From the Farmer’s Perspective

With temperatures going above 100 daily, the heat outside has been unrelenting.   However, it has not deterred Austinites from visiting us at the farmers markets.  We attend the Downtown Austin, Sunset Valley, Barton Creek, Burnet Road, Cedar Park, Round Rock, Triangle, and HOPE farmers markets year round, and we really appreciate all the support we get from this community.  Thank you for braving the heat with us!

Despite the heat, we have our minds focused on the cooler temperatures (hopefully!) to come.  Now is the time of year we start seeding and transplanting for our fall crops.  We also have to say goodbye to Maura Ambrose, who served as our greenhouse manager for the last ten months.  Maura is setting off on an exciting cross-country trip with her husband, Chap, in their 1970 VW Riviera Camper Van.  She proved herself to be an excellent caretaker of our growing seedlings, and we will really miss her.  We wish her safe and happy travels.  Hopefully, she will send us some photos from the road as her travel plans include stops at several other organic farms along the way.  Good luck, Maura and Chap!

We now welcome a new greenhouse manager, Kim Grabosky.  Kim is not new to JBG, though.  First, she was a great asset to our field crew out at River Road, and we are very happy that she will now be taking on the greenhouse position.  She has entered this important job at a very busy time as we have to order seeds for our cooler weather crops as well as increase our rate of seeding flats.  This week, Kim has been busy learning the ordering process.  We order seeds every quarter using a program custom designed by JBG that corresponds with our crop plan for the year.  Ordering seeds is actually a far more complicated and time consuming process than it would seem.  After identifying what we need to order, we have to check the availability of organic seeds and prices from a number of companies across the US.  Often, there are big differences in prices from one vendor to another, and since vendors use different units to measure quantity (seed count, weight, volume, etc), it can be difficult to compare cost.  Another problem is finding the seed varieties that we want.  The number of seed companies in the US is shrinking as smaller vendors are being bought up by larger corporations.  This consolidation is making it harder and harder to find certain seed varieties, especially those favored by small organic farms like JBG.  The larger, consolidated seed companies tend to stock the patented varieties that corporate farms want.  Since these corporate farms grow only a few kinds of crops on thousands of acres, they don’t require a lot of variety.

In addition to taking on the task of ordering seeds for the quarter, Kim has been busy seeding and caring for the seedlings in the greenhouse.  The greenhouse is starting to fill up with both the warm weather crops we will plant in the fall as well as our first succession of cool season crops.  These crops include kale, collards, swiss chard, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, kohlrabi, bok choy, and parsley for cool weather, and amaranth, basil, eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, and tomatillos for a fall planting of warm weather crops.  As these seedlings grow, we will begin to transplant them in the field.  There are two times during the year that we transplant the most.  One begins in January for the Spring, and the other starts now and goes through mid-September.  It’s a lot of work, but all of this seeding and planting keeps us focused on the cooler weather and great crops to come.

1) Farm News

* JBG is now accepting CSA Members
* Week of July 25th CSA Box Photo & Contents List
* The Wholesale Perspective by Leslie Lilly: Somnio’s Cafe

2) Updates, Meetings, and Events

* Slow Money & JBG Long-Term Subscription Opportunity

3) Recipes, by Melissa Vance, JBG CSA Member

* Roasted Acorn Squash with Apples and Thyme
*Ginger Soy Marinated Fajita Veggies

1) Farm News

JBG is now accepting CSA Members!

Help us spread the word! Click here to join.

Week of July 25th CSA Box Contents

Okra
Sweet & Hot Peppers
Cucumber
Basil
Cabbage
Onions
Carrots
Beets
Garlic
Eggplant
Winter Squash
Potatoes

The Wholesale Perspective:  Spotlight on Somnio’s

By Leslie Lilly

Somnio’s Cafe
1807 South First Street
Austin, TX 78704

Its a truly special thing when fresh, local, organic food feels like home.  We would all like to eat healthier, for both our bodies and the environment, but sometimes we find our healthy choices in opposition to the wonderfully comforting option of good ‘ole southern comfort food.  However, in Austin we are lucky to have Somnio’s Cafe on South First Street which, embodies all that is great about southern style home cooking – delicious, satisfying, fresh and chocked full of healthy veggies.

Somnio’s is owned and run by Jay Guidry and Anna Worthy, a dynamic husband-wife duo who have not only done an excellent job of designing simple and appealing dishes, but have also created an intimate and cozy atmosphere.  This past Saturday, we got to sit down with the couple, learn about their food philosophies, and try some of their delicious dishes, almost all of which feature JBG vegetables.  Cooking has always been a big part of Jay and Anna’s marriage, and for 20 years, they have used food as a way of expressing themselves and appreciating each other and their community.  While talking with us, Jay described how he was inspired by the fresh produce, meat, and dairy Anna would bring home from the farmer’s market each Saturday morning, and the lovely afternoons of cooking with seasonal ingredients.  Before Somnio’s, the couple started a supper club, Jay’s Dinner Club, which served delicious and eclectic dishes to its members every Tuesday-Thursday.  That experience launched them into the restaurant business, where they remain dedicated to seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients.

Each week, Somnio’s offers a rotating cast of four menus which include many delicious vegetarian options.  We had the pleasure of trying out a bunch of different dishes starting with the melon salad, which included JBG watermelon and cantaloupe dressed with a creamy dill vinaigrette.  Then Jay served us JBG eggplant parmesan, one of my favorite dishes done to perfection with a beautiful parmesan crisp, and sauteed JBG summer squash, tender and delicious.  Somnio’s quinoa cakes were excellent topped with a JBG butternut squash sauce and plated with amazing tart braised JBG purple cabbage.  Last but far from least, we tried the bison burger with fried JBG okra fries, and it was all the mouth-watering goodness I could hope for.

2) Updates, Meetings, and Events

Slow Money & JBG Long-Term Subscription Opportunity

Now that JBG has purchased the 146 acres adjacent to our River Road farm, help us get this land ready for farming by purchasing a long-term CSA subscription at a discounted price.  Preparing this land for farming will be a costly venture.  For example, we will need to dig another well and install irrigation.  By signing up for one of these long-term subscriptions, you can help JBG and lock in a lower price of $28.85/box for the term of the subscription.  We have included the details below.  If you would like to sign up or for more information, please email us at farm@jbgorganic.com.

1 year weekly:  $1500 (52 pickups in a fixed 12 month period)
1 year bi-weekly:  $750 (26 pickups in a fixed 12 month period)

2 year weekly:  $3000 (104 pickups in a fixed 24 month period)
2 year bi-weekly: $1500 (52 pickups in a fixed 24 month period)

3 year weekly:  $4500 (156 pickups in a fixed 36 month period)
3 year bi-weekly: $2250 (78 pickups in a fixed 36 month period)

4 year weekly:  $6000 (208 pickups in a fixed 48 month period)
4 year bi-weekly: $3000 (104 pickups in a fixed 48 month period)

5 year weekly:  $7500 (260 pickups in a fixed 60 month period)
5 year bi-weekly:  $3750 (130 pickups in a fixed 60 month period)

Note: Prices are for community pickup subscriptions.   Please add $5 per pickup for Home Delivery.  Subscriptions must be completed in the given fixed period and cannot be extended beyond this.

3) Recipes, by Melissa Vance, JBG CSA Member

Roasted Acorn Squash with Apples and Thyme

1 acorn squash, halved, seeded, and cut into 1” slices
2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 apple, peeled and diced
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 teaspoon chopped thyme

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

In a glass baking dish, toss the squash with the melted coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes, or until golden and fork-tender.  Remove from the oven and set aside to cool for at least 5 minutes.  Carefully peel the skin off the slices and chop the flesh into bite size pieces.

Heat the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, a generous pinch of salt and pepper and cook until the onion is soft.  Add the apples, chicken stock, and thyme, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 5-10 minutes, or until the apples are just tender.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Remove from the heat.

Plate the squash and pour the onion-apple mixture on top along with the liquid in the pan.  Serve immediately.

Ginger Soy Marinated Fajita Veggies

½ cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons minced ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sriracha
1-2 tablespoons honey
2 cups sliced onion
2 cups sliced assorted peppers
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper

In a bowl combine soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sriracha, and honey.

In a large bowl combine onions, peppers and mushrooms.  Pour the marinade over the veggies and allow to marinate for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Heat a large saute pan over high heat.  Add the oil.  Using a spider or slotted spoon remove the veggies from the marinade and add them to the hot pan.  Reserve the marinade.  Cook over high heat until the veggies are soft and beginning to caramelize on the edges.  Pour some of the marinade over the veggies and cook until thickened, about 3 minutes longer.  Serve hot.

From the Farmer’s Perspective:

Here in Central Texas, we have just experienced the driest nine-month period on record.  This is an historical drought, and if we do not receive significant rainfall by September, it will turn into the most severe drought since reliable record keeping began in 1895.   At River Road, we are lucky to have two very good wells that have been charged and pumping all summer long.  Our electricity bills have really gone up, but we have been able to keep our crops well irrigated.  Without these wells, we would not be able to produce any vegetables in these severe drought conditions.  While we are extremely grateful for this underground water source, we are also aware of the tremendous need for rain.  Yesterday, when afternoon clouds rolled in, we briefly got our hopes up, but, unfortunately, we only received a sprinkling.  Our beautiful large pecan trees at the Hergotz location are in need of a deep soak, and we’ve already lost a few due to lack of rain.  This drought underscores how dependent we are as farmers on the weather.  We have put a lot of time, money, and resources in building deep wells that, luckily, are producing the water we currently need.  However, like many Central Texans, we are frightened by the length and severity of this drought.  We remain optimistic but are also humbled by our lack of control over such a vital resource.

1) Farm News

* JBG is now accepting CSA Members
* Week of July 19th CSA Box Photo & Contents List
* The Wholesale Perspective by Leslie Lilly: Spotlight on La Condesa
* The Nitty Gritty: Home Birth on JBG Farm

2) Updates, Meetings, and Events

* Slow Money & JBG Long-Term Subscription Opportunity

3) Recipes, by Melissa Vance, JBG CSA Member

* Glazed Acorn Squash with Spicy Onions and Currants
* Three Cheese Scalloped Potatoes

From the Farmer’s Perspective:

The next time you go to your favorite local restaurant, pay close attention to the menu – you just might see JBG listed there!  In the last few years, there’s been an increase in demand by chefs for locally grown produce.  This is due in part to the fact that locally grown  produce often tastes better since it doesn’t have to travel as far to get to your plate.  Another reason is that more and more customers are asking for locally grown organic produce due to environmental and health concerns.  At JBG, we wanted to help meet this growing demand from restaurants, but, first, we had to get the right infrastructure in place.  This included developing an effective ordering system, adding more delivery vans, and hiring more staff.   We now have these systems in place, and at the beginning of every week, we email an availability and price list to restaurants.  Then, chefs place orders for delivery from JBG (chefs who would like to be added to our weekly wholesale availability list should email the farm at farm@jbgorganic.com).  We are fortunate to have two great new employees, Leslie Lilly and Jacob Parsons, making up our Wholesale team.  Leslie, our Wholesale Manager, and Jacob, our Wholesale Assistant, work very hard to ensure that restaurant orders are filled accurately and delivered on time.  Keep your eyes open for them as they travel around Austin in the JBG delivery van!  Make sure to look for JBG on the menu, too, when you go out to eat.  In our newsletter, we will be highlighting some of our restaurant customers.  Scroll down to check out this week’s feature on Blackstar Co-op written by Leslie Lilly.  We encourage you to visit Black Star and other restaurants that are doing their part to support local agriculture.

1) Farm News

* JBG is now accepting CSA Members
* Week of July 11th CSA Box Photo & Contents List
* The Wholesale Perspective by Leslie Lilly: Spotlight on Black Star Co-op
* Happy Ever After in the Market Place by Fawn M. Peirce

2) Updates, Meetings, and Events

* Slow Money & JBG Long-Term Subscription Opportunity

3) Recipes, by Melissa Vance, JBG CSA Member

*Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers with Chipotle Sauce
*Grilled Zucchini and Boursin Rollups

1) Farm News

JBG is now accepting CSA Members!

Help us spread the word! Click here to join.

Week of July 11th CSA Box Contents

Melon or Watermelon
Juliet Tomatoes
Sweet & Hot Peppers
Cucumber
Basil
Mint or Parsley
Onions
Mixed Summer Squash
Beets
Garlic
Eggplant
Winter Squash
Potatoes

The Wholesale Perspective

by Leslie Lilly

THIS WEEK FEATURING:
Black Star Co-op Pub & Brewery
7020 Easy Wind Drive, Suite 100
Austin, TX 78752

Austin’s vibrant food culture comes in big part from its  locally-owned restaurants, many of whom are dedicated to providing locally and sustainably grown food.  The burgeoning partnerships between farmers and restaurants offer our community an easy and accessible way to enjoy healthy, fresh food.  Johnson’s Backyard Garden is proud to serve many of Austin’s excellent local restaurants with organic produce, harvested to order.

This week we would like to introduce Black Star Co-op, one of our local restaurant partners.  They are located at the intersection of North Lamar and Airport.   Black Star Co-op is a cooperatively owned brew pub dedicated to providing delicious seasonal food locally sourced and sustainably produced.  In 2006, three men (Steven Yarak, Jeff Young, and Johnny Livesay) from different backgrounds and with various skill sets came together to start Austin’s own cooperatively owned and run brewpub.  Black Star adheres to a basic mission, to “foster an environment in which member-owners, as well as the general public, may realize the principles of co-operative ownership, worker self-managment, education and community action through the responsible enjoyment of great beer and food.”

Membership in the co-op now numbers in the thousands and is offered to anyone over the age of 21 and costs $150 per individual membership share.  Members of the co-op are highly valued as the company’s decision makers, electing the board of directors and deciding on major issues concerning the co-op. Additionally, the co-op offers patronage refunds, many appreciation events, and a variety of other pub discounts.  To learn more about becoming a member visit www.blackstar.coop .

At JBG, we are thrilled to work with Black Star Co-op in achieving their mission.  Jeff Young, one of the founders, explains that Black Star was started with the mentality of local business, community and neighborhood ownership and working with JBG expands on the idea of locally owned businesses working within and sourcing produce from other locally owned businesses.

This last Monday we had the pleasure of tasting many of their seasonal dishes which incorporate JBG produce.  First, we dined on the Pan Roasted Redfish, an amazingly moist and flavorful fish cultivated by Lonestar Aqua Farm, plated atop JBG sweet (Ringo) and hot (Hinklehatz) peppers, heirloom tomato confit, and perfectly tender golden zucchini. The beautiful Sweet Pepper Fig salad we ordered came with our Green Zebra heirloom tomatoes and slices of our super sweet Ringo peppers. Their epic veggie sandwich features our zucchini, Patty Pan squash, eggplant, and both Golden and Chiogia beets, pickled to perfection along with plenty of melted cheese and the best French fries in Austin.

Happy Ever After in the Market Place

by Fawn M. Peirce

Every Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday you can find Johnson’s Backyard Garden at a farmer’s market around Austin. Farmer’s markets have become more and more popular as people become more cognizant of where their food is grown.  Local food means less environmental deterioration due to transportation.  It means fresher foods!  It also supports your local community.  Farmer’s markets give you a chance to meet your grower and to know whereyour food is coming from, which is an experience the grocery store can rarely give you.  By visiting a city’s farmer’s market, you can really get a sense of the city.  By it’s vendors, the products available, and the people that shop the market, you can put your finger on the pulse of a city’s essence.  Having personally worked at markets in Oakland, San Rafael, and Berkeley, as well as throughout Austin, I have a lot to say about markets from the vendor perspective.  This past month, I visited a new region of this country and experienced a new flavor of farmer’s market. While in Telluride, Colorado for a bluegrass festival, I was lucky enough to experience the city’s farmer’s market.

One thing that makes markets, as well as the entirety of a region’s agriculture and culture, so different from another is the weather.  While in the Rocky Mountains, I was evading the 100 degree plus weather in Austin and enjoying some wonderful mid-seventies temps. The effect this has on what can grow sharply changes what is available to the consumer. In Austin, we were well into our summer harvests of squash, eggplant, and even the beginning of okra, but in Telluride, the market was loaded with greens. Kale, lettuce, and collards lined the little market booths. The leafy greens of Austin had long succumbed to the heat. One benefit of a warmer climate is that we are able to grow all year round and the market is able to flourish twelve months of the year. In Telluride, they had snow until May, and the market doesn’t open until June! Only four months of farmer’s market out of the year for Telluride townies. But for those four month, everyone comes out and thrives in the warmth of the summer. Craft vendors have the long, wintry season to prepare for the bustle of summer.  My experience at the Telluride Farmer’s Market reminded me that we are really very lucky to have access to locally grown, fresh food throughout the year. Even if that means sweating through a season that is another region’s glory time.

2) Updates, Meetings, and Events

Slow Money & JBG Long-Term Subscription Opportunity

Now that JBG has purchased the 146 acres adjacent to our River Road farm, help us get this land ready for farming by purchasing a long-term CSA subscription at a discounted price.  Preparing this land for farming will be a costly venture.  For example, we will need to dig another well and install irrigation.  By signing up for one of these long-term subscriptions, you can help JBG and lock in a lower price of $28.85/box for the term of the subscription.  We have included the details below.  If you would like to sign up or for more information, please email us at farm@jbgorganic.com.

1 year weekly:  $1500 (52 pickups in a fixed 12 month period)
1 year bi-weekly:  $750 (26 pickups in a fixed 12 month period)

2 year weekly:  $3000 (104 pickups in a fixed 24 month period)
2 year bi-weekly: $1500 (52 pickups in a fixed 24 month period)

3 year weekly:  $4500 (156 pickups in a fixed 36 month period)
3 year bi-weekly: $2250 (78 pickups in a fixed 36 month period)

4 year weekly:  $6000 (208 pickups in a fixed 48 month period)
4 year bi-weekly: $3000 (104 pickups in a fixed 48 month period)

5 year weekly:  $7500 (260 pickups in a fixed 60 month period)
5 year bi-weekly:  $3750 (130 pickups in a fixed 60 month period)

Note: Prices are for community pickup subscriptions.   Please add $5 per pickup for Home Delivery.  Subscriptions must be completed in the given fixed period and cannot be extended beyond this.

3) Recipes, by Melissa Vance, JBG CSA Member

Tex-Mex Stuffed Peppers with Chipotle Sauce

1 lb ground beef
1 large onion, diced
2 bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 jalapenos, seeded and minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 packet taco seasoning
½ cup water
8 oz tomato sauce
12 oz chipotle salsa
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3 large sweet peppers, cut in half lengthwise, seeds removed
Olive oil
Kosher salt and black pepper
12 oz cheddar cheese
Pickled jalapenos, optional
Sour cream, optional

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Add the beef to a large skillet over medium heat.  Cook until browned, breaking up any lumps with a spoon.  Add the onions, peppers, and mushrooms and cook until the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are brown.  Add the jalapeno and garlic and cook 3 minutes more.  Add the taco seasoning and water and cook until the water evaporates.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, combine the tomato sauce, chipotle salsa, and garlic powder in a medium saucepan.  Cook over medium heat until slightly reduced.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside.

Lightly oil the large sweet pepper halves and season with salt and pepper.  Place in a large baking dish.  Bake in the oven until the edges are slightly charred and the peppers have softened.

Remove the dish of peppers from the oven and set to broil.  Fill the peppers with the beef mixture and top with cheddar cheese.  Place back in the oven and broil until the cheese melts.  Serve warm with the chipotle sauce.  Garnish with the pickled jalapenos and sour cream, if desired.

Grilled Zucchini and Boursin Rollups

Olive oil
2 medium zucchini, sliced thinly lengthwise on a mandoline
Kosher salt and black pepper
1 package Boursin or herbed spreadable cheese, softened
3 assorted sweet peppers, cut into very thin strips
Basil leaves
Chives

Heat a grill or grill pan to high heat.  Lightly oil the zucchini slices and salt and pepper each side.  Grill the zucchini on each side for 2 minutes, or until the zucchini has grill marks and is flexible.  Set aside and allow to cool.

Spread a generous amount of Boursin on one side of each zucchini slice.  Place a bundle of pepper slices and a basil leaf on one end.  Roll up and secure with a chive.  Serve at room temperature.

From the Farmer’s Perspective:

We have fantastic news!  For the last two years, we have been trying to find a way to purchase the 146 acres adjacent to our 40 acres at River Road in Cedar Creek.  This Friday, with the help of the seller, Steve Baker, we were finally able to make it happen.  It really feels  like a dream come true.  JBG would like to thank Steve for his willingness to work with us.  We really, really appreciate his patience and commend his steadfast desire to preserve this as farmland.   In the coming weeks, Steve will be providing a history for our newsletter, so please stay tuned to find out more about this wonderfully fertile former dairy farm.  We would also like to thank all of our CSA members for their consistent support – without you, this would not have been possible.  Now, we will be able to farm in one location in a sustainable manner.   We purchased this 146 acres to increase our sustainability, not our scale.   We now have the land we need to slowly build soil fertility through the growth of cover crops.  Additionally, we anticipate being able to reduce insect and disease problems by implementing a long-term crop rotation plan.  To maintain healthy soils and crops, we need to have at least as much land in cover crop as in production.  Now, we will be able to have twice as much land in soil building crops as we do in production, therefore promoting long-term soil health.  For a farmer, building up healthy soil is akin to building up savings in a bank.  With this kind of foundation, we will be working to ensure our future long-term success and endurance.   We feel very grateful to be part of such a supportive community, and we look forward to serving you sustainably for many years to come.

1) Farm News

* JBG is now accepting CSA Members
* Week of July 4th CSA Box Photo & Contents List
* The Nitty Gritty: Part Three: Cod

2) Updates, Meetings, and Events

* Slow Money & JBG Long-Term Subscription Opportunity

3) Recipes, by Melissa Vance, JBG CSA Member

* Chinese Pepper Steak
* Green Goddess Slaw

And Chocolate Beet Cupcakes made by JBG’s Wholesale Coordinator Leslie Lilly!

1) Farm News

JBG is now accepting CSA Members!

Help us spread the word! Click here to join.

Week of July 4th CSA Box Contents

Melon
Sweet & Hot Peppers
Cucumber
Basil
Mint
Onion
Mixed Summer Squash
Beets
Garlic
Eggplant
Winter Squash

Part Three: Cod

Cod once lived in astronomical numbers just off the coasts of New England. Once this seemingly infinite resource was discovered it launched the first era of industrial fishing where huge fishing fleets were built just for catching cod. With a neutral flavor, cod’s white, flaky flesh made it the perfect beginner fish. Neither did it taste particularly fishy nor did it overpower any other flavors. Its flesh could be easily shaped into any form. Filet-O-Fish and fish sticks became crowd pleasers. Because cod was abundant, it was cheap. It became the fish of the commoner – the everyday protein.

I remember the TV commercial for fish sticks particularly well from my childhood. Captain Iglo, known as Captain Birdseye in English speaking countries, a blue-eyed, white-bearded, grandfatherly man sailed in a traditional wooden sailboat across the open ocean. He and his crew of children, all dressed in the traditional blue and white sailing clothes, had all sorts of adventures together. For nourishment, huge platters of golden fish sticks were served. I specifically remember how appetizingly the golden crust contrasted with the white, flaky flesh inside. Once the fish stick was cut into, hot, white steam erupted from the cut side – mouth watering. As I rejected many things including eating meat with a face at that time, this faceless rectangle was the only fish my parents got me to eat. I consumed them with great pleasure and in great numbers. Only now do I know that this was actually cod! As I benefited from its abundance, I played a part in its decline.
To the delight of many children (and parents), fish sticks are still widely available today. Only one, barely noticeable change occurred. The fish in the stick is no longer cod but has been replaced with wild Alaskan pollock and New Zealand hoki. After all commercial cod fisheries of New England were completely shut down in 1994, a search for alternatives began. Because consumers perceive salmon and sea bass more as special-occasion fish for which they are willing to pay a premium, fisheries could justify investing money into farming them. Cod, however, is a different story. Here, quantity was needed, not necessarily quality. Searching for new, equally abundant wild fish stocks became the approach of choice. Even though fisheries today attempt to harvest pollock and hoki sustainably, even those stocks have declined over the years. Critics fear another total collapse of those fisheries similar to that of cod.

Whitefish such as cod, pollock, hoki but also hake and haddock are in high demand. In fact, a fifth of the world’s fish catch is whitefish. The amount is equivalent to the whole human weight of the US. In Great Britain for example, whitefish makes up the most consumed fish in the national diet. It is nearly a third of all seafood the Brits eat. “Nowhere is the stress on abundance more acute than with cod and the other whitefish that are used as “industrial fish” – the raw material for fast food and frozen supermarket meals”, writes Greenberg. Since we should consume less fast food and frozen meals anyway, maybe the answer to how to ensure a future for cod is simply to eat less of it. Again, this is something a lot of us are already doing when it comes to meat from land animals. Why not treat every fish, even cod and other white fish, as special occasion meals too?