“Because you are my countrymen and so forth; and a good fellow, is a good fellow, though he have never a penny in his purse. We had but even pot-luck, a little to moisten our lips, and no more.” - Thomas Nashe, Summer’s Last Will and Testament

With the Fall CSA Member Only Potluck right around the corner (RSVP here!), we thought we would delve into a little history of potlucks in general AND pertaining to JBG!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The term “potluck” originates from taking the “luck of the pot”... Instead of discarding leftovers, people would save their excess food, heated in a pot, with the unexpected visitor in mind (especially at inns and taverns in medieval times). A kind of “luck of the draw” and impromptu meal for a wayward traveler who happened upon an inn or someone’s home needing food and/or lodging for the evening. Fun fact: the above quote from prevalent 16th century writer, Thomas Nashe, is said to be one of the first times that the term “potluck” was used in a published piece! Moving on to more modern(ish) times, in the mid-19th to the beginning of the 20th century, the meaning shifted to a communal dinner where guests prepare and bring a dish to share. These are the potlucks we know and love. Our CSA is made up of some of Austin’s best home-chefs… and while we’re busy every week cooking for our families, the JBG Potluck is a wonderful time to share your favorite dishes with your CSA community, farmers, and friends. We know you have a favorite potluck dish… let’s see it (but more importantly, eat it)!

Potluck deliciousness. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

At JBG, we have been doing community potlucks since 2006! A bi-annual event that we always look forward to… a chance for the community to get together, enjoy the farm, and relish in the fall and spring weather. When we moved out to the 20 acres at Hergotz, Beth Johnson cooked up a bunch of chocolate chip cookies, brewed some strong coffee, and invited all of our CSA customers out to the farm. Thirty folks joined us as we walked through the fields and talked about our vision for the farm. We loved having everyone out to meet and interact; thus, the following fall, we had our first official potluck. We set up tents in the orchard, invited a couple of bands, and had a heck of a time. In 2008, we added a bunch of fun events, like ‘jump-the-creek’ and most notably, chase the farmer because who doesn’t want to chase Brenton, clad in a luchador mask and outfit, around the farm?

Chase the farmer!

Old potluck flyer!

Another old flyer!

In spring of 2015, we decided to move the potlucks out to the Garfield farm. This way, everyone could breathe the fresh and funky farm air and enjoy this newly (at the time) acquired veggie oasis. We added a 5k to the event and partnered with the best in the runnin’ biz, Rogue Running, as a kind of self-guided tour around our 200 acre property on River Road (we are only doing these in the spring now… start training!). We built an awesome stage, especially for these events, to house some bona fide boot-stompin’ tunes from people like: Elizabeth McQueen, Doug Moreland, La Tampiquena, Chansons et Soulards, among many others.

We are over the moon that this year we'll be having a CSA Member potluck, and going back to the event's humble roots. We love the idea of people enjoying food with their community... after all, we’re all a part of the same C[ommunity]SA! The act of sharing food with another person has an overwhelmingly powerful ability to connect people. Doing this same act on the farm that grows your food... you're not only connected to your community, but also to the land, seasons, your farmers... WHOA! If that's not a special event, we don't know what is.

Boot-stompin' good time. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Sand pile = good times. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Family fun time. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The farm should be a place for the whole family, and we want you to make the CSA a part of your family life... hence, bring the kiddos! There's tons of fields for them to explore and a sand pile to conquer. Tractor photo shoot? We've got you covered. Plus, a true fall is so fleeting in Texas... make sure you're enjoying it and getting OUTSIDE. Did we mention that our farm is a lovely place to be this time of year?

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Family portrait in the fields. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Sand pile poses. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The DL on this year's potluck

• Saturday, 10/22
• GARFIELD farm (4008 River Road)
• 4:30-dark. We'll try to eat at around 5:30
• Yes to kids, yes to byob, yes to chairs + blankets (we'll have some tables set up, too).
• Adelbert's, Hops & Grain, and Jester King have donated some brew for the occasion. (YUM!)
• No dogs (Sorry, farmer’s orders! We love our doggies, too!)
• BYOD[ISH] TO SHARE! That's what a potluck is, after all. Please label your dish noting any potential food allergens
• Trying our best to make this a zero-waste event. Bring a dish + cutlery to enjoy your grub.
• Our good friend, Josh Larue, from Breakaway Records will be there spinning some amazing tunes, and showing off his one-of-a-kind vinyl collection.

Our stage lit up at night. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Excited to join the event, but don’t know what to make? Grab a recipe idea from Ada and Mike Mo below.

Ada, the recipe extraordinare! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Ada: Cabbage. So wonderful in all of its forms: raw in a salad or slaw, coarsely chopped and roasted with a generous squeeze of lemon, slowly braised, stuffed... perhaps one of the most versatile crops we grow.

We love this gratin recipe; sub sweet potatoes for regular potatoes, and you've got a hyper-seasonal potluck dish... perfect for sharing.

Coleslaw doesn't have to be the soupy mayonnaise-y mess that you might think of. Check out this Asian version that uses a miso-dressing. Throw in some in-season carrots, carrot tops, and radishes for a colorful fall salad. Short on time? A shredded cabbage salad doused in Wheatsville's cashew tamari dressing is just as good.

Instant seasonal dish, sure to please a crowd? Roasted veggies. Check out some techniques below. General techniques. Honey-roasted carrots. Coconut-oil roasted sweet potatoes.

Confused about that to do with turnips? Roast, mix with goat cheese and some herbs, and voila! *can sub beets in this recipe, too!

Looking for a way to use your CSA parsnips, kohlrabi, herbs, and turnips in one hearty recipe? Did someone say bacon vinaigrette?

Black spanish radishes. Great info on this sometimes puzzling crop here (been used for medicinal purposes for centuries!). Three great ways to use your radishes (this would work with black spanish, or any other!).

Mike Mo: I am a big fan of radishes with butter and salt. It's a French thing. Sauteed with butter and salt as a side (I think it may be a breakfast dish as well).

Our blog is always a great place to obtain seasonal recipes as well!

Our recipe blogger, Megan, and her daughter, Louisiana! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Ever go to the farmers market, fraternize with the JBG market staff, and think... 'Man! I want to be like them. They are so knowledgeable about veggies, hard-working, AND awesome!' Well, fret no longer, folks! Now's the time to join our team! We have farmers market openings - check out the job listing here.