Lila and Drew enjoying some grilled okra
1) In Your Box this Week
2) Farm News:
- From the Farmer’s Perspective…. Sweet Potatoes in China
- The Nitty Gritty: “The Coolest Plants in Our Garden, Part 2: Chile Pequin, Cool But Hot!” by Grit Ramusckat, JBG Resident
3) Updates, Meetings, and Events
- JBG in the Community
- Tim Miller from Millberg Farms to Speak at Austin Organic Gardeners Club Next Monday, August 9th
- 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
- Stewed Okra with Tomatoes and Peppers
- Mashed Oven-Baked Acorn Squash
- Easy Baba Ghanoush
5) More Member Recipes
6)Invasive Texas Weeds: Johnsongrass, by JBG Volunteer Travis Gallo
7) Johnson’s Backyard Garden Contact Info
Neysa found a huge squash baby
1) In Your Box this Week
Sweet Potato Greens
Sweet and Hot Peppers
1015 Onions
Okra
Basil
Mint
Summer Squash
Acorn Squash
Purple and Black Eggplant
Sweet potatoes coming soon!
2) Farm News:
- From the Farmer’s Perspective…. Sweet Potatoes in China
You may notice an unexpected veggie in your box this week: sweet potato greens. Longtime friend of the farm, Michael Klug, was recently in China with his family and brought back an interesting story about a new summer green:
When we were in China earlier this summer we noticed sweet potatoes growing in many of the farms. We asked about it and were told that the potatoes were used to feed the pigs, but the leaves were cooked for humans, and were delicious. When we got home I did a web search, and, sure enough! I made some the other night and they were delicious – a little like like a kale-spinach combination. Haven’t tried the vines yet, but as this recipe (from the web) states, they are good as well if the “string” (I expect like that found on string beans) is removed…
Sweet Potato leaves? Sweet potato leaves and shoots are a good source of vitamins A, C, and B2 (Riboflavin). You can easily get sweet potato leaves from the wet market or the supermarket, it is sold as a bundle with leaves still on the vine. Keep the vine of the sweet potato leaves, it can be eaten. Just that it required some work to remove the ‘silk thread’ on it, by tearing from the tip of the vine. You can spot the ‘silk thread’ peeled half way and still hanging on the vine in the picture. It can be stir-fry with vegetarian sambal belacan too, if you prefer. Just get those fresh and young leaves, it tastes better.
Preparation: 8 mins, Cooking time: 5 mins
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 250g sweet potato leaves, trimmed and cut into 5cm length
- 2 cloves garlic or 2 slices ginger, finely chopped
- ¾ tablespoon olive oil
- salt, to taste
- 1 fresh red chili, sliced, for garnish
Method
- Heat oil in a wok. Add the garlic or ginger and fry till fragrant.
- Add the sweet potato leaves and stir-fry briskly for 1-2 minutes.
- Sprinkle some water if it is too dry. Season to taste with salt.
- Transfer to a serving dish, garnish with red chili and serve immediately.
“The Coolest Plants in Our Garden, Part 2: Chile Pequin, Cool But Hot!”
by Grit Ramusckat, JBG Resident
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3) Updates, Meetings, and Events
- JBG in the Community
JBG’s produce has recently been featured in several local chef’s creations around town!
Last week the Sunset Valley farmers market, Brenton went over to East Side Pies for a lunchtime slice, where he saw a sign that said, Heirloom Hinkelhatz Pizza. “Hey, I grew those.” he told the cashier. Since then, East Side Pies has been hooking us up with their delicious creations, and we are happy to keep them stocked with produce.
Meanwhile, Dai Due has been featuring a pimento cheese made with Johnson’s sweet Italian ringo peppers. You know, the big yellow ones in your boxes. Everyone in the barn has been gnoshing on that for the past few weeks. Dai Due’s pimento cheese has been available at the Downtown farmers market on Saturdays.
- Tim Miller from Millberg Farms to Speak at Austin Organic Gardeners Club Next Monday, August 9th
Tim Miller is an experienced sustainable farmer in the Austin area, known for employing dry farming techniques on his certified organic farm in Kyle, Texas. His farm has won numerous awards for Mr. Miller’s water conservation efforts. Mr. Miller grows a mix variety of vegetables, as well as tending to plum, peach, and pecan trees. He will be speaking at the Austin Organic Gardeners Club on Monday, August 9th, at 7:30pm, at the Zilker Botanical Gardens. For more information about Austin Organic Gardeners, visit http://www.main.org/aog/index.htm
- 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!
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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.
- 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!
- Now Accepting New Members
JBG is looking for some community support to recruit new CSA members. We started small, passing out pamphlets, putting up flyers, and relying on word of mouth, and we want to keep that community involvement strong. If you are interested in spreading the word about Johnson’s Backyard Garden and our CSA, drop us a line at farm@jbgorganic.com, and we’ll send you a stack of our JBG pamphlets to pass out to your friends, your coworkers, or the people hanging out at your favorite coffee shop. Together, we can make a real contribution to the community by making organic, local food accessible to more people.
4) Recipes, by Melissa Vance, JBG CSA Member
- Stewed Okra with Tomatoes and Peppers
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 large red onion, sliced
- 2 red peppers, any variety, seeded and diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 pound okra, washed, trimmed and cut in half lengthwise
- 1 can diced tomatoes, with juice
- 2 sprigs fresh thyme (or a pinch dried)
- Pinch cayenne
- 1 bay leaf
- Cajun or Creole seasoning
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions and a pinch of salt and cook until they are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the peppers and cook 3-4 minutes more. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the okra, diced tomatoes with juice, thyme sprigs, cayenne, bay leaf, and a generous sprinkling of Cajun seasoning. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a boil then decrease the heat to maintain a slow simmer. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about 20-25 minutes. If the mixture thickens considerably before the okra is tender add a little water. Season with salt, pepper, and additional Cajun seasoning to taste. Serve hot.
Cook’s Note: Make sure not to overcook the okra – if the okra is tender by 15 minutes it’s ready. Overcooking okra in liquid is the surest way to get a slimy product.
- Mashed Oven-Baked Acorn Squash
- 1-2 acorn squash
- Olive oil
- 2-3 tablespoons butter
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut the acorn squash in half from stem to end. Scoop out the pulp and seeds and scrape clean. Drizzle with olive oil and rub to coat the flesh evenly. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place flesh side down on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven until tender, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.
Once the squash is cool enough to be handled, flip them over to reveal the flesh side. Using a spoon, scoop out the flesh into a bowl, being careful to pick out any large fibrous strings. Add the butter and mash with a fork to combine. Season with salt and pepper and serve warm.
Cook’s Note: Doesn’t get much simpler than this. Keep in mind, it won’t have the consistency of mashed potatoes but it is a nice way to enjoy the squash for what it is. When roasted, acorn squash has a lot of natural sweetness and pairs nicely with pork or chicken.
- Easy Baba Ghanoush
- 2 large eggplants
- 3-4 tablespoons tahini
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- Olive oil
- Kosher salt and pepper
- 2 tablespoons basil, shredded
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut each eggplant in half lengthwise and place on sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30-40 minutes until very soft.
Let the eggplants cool slightly. Scoop the flesh of the eggplants into bowl of a food processor. Add tahini, lemon juice, garlic, a generous pour of olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Process until smooth and spoon into a serving bowl. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with basil, and serve with pita bread or chips.
Cook’s Note: For a smoky flavor, try grilling the eggplant or adding smoked paprika. Make sure to use your best olive oil for this dish. It will really improve the flavor.
5) Member Recipes
Onion Soubise, by Michael Klug
When I was in Seattle earlier this year I had a great dinner that included an onion component that was excellent: Onion Soubise At that time, rhubarb was in season up there, and their version had rhubarb cut up and added half way through cooking that gave it that additional sweet/tart flavor. This went great with Alaskan Halibut (when in Rome, man…) and green pea “fourchette” – basically mashed green peas.
When I got home I looked up Julia Child’s Onion Soubise recipe, and made a couple of changes (to reduce fat!). It was great, and a good way to use up those delicious onions (if you need to use them up!).
Ingredients
2 cups salted water (or enough to cover)
1/2 cup rice (I used brown, but it needs to cook for 15 minutes, whereas the white only 5)
4 tablespoons butter (I used canola oil – worked fine)
2 pounds onions, trimmed, peeled and sliced very thin (use a mandoline if you have one!)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Pepper to taste
1/4 cup cream (I used soy milk – worked great)
1/2 cup grated Gruyère (about 1 ounce), (okay, I used a little cheese – but only 1/4 cup – use your judgement!)
Method
Preheat oven to 300F.
RICE Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan, add the rice and cook for exactly 5 (15 for brown rice) minutes. Drain immediately.
ONIONS Melt the butter (canola oil) on medium heat in a large oven-safe skillet with a lid. Drop in the onions as they’re prepped, stirring to coat with butter (oil). Once all the onions are in, briefly sauté them. Stir in the rice, salt and pepper.
BAKE Cover and bake for an hour, stirring once or twice. (If you have rhubarb or something else you want to put in, do it at the 30 minute mark or it will overcook and dissolve). Remove from the oven, stir in the cream (soy milk) and cheese. If the rice is still a little undone, return to the oven for 10 – 60 minutes. Serve and savor. Can be made ahead and reheated.
Patates meh Kololythakia sto Fourno (Baked Zucchini & Potatoes with Feta Cheese), by Kari Michalek
Ingredients
4 med-sm potatoes thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini or other summer squash thinly sliced lengthwise
3 sweet peppers seeded and sliced… I used several varietes from our box. Delicious!
2 medium onion, thinly sliced
2 cups chopped tomato
1/4 cup minced basil
2 Tbs chopped fresh parsley
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup feta crumbles
Method
Preheat oven to 350. Combine tomato, basil, parsley, garlic, salt and pepper in small bowl. Stir to blend. Lightly oil 2qt casserole dish. Layer half potatoes on bottom, top with half zucchini, half peppers, half the onion and half tomato mixture. Repeat. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 1 hour 15 minutes. Sprinkle with feta.
Bake another 15-20 minutes uncovered until cheese softens (Feta does not melt). Let rest 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temp. Yields 4-6 generous servings. Delcious main course for vegetarians. Roasted pepper salsa from my friend Dana Thompson Cut up 4 or 5 sweet peppers, 2 medium onions,2+ jalapeno or other hot peppers, 3 cloves of garlic and 2 or 3 tomatoes. Lay them on a large pan. Sprinkle extra virgin olive oil, and salt and pepper. Cook at 350 for 45 minutes. Let cool. Gradually add to blender. Add a squeeze or two of lime while mixing. A little cumin is also a nice addition. Add only 1 jalapeno/hot pepper at a time and taste after blending. You never know if it is going to be hot or not. Add cilentro at the end. Blend one last time and then enjoy with your favorite chip or on tacos, etc.
6) Invasive Texas Weeds: Johnsongrass, by JBG Volunteer Travis Gallo
(Photo from Rutgers)
If you are driving down any major roadways this time of the year, you are bound to see Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense) showing its ugly face (inflorescence actually). Johnsongrass is a perennial grass with vigorous rhizomes causing major problems on organic farms. It is considered one of the world’s top 10 noxious weeds, and recently a Glyphosate resistant strain has been found.
Glyphosate is the active ingredient in Round up, so if you know anything about Round-up ready corn or soybeans you can understand how scary this is for conventional farmers. Just like bacteria and diseases creating a resistance to our antibiotics, plants can develop resistance to herbicides. Yet, another reason to support local organic farms. Organic farmers are not creating “weed monsters” by repeatedly using the same herbicides.
Johnsongrass was introduced in the 1800’s from the Mediterranean region as a forage crop, but has since become a huge problem. It grows rapidly, reduces harvest yields significantly, and can be difficult to control, and right now the farm is really having a battle with Johnsongrass. Organic farmers have to be creative in eliminating Johnsongrass from their farms. Since it is a perennial grass mowing and grazing does not kill the plant, therefore you have to find a way to dig up and kill the roots. Further, since it can grow new plants from rhizomes, farmers have to be very careful when tilling not spread the cut rhizomes all over the farm further increasing the spread.
Right now folks at the farm are scratching their heads and trying to figure out an effective way to rid the farm of this noxious weed. Now switching our vision of a farm to one of a prairie, Johnsongrass has also had a huge impact on our native Texas prairies by out competing our native grasses and wildflowers that once called the prairies home. Johnsongrass creates a monoculture (only one species occupying an area) decreasing the diversity and changing the biology of the prairies.
Please do you part and help stop the spread of species such as Johnsongrass. To learn more about Johnsongrass and other invasive species in Texas visit www.texasinvasives.org.
Bio: Travis Gallo is a volunteer at the Wednesday Triangle farmers market, but in real life he is an ecologist at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
A rainbow at JBG through all the rain last week
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