that we kept in storage from the spring as well as more green beans.

In addition to working on growing a bountiful fall crop, we will be harvesting sweet potatoes this week, and members can look forward to getting these in their boxes within the next one to two weeks. To help us with all of this work, we have four new arrivals at JBG. We welcome Perrine and Aubrey who are on a break from operating cruises in the British Virgin Islands. Since it’s hurricane season, they’re taking a break from the water by joining us here at the farm. New JBG interns Wes and Summer also had their first day today. Working in the heat at River Road today could definitely qualify as trial-by-fire. Hopefully, they, too, have their sites set on the fall’s cooler weather and abundant produce.

• Loquats & Loquat Seed Liqueur by Grit Ramusckat, JBG Resident

Like many northerns, before moving to Austin loquatwere unknown to me. But driving around town in May, you see them all over; the boldly textured evergreen foliage heavily laden with yellow fruit.

Native to China, they’ve been cultivated in the far east for over 1000 years. As they’re easy to grow in subtropical to mild temperate climates they’re often enjoyed as much as ornamental trees as for their fruit. They’re also grown widely in Southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. Like most related plants, the seeds and young leaves are slightly poisonous, containing small amounts of cyanogenic glycosides which release cyanide when digested, though the low concentration and bitter flavor normally prevents enough being eaten to cause harm. Eaten in quantity, loquats have a gentle but noticeable sedative effect, lasting up to 24 hours.

But the fruit is only half of the story.

This summer I discovered a delicious liqueur easily made from their seeds, which have a strong flavor quite like almonds, and produces a liqueur reminiscent of ammaretto. However, according to Wikipedia be warned, because “due to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides, bulk consumption may pose a risk of cyanide poisoning.” That said, I’ve survived long enough to write about it…!

Homemade Italian Loquat Seed Liqueur Recipe

Dry 1 ¼ Cups (~200g) of loquat seeds in sun for a week on a baking sheet.

Add seeds to a glass bottle with 12 oz (375ml) grain alcohol, a piece of lemon rind and a piece of vanilla bean. Keep covered in sun for 1 month, shaking it occasionally.

Prepare simple syrup bringing 1 Cup (~300g) sugar and 1 Cup (~300g) water to a boil, then let cool. Strain the seeds, lemon rind and vanilla bean from the spirits and discard them. Filter the spirits to remove any silt and mix in the syrup. Age in the dark for at least 2 months before drinking.

Notes: while the recipe calls for grain alcohol, vodka could be used in a pinch. Also, the longer it ages the mellower reminiscent of Amaretto it becomes.

3) Updates, Meetings, and Events

• Back to School, Back to Healthy Seasonal Cooking: Join Sustainable Food Center for Free Cooking Classes

The Happy Kitchen/La Cocina Alegre is hosting cooking classes in September.

September might seem far away as we sweat through the heat of the summer, but all that fantastic fall produce is closer than you think. Register for the Happy Kitchen’s upcoming cooking and nutrition class and learn what to make with the bounty that fall brings! Classes will cover how to select and prepare healthful, seasonal foods as well as nutrition information that can help you and your family meet your health and wellness goals.

What you get:

Six 1.5 hour classes filled with cooking and nutrition information

Five bags of groceries (one at each of the first 5 classes) to try that week’s recipe at home

Numerous recipes and nutrition handouts

A free copy of The Happy Kitchen cookbook

*Registration for all 6 classes is required; Cost is $175

When: Wednesday nights from 6:30 – 8:00 pm 9/29, 10/6, 10/13, 10/20, 10/27, and 11/13

Where: YMCA Town Lake, 1100 West Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78703

• 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!

• Like Free Stuff? Follow JBG on Twitter and Facebook! Friday Giveaways every week!

Follow our new twitter @JBGOrganic, or check us out on facebook! It’s a great way to stay updated on the goings on around the farm, plus we’ll be having a special giveaway every week!

4) Recipes, by Melissa Vance, JBG CSA Member

Fresh Cucumber Pepper Salad with Jalapeno Lime Vinaigrette

* 2 cucumbers, julienne cut
* 2 cups assorted sweet peppers, sliced thinly
* 1/2 onion, sliced thinly and rinsed in cold water
* 2 carrots, peeled and julienne cut

Vinaigrette:

* 3 limes, juiced
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1/2 clove garlic, minced
* 1 jalapeno, minced
* 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the cucumbers, peppers, onions, and carrots in a large bowl.

In a small jar or cup with a lid, combine all of the vinaigrette ingredients. Shake to thoroughly mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Pour the vinaigrette over the vegetable mix and toss to combine. Allow to marinate for 10-20 minutes in the fridge. Serve cold.

Cook’s Note: This vinaigrette is summery and bright. It really enhances the sweetness of the peppers and the freshness of the cucumbers. If the dressing is too acidic for your taste add more olive oil. I like to go light on the oil to keep the flavors intense.

Spicy Asian Noodle Salad

* 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 red onion, sliced
* 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced into half moons
* 5-6 cremini or button mushrooms, sliced
* 2-3 cups assorted mild and hot peppers, seeded and sliced
* 2 large summer or pattypan squash, sliced
* Kosher salt and black pepper
* 1/2 pound thin spaghetti, broken in thirds to reduce length
* 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
* 2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

Dressing:

* 1/4 cup rice vinegar
* 2-3 tablespoons soy sauce, to taste
* 1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
* 1/4 cup olive oil
* 1/4 cup honey
* 1/2 cup smooth unsweetened peanut butter
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, grated
* 1 generous squirt sriracha or hot sauce

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the spaghetti and cook to al dente. Drain and set aside.

In a large sauté pan heat the olive oil. Add the onions, carrots, and a pinch of salt and cook until the onions are translucent. Add the mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and brown slightly. Add in the peppers and cook for about 4-5 minutes, or until they start to soften. Add in the squash and cook until tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

For the dressing, whisk together all the ingredients in a large bowl until it creates a smooth mixture. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional soy or honey.

Combine the cooked spaghetti with the sautéed veggies in a large bowl. Pour the dressing over the spaghetti mixture and mix until evenly distributed. Garnish with the sesame seeds and refrigerate until cold. Serve cold or at room temperature.

Cook’s Note: I brought this dish to the last JBG pot luck so many of you might have already tried this! It’s one of my most requested recipes.

Okra Fritters

* Canola oil
* 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
* 1 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 teaspoon onion powder
* Dash cayenne
* Kosher salt and black pepper
* 1 cup milk
* 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
* 1 egg, beaten
* 3 cups okra, thinly sliced

Pour canola oil into a pot to a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil to 350 degrees.

In a bowl, add the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. In a separate bowl combine the milk, vinegar, and egg. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry mix and stir to combine. Stir in the okra.

With a tablespoon, scoop batter into the hot oil. Cook the fritters, flipping occasionally, about 10 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown. Remove fritters with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot.

Cook’s Note: Super simple and tasty. I also like these with sautéed onions added in with the okra.

5) 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-F 8am to 1pm

e-mail: farm@jbgorganic.com

This entry was posted on Monday, August 16th, 2010 at 8:42 pm and is filed under Newsletters. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.