Weeding the onions. Photo by Scott David Gordon

I know we start off this post each week talking about the weather - but can you believe this weather?! This might be the mildest winter on record at JBG and we are happy to keep seeing the sunshine and warm temperatures. Your vegetables sure don't seem to mind either. This week we're pushing full steam ahead to get our Spring crops in the ground. The planting crew has been working non-stop and we are grateful for their hard work and persistence. The greenhouse is full to bursting with crops for the farm and for your gardens as well - don't forget about our annual Transplant Sale just three weeks away! And thanks as always to Scott David Gordon for our photos this week.

Part of our amazing barn staff. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Doug is stoked about this week's CSA box. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Green cabbage harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Meet Daniel, the face behind the farm email and front desk phone! Photo by Scott David Gordon

Don't miss our Spring Transplant Sale coming up! Photo by Scott David Gordon

A pollinator visits some brassica flowers. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Photo by Scott David Gordon

Harvest mornings. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Tuckered out after a long day's work. Photo by Scott David Gordon

The field crews are staying busy with this gorgeous weather getting spring crops into the ground. Photo by Scott David Gordon

A field of brussels. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Photo by Scott David Gordon

Mmmm. Photo by Scott David Gordon

by Megan Winfrey

We are big breakfast fans in my house, like huge. It's my husband's favorite meal. He wanted our wedding food to be a breakfast buffet, which I wasn't exactly against! With that being said, breakfast can become monotonous. When you compare it to lunch and dinner, there are significantly less options when it comes to ingredients (which is my rebuttal when having the best-meal-of-the-day argument). What I have for you this week isn't so much of a recipe as it is a lifestyle suggestion. THE GRITS BOWL.

I have two of my cajun-belle gal pals to thank for introducing me to the wonderful world of grits. My college roomie, Ada, taught me how to make them (with butter and Tony's, always) and my childhood friend, Kathryn, taught me that you can, literally, put anything on top of them. What a perfect way to enjoy our JBG produce!



My grits bowl consists of:

• 1 serving of grits, prepared, stir in 1 tbs. butter and 1 tbs. Tony's Creole Seasoning
• Scoop of prepared black beans
• Half an avocado
• 1/4 c. shredded cabbage
• 1/4 c. chopped arugula
• 1 egg, sunny side up

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 8th

With Punxsutawney Phil predicting an early spring this year (independently verified by Canada's Shubenacadie Sam), it's time to start getting that backyard, side yard, or community garden plot ready for a bountiful spring and summer. If you're like us at JBG, your hands are itching with the urge to get out and fill that garden with new plants. But before you start planting, we've got a few tips to ensure your 2016 garden is productive and healthy!

Be sure to check out the details for our Annual Transplant Sale, as well as a special gardening workshop with Brenton, at the bottom of the page!

Check your Tools

It happens to the best of us - tools lying around, rain barrels getting a little slimy, trellises falling apart. Now is the best time to get everything clean and ready for you to hit the ground running when your pick up your organic transplants! Organize that shed, clean your tools, fix any broken fences or irrigation, and get ready for a great year!

Clear your Garden

Whether you put in a winter cover crop, or you have leftover fall crop residues, or even if your garden has filled up with grass (hey, we'll count that one as a cover crop too), it's time to clear that bed and get ready for new plants. We recommend cutting whatever is left in your garden down to ground level. You can compost the residues or dig them right into your garden to decompose.

Aerate your Soil

Next, you'll want to start getting your soil ready for the growing hungry plants you're about to put in there. First things first, it's time to loosen the soil. Over time, water, gravity, and sedimentation slowly compact your garden soil. Compacted soil is not as productive - your plants need lots of oxygen around their roots and plenty of space for water to trickle down. You can use a digging fork to loosen the soil, or use the double digging technique. If you have rocky or poorly aerated soil, consider building yourself a raised-bed garden to give those plants the fluffy soils they need to thrive.

Ok, maybe not this much compost.

Compost compost compost!

Your next step is to make sure your soils are healthy and fed! We recommend applying a few inches of compost to your garden every year. This provides your garden space with nutrient rich organic matter and a host of microorganisms. Not only is compost a fantastic, natural, slow-release fertilizer, but it will increase the water-holding capacity of your soil, and decrease erosion.

You can go a step further and get your soil tested - this will tell you if you need to add any micronutrients or amendments to your soil. Here at the farm we test with a number of laboratories to attain the best possible soils we can, but for the casual home gardener, this step is not as necessary.

You can also find a comprehensive, month-by-month list of tips for central Texas from our friends at The Natural Gardener.

Alright, you're ready to start planting, now what?

Come to the Annual Transplant Sale

Our greenhouses are filling up with spring transplants for your backyard! This year's Transplant Sale will be held at our Garfield Farm greenhouses on March 5th and March 12th. Transplants will also be available for pickup at any of our farmers market locations and we're planning a fun pop-up sale with some friends of the farm!

Our selection this year includes tons of Tomatoes (heirlooms, cherries, traditional red slicers, paste tomatoes), tomatillos, sweet & hot peppers, basil, eggplant, squash, zucchini, watermelons, spinach, cilantro and more!

Learn from a Pro

Our very own farmer Brenton is the king of taking a backyard garden to the extreme. This March, he's going to share some of his knowledge to equip all you Central Texas gardeners with the education needed to make sure your families are well fed this year. Join us on Saturday, March 12th for the Organic Backyard Gardening Workshop w/ Brenton Johnson.

When: Saturday, March 12th 10 am  - 12pm

Where: Our Garfield Farm! 4008 River Road, Garfield TX, 78612

Tickets: Available now!

Brenton's teaching a gardening workshop - don't miss it!

Nitty Gritty:

• This workshop is designed to equip Central Texas gardeners with the tools they need to plan and execute a successful spring vegetable garden, and is designed for novice and experienced gardeners, alike.
• Topics will include: site selection, soil prep, soil fertility, irrigation, planting guidelines, variety selection, and pest management.
• Workshop instructor will give useful, hands-on demos of proper planting, watering, and harvesting techniques, with a special focus on tomatoes.
• Participants will have an opportunity for an open discussion and Q&A session with Brenton

 

Backyard Bonuses:

• All workshop participants will enjoy 10% off their entire transplant order
• Following the workshop, participants are invited to go on a walk-about with Brenton, where he will give a tour of a portion of the farm
• All workshop participants are invited to bring a picnic and enjoy the Spring farmscapes
• Participants will also receive a special discount to our CSA, as a type of crop insurance in case their backyard garden is less than bountiful :)
• If you bring your kiddos, we will have a JBG volunteer there to bring them on a farm walk-about and some sand pile exploration

Sign up for the gardening workshop at jbgorganic.com/workshop - we've got a limited number of slots available!

JBG is currently hiring transplanting crew as we approach one of our busiest planting seasons of the year. Farm experience is helpful, but we will train. This job is perfect for individuals interested in beginning a career in organic agriculture. Read the full job description and apply here.

Golden beet harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon

This week was beautiful at JBG. Clear frosty mornings gave way to highs in the 70s - all of our organic vegetables are loving this weather! We've got a great harvest headed to markets this weekend, and the weather is going to continue to be beautiful, so make sure you stop by and visit us!

We're harvesting some spring onions for markets this week. Photo by Scott David Gordon

A small mountain of spring onions. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Frosty mornings at the farm this week. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Salad mix getting a nice deep watering. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Did you hear? We're hiring for our transplanting crew! Details on the jobs page. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Spring is coming. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Newly transplanted brassicas. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Photo by Scott David Gordon

Up close with the collards. Photo by Scott David Gordon

New volunteer coordinator at our Hergotz farm - welcome Rachel! Photo by Scott David Gordon

Fennel transplants. Photo by Scott David Gordon

by Megan Winfrey

How about them brussels sprouts?! That majestic bouquet on my doorstep made me feel like I'd won something - and I may or may not have held it in the crook of my arm and practiced my best "figure 8 wave." Needless to say, I used them immediately for this recipe, which I think is a perfect one to welcome the coming Spring. Bright, yet still deep and rich in flavor. Light, but still pasta. This one goes out to mister groundhog - thanks for the good report, buddy.

Golden Beet & Brussels Sprouts Fettuccini

• 3 golden beets
• 1 stem of brussels sprouts
• 1 lb. fettuccini noodles
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbs. olive oil
• 1/2 tsp. thyme
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1/4 c. dry white wine
• 4 tbs. goat cheese
• salt & pepper

I'm going to start with a little note on the prep work. I've found that with golden beets, unlike with red beets, you can easily peel them like potatoes! You can of course peel red beets, too, but suffer the blood bath. Golden beets don't stain or even transfer color, so I find it much easier to peel, chop, then bake rather than cook, cool, then peel and chop.

I'd never taken brussels sprouts off the vine before, but they popped off rather easily. The little ones at the top held on tighter, but I managed to pinch every last one off because to waste a sprout would be a crime. I then cut each one in half (but left the tiny ones whole), discarded the outer leaves, and rinsed thoroughly.

OKAY, let's cook.

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Spread the chopped beets onto a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake 25-30 minutes until tender. While the beets bake, sauté the red onion and garlic in olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add the brussels sprouts, thyme, red pepper flakes, and a dash of salt. Sauté for 5 minutes. Pour in the white wine to deglaze the pan and continue cooking at a low simmer for 10-15 minutes, until the brussels sprouts are tender. Add the beets and additional salt and red pepper if desired. Prepare the pasta to al dente. Toss everything together with a drizzle of olive oil and top with crumbled goat cheese. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and enjoy as a chilled pasta salad - or both!