Volunteer at our Garfield farm! Photo by Scott David Gordon

Ever thought about volunteering at JBG?   We'd love to have you, and it's a great way to learn more about organic farming. JBG Volunteers help out on the farm for half a day. We have two locations in Austin:  Hergotz and our Garfield Farm.   At Garfield, where we grow our vegetables, you can help in the greenhouse or in the fields. At Garfield we accept volunteers Monday through Friday from 8-1 am.  We accept volunteers at our Hergotz location from 8am-1pm Tuesdays through Fridays and an additional shift from 1-6 on Fridays. At Hergotz, you can help in the packing shed, packing and sorting vegetables.

If you’re interested in volunteering, please contact us in advance and let us know when you’d like to help.  Because of high demand, it’s essential to RSVP at least 48 hours before you want to volunteer.  You must receive confirmation prior to coming to JBG.  Let us know if you want to give it try by emailing us at volunteer@jbgorganic.com.

 

We are proud to announce that Johnson's Backyard Garden is inducting new members into our Secret Buyer's Club, The Ceres Vegetable Society.  To join the mailing list and receive these exclusive offers, click here.

Today, Thursday, May 21st,  we are teaming up with the fun-loving beer aficionados at The ABGB, a unique Austin brewery with amazing house brews and awesome pub cuisine.  The folks at The ABGB will be offering a surprise for those who are purchasing mystery boxes - available only with a special voucher.  To sign up for a mystery box this week, click here.

What is the Ceres Vegetable Society all about?  This club is for people who LOVE to COOK, LOVE fresh produce, and LOVE a surprise. We will be selling Mystery Boxes at undisclosed locations all over Texas at totally random dates. Meet ups of the Ceres Society will also include live music, chef collaborations and more.

What is a Mystery Box?  Mystery Boxes are full of only the freshest, in-season JBG organic produce for only $25. If and only if you reserve this awesome box packed with mystery, you will be eligible for a gamut of add-on fruit, coffee and more from our local farmer friends. We will also offer Inglorious Vegetables at a 30%-50% discount off our normal prices. These Inglorious Vegetables are fresh and delicious, but may be over or under-sized, funky-shaped, or otherwise not as glamorous as their market counterparts.

Join the Ceres Vegetables Society mailing list today by clicking here.

By Jessye Hipp

Broccoli Pesto

Time: 20 mins Serves: 4

-2 heads of broccoli, cut into florets

-10-15 fresh basil leaves

-3 small garlic cloves

-1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan

-1/4 cup low sodium chicken broth

-1/4 cup olive oil

-1 tsp red pepper flakes

-salt & pepper

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli florets and cook for 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.

Add the garlic and broccoli to a food processor. Pulse until the broccoli is very fine.

Add the basil, Parmesan cheese, chicken broth, olive oil, red pepper flakes, and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Blend until smooth. Add additional olive oil if the pesto needs to smooth out. You don’t want the pesto to be too thick or too thin.

Toss with whole-wheat pasta for a nutty bite, or use as a dip for veggies, or spread on a sandwich. Enjoy!

CSA Box Contents Week of May 18th

Taking a ride on our neighbor's horse at the CSA potluck. Thank you to Stan & Holly! Photo by Scott David Gordon

Well, it has been a bit of a wet week.   I was grateful, though, for the break in the rain we had last Saturday night just in time for the CSA member potluck.  I appreciate all of you who braved the seemingly unrelenting threat of rain to join us - I hope we made it worth your while!  I am always happy to show off our farm, but I was particularly excited for our CSA members to have a look.  As a farmer, I have always gravitated towards the CSA model - from the very beginning - even over on Holly Street -  it just made sense to me.  It is unbelievably rewarding to be able to talk one-on-one with those of you who feed your families with our vegetables, and on Saturday, I got this chance.

One CSA member I got to reconnect with was Deborah Marsh.   After the event, Deborah was kind enough to email us her impressions of the farm - thanks so much, Deborah!  Here's what she had to say -

"We had a great time at the CSA potluck last Saturday. It was my first time visiting the Garfield farm as I did my volunteer work at the Hergotz location. I'd wanted to check out the 'big farm' for several years, and this was the perfect opportunity. We weren't going to let the crazy weather stop us. Our first impression of the farm was one I'll never forget - the rows and rows and rows and rows of Dino (Lacinato) kale!! This is my favorite type of kale. The endless rows of vegetables reminded me of the endless rows of corn in my home state of Wisconsin. After taking my eyes off the kale, the next thing I remember was seeing the beautiful horse/pony getting ready to give rides to the kids. I love horses, and I almost ran along side the kids as they were getting their rides. We set up our chairs next to a nice couple with a young son who was having the time of his life. There was a huge pile of sand for him to play in, and it was close enough to his parents that they could keep their eyes on each other. The big smile never left his face. The food was of course amazing, and A DJ provided lively music and created such a festive atmosphere. One of the highlights of the potluck was spending some time with Brenton and hearing of his future dreams and schemes. His boundless energy and spirit is crazy fun!! The love he has for what he does can only bring happiness and good fortune. One of my mottos is 'nothing ventured, nothing gained', and Brenton is one of the few people I've met in my life who embodies that motto! "

Thanks so much, Deborah!  I agree it was a wonderful evening of good conversation, great food, and amazing tunes thanks to the folks at Breakaway Records.  And, as you will see from the photos, the weather was amazing.  But it was our CSA members made this event so special - we need to do it again soon!  And thanks, too, to our great neighbors, Stan and Holly, for bringing their horse down - it clearly was a big hit!

Yum! Lining up for the good food prepared by our CSA members. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Finding a friend at the CSA member potluck. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Brenton tells CSA members about the new secret vegetable society! Scroll down to learn more. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Kids find the sand pile at the CSA member potluck. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Thanks, Breakaway Records, for spinning some great tunes! Photo by Scott David Gordon

Relaxing at the CSA member potluck. See you next time! Photo by Scott David Gordon

With all of this rain, it has been a bit of an unusual May.  Certainly, the wetness makes our day-to-day operations more difficult, but I would take the rain over the threat of drought any day.  And before long, I know we will be steeped in the hot days of summer.  This means that tomatoes are on their way - and all of the other fruits and vegetables of Summer.  If you have been thinking about it, now is an excellent time to sign up for our CSA as you can reap the abundance of this coming season (for more info or to sign up, just click here).  Already a member?  I give you my thanks yet again and ask you to help us spread the word - tell your friends and neighbors about us.  We want to grow this amazing community of farm supporters!

JBG is Hiring!

The looming tomato season (and harvest) also means that we need more hands on the farm.  Accordingly, we are looking for good workers to join our staff for the season.  Ever considered working on an organic farm?  Here's your chance to give it a try!  It's not for everyone, though.  Please only apply if you know you can handle both physical labor and working in the Texas heat.  For the complete job descriptions for our tomato crew, please click here.  And also be sure to check out our open permanent positions.  We are looking for vegetable couriers and, if office work is more your style, we are also hiring a Part-Time Payroll Accountant.  Click here to access all open positions.  Come join our team and be a part of this one-of-a-kind community-supported organic farm!

Brenton is joined by Contigo owner & General Manager, Edgerton, & Jimmy & Ada, for the inaugural Ceres Vegetable Society event. Photo by Scott David Gordon

We are proud to announce that Johnson's Backyard Garden is inducting new members into our Secret Buyer's Club, The Ceres Vegetable Society.  To join the mailing list and receive these exclusive offers, click here.

 

This club is for people who LOVE to COOK, LOVE fresh produce, and LOVE a surprise. We will be selling Mystery Boxes at undisclosed locations all over Texas at totally random dates. Meet ups of the Ceres Society will also include live music, chef collaborations and more.

What is a Mystery Box?  Mystery Boxes are full of only the freshest, in-season JBG organic produce for only $25. If and only if you reserve this awesome box packed with mystery, you will be eligible for a gamut of add-on fruit, coffee and more from our local farmer friends. We will also offer Inglorious Vegetables at a 30%-50% discount off our normal prices. These Inglorious Vegetables are fresh and delicious, but may be over or under-sized, funky-shaped, or otherwise not as glamorous as their market counterparts.

Join the Ceres Vegetables Society mailing list today by clicking here.

For the inaugural club gathering, we teamed up with the inimitable crew at Contigo, a mostly outdoor establishment with delectable dishes and tasty libations.  Check out the images from our first event.  Sign up now so you don't miss our next pop-up event!

Brenton mans the booth at our inaugural Ceres Vegetable Society event. Photo by Scott David Gordon

THANK YOU to McMercy Family for providing the tunes for our inaugural Ceres Vegetable Society event. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Jimmy shows off his new Ceres Vegetable Society t-shirt. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Hayden helps a secret vegetable society member pick up their mystery box. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Love organic vegetables? Be sure to sign up for our Ceres Vegetable Society! Photo by Scott David Gordon

Sign up for the Ceres Vegetable Society so you can join us next time! Photo by Scott David Gordon

Harvesting in the rain. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Our thanks goes out this week to our amazing field crew for harvesting in the rain and to our dedicated barn crew for washing away all that mud!  As you will see from Scott's photos, it's been one wet week!

Galdino harvests collards in the rain. Photo by Scott David Gordon

A wet harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Stephanie, Helen, & Roger catch a ride in wet fields. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Tomato plants in the rain. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Tomato close up. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Wrapping tomato plants in the rain. Many, many thanks to our hardworking crew. Photo by Scott David Gordon