By Megan Winfrey

When cooking a meal or meal prepping, I like to see how far I can spread my ingredients. The more dishes I can create with what I have in front of me, the more badass I feel - and this recipe is a perfect example of that feeling of accomplishment. Leftovers from a big batch of potato salad, the pan-scraped bits from a bunch of roasted cauliflower, and a bed of arugula is all you need for a scrumptious and low key lunch. This same equation can be applied to a plethora of leftovers - think chilled roasted squash and feta cheese or leftover orzo and fresh sliced tomatoes.

Potato Salad Salad

To make the potato salad, I used this recipe. It was the perfect contribution to my family's Easter potluck - SO tasty and light! And after another few days marinating in the fridge, it was even more flavorful - packing enough vinegar-y punch to eliminate the need for salad dressing in this recipe.

Also that week, I roasted a bunch of cauliflower for dinner one night. Instead of scraping the crispy little bits onto my plate as per usual, I had a sudden vision of topping a salad with them. So into the fridge they went for the next day's lunch.

All it took was a pile of arugula on my plate with a squeeze of lemon, a few heaping spoons of potato salad, and a mountain of roasted cauliflower bits on top to make the perfect lunch!

CSA Box Contents Week of May 15th

Fried Green Tomatoes. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Happy Friday, farm friends! Brenton here. Maybe it’s the impending influx of summertime crops or just missing Alabama; regardless, my desire for Southern cuisine has been insatiable as of late. Growing up in Enterprise, AL, there was no shortage of rich Southern food... think: collard greens, corn pone, grits, country ham, fried chicken, biscuits, and red-eye gravy. My grandmother and matriarch of the family, Mama Nell, has always been the keeper of the best recipes. Thus, when I moved away from South Alabama and had a hankering for a taste of the Deep South, I would always give her a holler for recipes. Her breadth of cooking knowledge is unparalleled, and her cookbook collection does not disappoint (I got her a cookbook from 1870 England for Christmas to augment her already prodigious collection). My extensive collection is a shell in comparison as my love for recipes is a reflection of hers. All that rambling aside, nothing says home quite like fried green tomatoes, and I think Mama Nell would agree. I used to eat them like candy as a kid. This recipe is so simple, and the results never disappoint. It's ripe time to make these battered treats, as you’ll see green tomatoes in your CSA box this week!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

I had the pleasure of hosting some of the farm crew at my house this week to enjoy some fried green tomatoes using the recipe below (with some minor alterations). Check it out!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

**Recipe by Jocelyn Delk Adams of Grandbaby-Cakes.com**

INGREDIENTS

• 3 fresh green tomatoes, cut into ¼ inch slices
• Salt and pepper to taste
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten with 1 tablespoon water
• ½ cup yellow cornmeal
• ½ cup panko crumbs
• ⅛-1/4 teaspoon paprika (optional- go up to ¼ teaspoon if you like spicy foods)
• Oil for frying
• Freshly ground chili pequins (an alteration of the original recipe!)

INSTRUCTIONS

Liberally season green tomato slices with salt and pepper on both sides (and chili pequins!).

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Add flour and eggs to two separate small bowls.

Combine cornmeal, panko crumbs and paprika (and chili pequins!) into another small bowl and whisk together.

Begin by dipping each seasoned tomato slice into flour coating on both sides.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Next add floured tomato slice to eggs coating on both sides.

Lastly dip into cornmeal and crumb mixture and set aside finished slice on baking sheet.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Repeat dredging process, starting with flour, until all slices are coated.

Heat oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Fry tomato slices on both sides until golden brown and drain on paper towels.

Serve warm. Enjoy!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Yum! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

A very happy Mother's Day to all you mothers out there! We are sending our best batch yet of zinnias yet for you at the markets this weekend!

Always wanted to know who cultivates and harvests your weekly veggies? Come on down to the ABGB on Thursday, May 18 from 6-8 PM for a Meet Your Farmer(s) Happy Hour! Grab a beer, a slice, and hunker down for some farm-tastic conversation with some down home Austin farm friends. 

Want to work at the farm? Check out our current job openings here.

Zinnia harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Green beans, okra, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes are about to make their seasonal debut! We've been busy with lots of massive structural remodels in preparation for these summertime crops. We will be building a large open air shed on our loading dock to turn into a packing station for tomatoes, as well as relocating two semis from our Hergotz location to Garfield to give us more cooler space for tomato season!

We are so grateful for all the volunteers who've been getting their hands dirty out on the farm as of late. They have been immensely integral in getting potatoes harvested and tomatoes weeded and trellised. We extend a HUGE thank you to them, we couldn't do it without you. Interested in volunteering? Email volunteer@jbgorganic.com!

Happy Mother's Day to all you mommas out there!

**farm info from Becky Hume

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Black Spanish Radish. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Okra field. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Armful of fennel. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Farm meeting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplant work. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Flower beauties. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Grape progress. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Zinnias. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Squash is here! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

CSA crew workin' hard. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Green beans! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

CSA Box Contents Week of May 8th

By Mackenzie Smith

Caprese salads are as good as the quality of the tomatoes you are using. During peak season, try foregoing balsamic vinegar to let the tomatoes shine. Torn basil leaves, flaky sea salt and fresh cracked pepper make for tri-color confetti worthy of a celebration.

• The ripest, juiciest tomatoes you can find
• Fresh mozzarella
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Basil leaves, torn
• Flaky sea salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper

Photo by Mackenzie Smith.

Slice tomatoes perpendicular to the stem, as thick or as thin as you like. Layer alternating slices of mozzarella and tomato until you can’t anymore. Drizzle with olive oil and top with basil, salt and pepper.

The arrival of a new month means another marvelous edition of our First Friday Staff Picks! We think that our staff is the best in the business (okay, okay, we are a little biased), but the JBG family hails from all over the place and covers the gamut in talents and interests. We love sharing events, adventures, and side projects that inspire and excite our JBG-ers (food-related or not) with the community. Check out the staff-curated list of favorites below!

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Casey (Customer Service Extraordinare) - I had the best dinner at Sway the other night! The tom yum is da bomb even though the spice can knock you out if you’re not careful. My boyfriend and I also tried their jelly beer which is pretty much a super cold beer slushy. The beer is stored in salt water (27 degrees) in a cooler with a small motor that rocks it back and forth to keep it from freezing. Then when you open it, the change in temperature and pressure causes it to magically transform into a slush. It's pretty cooool.

I’m also really pumped, as I’m sure so many people are, for the new Fast and the Furious movie, The Fate of the Furious! This is their 8th one and they just keep getting better. I’m in the process of making a cross stitch tribute for my boyfriend who is actually the real fan of the movies in a non-ironic way. It’s a work in progress, but who doesn't love Vin Diesel and Paul Walker (RIP) in cross stitch form.



Matt Pelkey (CSA Manager) - The city paying for chicken coops? Yes, please.

Travis (Wholesale Manager) - I'm super excited for my annual pilgrimage to Marfa this month. Not to sound like every other hipster that has lived in Austin for 15 minutes, but Marfa is the perfect place to get outta the city, throw your phone away, and scrub your brain clean. You can find me at the Lost Horse Saloon.

A post shared by Lost Horse Saloon (@lost_horse_saloon_marfa) on Apr 24, 2016 at 8:44pm PDT

Other than that, Ty Segall is playing at Stubb's on the 27th. He always puts on a solid show and tickets are surprisingly cheap, so get on that!

Becky (Farm Administrator) - Farmgrass, May 12-13. Super chill festival benefiting farmers? I'm there!!! I went last year and it was absolutely lovely. My favorite part was falling on Friday night, being gently serenaded by fiddles in the campsite with the wind in the trees. High Plains Jamboree will be playing this year which features my absolute favorite local artist, Brennan Leigh. Her tunes are intelligent and witty, bringing a refreshing modern twist to classic country sounds. Plus their music is totally two-steppable!

Becky two-steppin'.

The O'Henry Pun Off on May 13th. SO GOOD! In my family puns are the highest form of humor. The O'Henry Pun Off is a competition where the best of the worst dad-humor has a place to shine. Grab a blanket and chill on the lawn of Brush Square downtown for an afternoon that is guaranteed to keep you simultaneously amazed at the skills of the punsters and rolling in laughter.

Brenton (Head Farmer) - Licha's Cantina - I love this place! Last night I had a fish dish with tuna. It was awesome!

Surprise surprise, I've got a new project on the docket! I'm going to re-purpose our milk coolers into smokers to smoke some veggies. Going to be awesome!

I've been reliving my childhood going to my son Jimmy's Northwest Little League Baseball games. Jimmy is a rockstar... he's already got six hits! A little known fact about me is I used to play baseball... mostly catcher.

Ada (Marketing and CSA Manager) - The impending tomato season has me giddy with excitement. I can't wait to pickle and preserve my way through the summer.

Recently went camping at Pace Bend for a friend's birthday. Love this place as a last-minute camping spot outside of Austin, where you can almost always snag a place to set-up tent, without worrying about it being full.

A post shared by Missoula Broussard (@chermissoula) on May 1, 2017 at 6:27am PDT

Lots of birds migrating through Texas right now, and I have happily added 10+ new species to my "Life List" this Spring... most recently, the Orchard Oriole which I spotted atop a dead tree at Pace Bend. About a year ago, I got the National Geographic bird app ($10 i think) on which you can track and list all of the birds you've seen, as well as see their range and hear their calls... the app has upped my birding fervor considerably. #birdnerd

Taylor (Barn Crew) - Trees. I really like trees. I've been really into trees lately, native Texas trees specifically. Andrew told me he's really into vintage Furbies these days. My staff pick is also Ryan. What are staff picks?

Tracy (Inventory Manager) - Went to the Austin Rodeo a few weeks ago, and had a blast. I'd love to volunteer here one year. Beautiful horses, and this amazing little girl who couldn't have been more than 6, she was one mutton busting. It was cool to learn that it's a non-profit, and that proceeds go to the kids that are participating. At the end, they had this really amazing display of horses, unsaddled, and unbridled. It was beautiful.



Andrew (CSA Packing Crew) - My favorite band, All Them Witches, a blues-y psych group from Nashville, are returning to Austin and playing Antone's on 5/18. If you like riffs and good vibes through amplifiers, it's a must.

Missoula (Farm Dog 1) - Mike Mo's weekly brisket. That human can COOK!

A post shared by Missoula Broussard (@chermissoula) on Mar 14, 2017 at 7:29pm PDT

Chucha (Farm Dog 2) - Chasing cars, what else? And belly rubs.

Roxy (Farm Dog 3) - Leftover Burritos. Hitchin' rides.

Roxy and Chuca catchin' a ride. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Heydon (Farm Blogger) - Two dear friends of mine simultaneously sent me a video of one of the most stunning and unique gardens I have ever seen. It sent me into a rabbit hole that unveiled a reservoir of inspiring videos of jaw-dropping gardens. One that almost had me in tears (I know, I know, I’m a total garden nerd) was an intimate look into Piet Oudolf and his wife’s garden. Known as an immensely influential Dutch garden designer, this peek into his garden seems like a walk through an ethereal wonderland with a close and dear uncle. Give it a peek, and then peruse the entire Nowness “Great Garden” series. It’s worth a moment of your day.

Also, the Simonite brothers killin' on their first collaboration for Whitney's new music video. The music is awesome, the S. brothers have such vision together, and West Texas forever. So stunning all around - check it here.

@simonites for @whitneyband

A post shared by SIMONITES (@simonites) on Apr 1, 2017 at 10:45pm PDT

Montana (Direct Seed Lead) - Tomatoes, tomatoes, beets, carrots, potatoes, greens, tomatoes, and future thoughts of Kerrville Folk Fest, Solstice Fest (w/ Built to Spill this year!), and the 4th of July Grateful Ball featuring the Travelin' McCourys and the Jeff Austin Band at Empire Control Room, and tomatoes round out my first Friday picks. Cucumbers rock, too. We should start harvesting those this week.

Farm, in general - To second Becky, we're all excited about Farmgrass Fest coming up on May 12-13th. Some of our favorite local musicians will be gracing the stage like High Plains Jamboree, Shiny Ribs, and Whiskey Shivers. Speaking of Whiskey Shivers - checkout this video that KUTX filmed of Whiskey Shivers in our back field a couple years ago. This was perhaps the coolest work-break our barn crew ever got.

We really appreciate SFC's write-up of the current Texas Legislature and all the bills that affect our food system. As farmers, sometimes we find it difficult to make the time to learn about the bills that affect us most. Luckily, Austin has SFC to keep us up to date. To learn more, click here.