By Jessye Hipp

Bright green, fresh veggies can brighten up your winter season as well as your kitchen!

My CSA box from Johnson’s Backyard Garden, was bursting with fresh green veggies this week, which is why they are being showcased in this recipe to remind us that color does still exist, even in these dreary winter months.

This dish takes no time to prepare, and will feed a hungry crowd.  It is vegetarian and loaded with protein from the edamame, but you could always add sautéed shrimp or chunks of chicken if you prefer.  The addition of the Sriracha is welcomed in my house, especially when the temperatures outside are dipping below freezing… I like to kick up the heat in the food!  I hope you enjoy! 

Green Veggie Stir-Fry

Time: 20 mins  Serves: 6

1 box (8-10 oz) rice noodles

2 tbls vegetable/canola oil

Veggies:

1 onion, sliced thin

1 head of cabbage, thinly sliced

1 head of broccoli, trimmed into florets

1 ½ cups sugar snap peas, chopped into ½ in pieces (use snow peas if you prefer)

2 cups of edamame, shelled

Sauce:

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup low-sodium chicken stock

1/3 cup of low-sodium soy sauce

1/2 tbls sesame oil

1 tsp rice wine vinegar

1 tsp ground ginger

salt & pepper

Garnish:

3 scallions, thinly sliced

1/4 cup of cilantro, chopped roughly

2 tbls toasted sesame seeds

Sriracha (optional)

Cook the noodles to the directions on the box.  Drain, and rinse with cold water. Allow to sit.

Combine the “Sauce” ingredients together in a bowl.  Set to the side.

In a large skillet, or wok, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Sautee the onions until they begin to soften.  About 6-7 minutes.



Add the broccoli and cook for another 3 minutes until the broccoli is bright green.



Add the cabbage and cook for another 2 minutes.



Add the “Sauce”.  Combine well.  Bring sauce to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer.  Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add the snap peas and edamame.  Cook for 3 minutes to warm through.

You can now allow the veggies and sauce to cool completely and toss with the noodles and serve as a cold salad.  Optional.

To serve hot, toss in the noodles, combine well until the sauce coats the noodles.

Turn off heat and top with chopped scallions, cilantro, and sesame seeds.



Top each serving with Sriracha if desired.

Enjoy!

David Rucci harvests carrots. Photo by Scott David Gordon

It has been cold and muddy out there!  Check out these images of our crew harvesting carrots and beets (and mud!)

Carrot harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Harvesting beets. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Muddy beets! Photo by Scott David Gordon

Artichokes! Photo by Scott David Gordon

Harvesting cilantro. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Vicente harvests cilantro. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Cilantro. Photo by Scott David Gordon

A full greenhouse. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Getting ready for Spring. Photo by Scott David Gordon

New to our CSA?

Start the New Year off on a green foot with a CSA from Johnson's Backyard Garden. New Customers sign up now through the end of January and get your first box free. Yep, free! We think it's a great way to get 2015 started on a healthy note. Choose from 4 share sizes and customize your share contents each week! We'll even deliver right to your house!

Use promo code NewYear at checkout for your free box - Sign up now!

Already a CSA Member?

Love your weekly box of veggies? This New Year, we're asking our community to consider a long-term subscription with the farm. These long-term subscriptions give us the stable income we need to take some of the risk inherent in growing organic vegetables for a large community.

Here's the lowdown on a long-term subscription with JBG:

• A 52-week subscription saves you 10%
• A 26-week subscription saves you 7.5%
• Buy now to ensure you'll get your favorite Spring crops -- like heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, strawberries and more
• Adjust your delivery schedule for travel--we're flexible!
• Option to now customize your share and get the veggies you want
• Enjoyment of over 200 varieties of fresh organic vegetables, year-round
• Provide for our family farm, especially during the slow season
• Give us the capital we need to get ready for spring and build our new barn

Plus, now through the end of January, we will send you a one-box trial JBG Gift Subscription to give to a friend and a tote bag, t-shirt, hat, or bag of citrus for you.

To set up your long-term subscription, give us a call at 512-386-5273

Loading up the harvest in the mud. Photo by Scott David Gordon

So far, this week looks very much like the last one - cold and muddy!  Our thanks to the incredible harvest crew for working despite the low temperatures and the drizzle.

Muddy boots. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Photo by Scott David Gordon

We're getting closer to finishing those trucks! Photo by Scott David Gordon

Angel & Montana seed arugula in the greenhouse. We are doing trial plantings of arugula, strawberries, & tomatoes in the relative warmth of the greenhouse. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Arugula seed. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Montana & Angel plant tomatoes in the greenhouse. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Our greenhouses are full with growing Spring transplants. Start planning your garden now: our Spring Transplant Sale will be on Feb. 28th & March 7th out at River Road. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Photo by Scott David Gordon

Dear CSA Members,

I am very sorry to have to tell you that JBG's database crashed over the weekend. To make matters worse, the company we pay to backup our system also failed to properly backup our data.  What this means is that we do not have full access to all of our member contact info or their CSA schedules.  The good news is that there has not been a security breach of credit card info.  These transactions are handled by a third party.  We do not carry any credit card information and all the related information is secure with the third party company.

As we work to retrieve our customer data, I am asking for all CSA members to please lend us a hand.  Unfortunately, given the timing, all of today's (Tuesday) CSA deliveries and pickups have been postponed until next week.

For deliveries later in the week, it is very important that we get your information as soon as possible. I hate to have to ask as I know all of you lead busy lives, but we need to have your scheduling info in order to get your vegetables to you at the right place at the right time.

To make this as easy as possible for you, we have created a very short form that you can complete by clicking HERE that will give us the information we need to deliver your share of organic produce.

The good news is that we have fields full of beautiful vegetables ready to be harvested.  As far as failures go, I would readily take a technical one over losing crops.  However, please know that this database loss is serious and that our staff is working overtime to solve it quickly as possible.  We are also taking steps to ensure that this doesn't happen again by changing how we backup our data.

As we work to restore our database, we will temporarily be putting our box customization process on hold for the next two weeks.  Please accept my apologies for this delay.  I also give you my sincere thanks for your help as we work through this very unexpected problem.

-Brenton

If you have any questions or if you would prefer to give your information over the phone, please do call us in the office at 512-386-5273.

CSA Box Contents Week of January 12th

CSA Box Contents Week of January 12th

Medium Box
Beet, Golden
Broccoli
Cabbage, Red
Carrot, Orange
Greens, Kale, Curly
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Fennel
Herb, Parsley, Curly
Radish, Daikon
Scallions

Ada, our CSA manager, helps paint our truck. Photo by Scott David Gordon

By Ada Broussard, CSA Manager

As you can probably imagine, things have been a little hectic over in the JBG office as we work to restore our database. We have been logging extra hours and drinking lots of coffee to get things back to normal as soon as possible.

The one silver lining inside all of this has been you, our members. I cannot believe how amazing you all are! Seriously. When our network crashed and we asked you to complete the online form to restore your data, over 800 of you responded within 30 hours. So many of you have been so kind when you call the office, and this makes a huge difference during a stressful situation. What’s even more amazing to me is how many of you have offered to actually come into the office and lend us a hand. To me, that’s an incredible show of community. I want you to know that we are working as fast as we can for you.

If you haven’t had a chance yet to complete the CSA Member form, we need to hear from you ASAP! You can access this form by clicking here. If you would prefer to call in your information, our office number is 512-386-5273.

Also, if you missed your delivery this week or did not receive your add-ons such as eggs or coffee, please email us at farm@jbgorganic.com or call us in the office at 512-386-5273. We will get this rescheduled for you.

You all have been so incredibly patience and understanding as we work to fix this problem. Believe me, you truly are amazing!

Certified organic oranges & grapefruit from G&S Groves. Photo by Scott David Gordon

It's time again for JBG's Annual Bulk Citrus Sale!  Organic oranges and grapefruit are available for purchase at a cost of $12 for a 10 lb. bag.  These delicious oranges and grapefruit are grown in the Rio Grand Valley by our friends at G&S Groves, a certified organic grower in McAllen, Texas.

Click here to pre-order and pickup selected markets or with your regular CSA delivery.  If you're a CSA customer, remember to log in to your JBG account first.  And, as always, give us a call if you have any questions at 512-386-5273.

Roxy, the farm dog, says you should order a bag of citrus today! Photo by Scott David Gordon

Are you looking for a light dish that keeps you heading towards your resolution weight loss goals, but still packs in the flavor? Try my cauliflower and broccoli "rice" tabbouleh now! It's just what you're looking for.

Tabbouleh is traditionally made with a grain of some sort; quinoa, couscous, and rice are all options when making this flavorful healthy Mediterranean side dish. In efforts to lighten up 2015, I have chosen to replace the grain in this recipe with broccoli and cauliflower "rice", which adds both more nutrients and flavor, but still gives the Tabbouleh a traditional texture. I have also added some creamy avocado to enhance the texture of the dish, and give it a little added luxurious-ness. I love how bright and fresh this dish is, and I hope you do too! Enjoy it as a salad mixed with some fresh greens, or a side dish with baked chicken or salmon, or even just as it is for a light lunch! Enjoy!

Broccoli & Cauliflower Tabbouleh

Time: 20 mins Serves: 4-6

1 head of cauliflower, trimmed into florets

2 heads of broccoli, trimmed into florets

1 large cucumber, peeled & seeded, diced

1/4 of a red onion, minced

1 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved

1/2 cup of feta cheese, crumbled

1 large avocado, diced

1 cup of fresh parsley, minced

1 cup of fresh mint, minced

3/4 cup of olive oil (you want to use a really high quality oil here)

1 lemon, zested and juiced

salt & pepper

sunflower seeds (optional)



Begin by putting the cauliflower florets into a food processor, and pulsing a few times until the cauliflower is small and resembles rice or couscous. Put the cauliflower rice into a large bowl. Repeat this step with the broccoli.

Once all of the broccoli and cauliflower are "riced", begin adding the rest of your veggies: tomatoes, onion, cucumber, avocado, herbs, lemon zest, feta.

Combine the lemon juice and olive oil together in a small bowl with a good sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Toss the vinaigrette into the salad, mixing gently until all of the ingredients are comblined.

Taste for additional salt and pepper; add if necessary.

Top each serving with a sprinkling of sunflower seeds if you desire.

Enjoy!

CSA Box Contents Week of Jan 19th

Our transplant sale will be on February 28th & March 7th!

Believe or not, Spring is just around the corner!  Mark your calendars for two upcoming events at JBG.

On February 28th, we will welcome Kate Payne, author of the Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking, back to JBG!  She's be leading a pickling workshop out at our River Road farm - come learn from one of the best!  Stay tuned for more info on how to sign up.

And, on that same day, you can pick out certified organic transplants for your Spring garden at our annual transplant sale!

On February 28th and March 7th, we will host our Annual Spring Organic Transplant Sale.  This year, it will be out at our River Road Farm, located just ten miles east of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.    So, get busy and start planning your Spring garden now!

Our Spring Transplant Sale is on February 28th & March 7th. Photo by Scott David Gordon

CSA Box Contents Week of Jan 19th

Medium Box
Beet, Golden
Broccoli
Cabbage, Red
Carrot, Orange
Greens, Kale, Curly
Greens, Salad Mix
Herb, Parsley, Flat
Parsnip
Potato, Sweet
Scallions

 

Angel disks a cover crop in anticipation of a new crop being planted.

The beginning of the week started to dry out so everyone was playing catch up after many weeks of rain and mud. There is always a lot of work to do on the farm!

Close up of the cover crop.

Flats of kale transplants are lined up outside of the greenhouses.

Unloading transplants from the cart.

Montana changes out a blade on the bed shaper.

The farm dog goes along for the ride as cabbage transplants are put in the ground.

A row of freshly placed transplants.

The transplants go in right as the bed shaper prepares the rows.

Montana uses the bed shaper to mound and smooth out the dirt surface right before the transplants are planted.

Just harvested Collard Greens.

A field of Collard Greens.

Rows of spinach.

The beets are looking great!

 

CSA Box Contents Week of Jan 26th

CSA Box Contents Week of Jan 26th

Medium Box
Beet, Chioggia
Broccoli
Brussels Sprouts
Cabbage, Green
Carrot, Rainbow
Greens, Chard, Rainbow
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Parsley, Flat
Parsnip
Scallions

Our thanks to Katie Woodfin for sending in these great pictures all the way from Oahu, Hawaii!  Katie writes,, "Hey JBG! Me and my brother love your farm and your hats! Here is how we like to show our support! Your fans in the long lost island of Oahu, Hawaii."  We thank Katie and her brother Caleb for showing their support for JBG in Oahu!

Katie Woodfin in Oahu, Hawaii.  Check out the JBG sticker on her car, too!  Thanks, Katie.

Caleb Woodfin wearing JBG in Oahu.

By Jessye Hipp

Looking for a festive and healthy option for Valentine’s Day dinner? Check out my Roasted Carrot & Beet Soup! Valentine’s Day equals chocolate to most of us, but it also means the first big step in surrendering to those New Years weight loss resolutions. Chocolate upon chocolate treats seem to stare you down wherever you go at this time of year, but you don’t have to give in! You can still be festive and celebrate love this year. My Roasted Carrot & Beet Soup can be the star dish and decoration at your Valentine’s Day dinner party…. It’s pink!! The beets in the soup turn it the most shockingly gorgeous pink; it’s hard to believe it is natural! Carrots and beets are well stocked in my CSA box this time of year from Johnson’s Backyard Garden, but I have been saving this delightful soup for the Valentine’s Day celebrations. Most of us aren’t used to sitting down to dinner and seeing something bright pink on the plate, but trust me; the delicious flavors are there. The addition of some spices gives a little kick to the sweet roasted beets and carrots. Have fun with your guests this Valentine’s Day! Pink soup! YUM!

Roasted Carrot & Beet Soup Time: 45 mins Serves: 4

5 beets, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces

5 medium carrots, peeled and cut in half lengthwise and across

1 medium onion, diced

1 head of garlic, tail end (opposite from the “hair”) cut off exposing all of the cloves

4 scallions, white parts only, thinly sliced

olive oil

3 tbls butter

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp cayenne

1/8 tsp chili powder

1/8 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp dried parsley

salt & pepper

1 cup of heavy cream

3 cups of low-sodium chicken stock

1/2 cup of water

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Place the carrots and beets on a sheet tray. Toss with 1 tbls of olive oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Wrap the garlic clove in aluminum foil. Drizzle with ½ tbls of olive oil before sealing the packet. Place the packet on the tray with the beets and carrots.



Roast the veggies in the oven for 30 minute until everything is very fork tender. (you want the veggies to be super soft so the puree will be fairly smooth.)

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, melt the butter into 1 tbls of olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, paprika, chili powder, parsley, and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook over medium until the onions until they are softened, then reduce the heat to medium-low so they can caramelize. This will take about 30 minutes.

When the roasted veggies are done, add them to the onions. Toss to coat the veggies in the butter.



Remove the garlic from the foil, and squeeze out the roasted garlic cloves. Add all of the vegetables, and the roasted garlic to a blender or food processor. Pulse until the mixture is smooth.

Slowly add the chicken stock until the soup is your desired consistency. I like this type of soup to be a little bit thick, so I used about 2 cups. The amount of stock will depend on how thick your carrot and beet puree is.

Next add the heavy cream, and stir manually. (This will turn the soup a bright pink color! I just love that beets are so naturally colorful!)

Taste the soup for salt and pepper, add more if necessary.

Sprinkle each serving with roasted pepitas (pumpkin seeds) if desired!

Spinach harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon

We seem to be on another weather roller coaster - can you believe the temperatures we've had this week?  Our crops are doing well despite the ups and downs!

Just harvested rainbow chard. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Chard harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon

The sugar cane fence line goes up. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Sugar cane close-up. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Taylor washes a bunch of parsnips. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Just washed parsnips. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Check out all of those transplants  - we are more than ready for Spring! Photo by Scott David Gordon

Kate Payne will host a pickling class at JBG on February 28th! Photo by Scott David Gordon

We have a lot coming up this Spring at JBG, and it's not just vegetables.  Make sure you mark your calendars for these great events.

On February 28th, we will welcome Kate Payne, author of the Hip Girl's Guide to Homemaking, back to JBG!  She's be leading a pickling workshop out at our River Road farm - come learn from one of the best!  Stay tuned for more info on how to sign up. On March 7th, March 14th, and March 21st,  we will host our Annual Spring Organic Transplant Sale.  This year, it will be out at our River Road Farm, located just ten miles east of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.    So, get busy and start planning your Spring garden now!

And our Spring Potluck will be on Saturday, April 4th, also out at the River Road farm.  This year's Spring's potluck is going to be a blast!  We have a 5k and a fun run/walk scheduled (start your training now) and have the following great bands lined up:  La Tampiquena, Mr. Will Dupuy, Show and Tellers, and Gumbo Ce Soir.  And, of course, there will be great food, community, and conversation.  We'll keep you posted on the details as we get closer to the date, but make sure you mark it on your calendar now!

Farmshare's Marissa Lankes can teach you the fundamentals of organic gardening!. Photo by Carrie Kenny

Starting February 7th, Farmshare Austin will offer classes on organic gardening - sign up now!

Learn the fundamentals of organic production for home gardens just in time for spring! Farmshare's six class series will take place at the beautiful historic Boggy Creek Farm and will cover:

-Intro to sustainable/organic

-Soil physical and bio processes

-Manage fertility and composting

-Propagation, transplanting, and seeding

-Weed, disease, and pest management

-Chickens!

Classes are Saturday from 9:00 AM to noon February 7th to March 14th. Tuition is $200 for the series.  Individual classes can also be purchased for $40 each.  For more information and to reserve your spot, please click here.

A sugar cane fence! Photo by Scott David Gordon

This week, we decided to build a fence (of sorts) along one of the property lines of the farm.  I know that good fences can make good neighbors, but, really, this isn't why we did it - I will be happy, though, if this ends up being one of the outcomes!  What we were really looking for was available land on which to plant sugar cane.  Sugar cane is an unusual crop because it can stay in the ground for up to two years prior to harvest.  Given that we need to rotate our vegetable and cover crops at JBG more frequently than that, this two-year time period presents a problem.   The solution we came up with was to plant the sugar cane along the border between our farm and our neighbor's.  This allows us to use a part of the farm not needed for vegetable cultivation and to create a natural division of the property.  Thank you to the crew for all of their hard work in making this happen.  And, don't worry - I'm not going to turn into a sugar cane grower.  It's a small crop for us but one with an emotional connection for me because, when I was a kid in Alabama, I would get locally grown sugar cane as a treat.

Sugar cane fence - a view from above. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Despite having built four new greenhouses, we are already bursting at the seams with Spring transplants.  To accommodate all of these, we've laid down ground cloth to put the transplants on that, when totaled, matches the space of four more greenhouses.  That's a lot of transplants!  Our farm manager, Mike Reed, has been working overtime to figure out where all of these new transplants will be planted.  This means not only mapping it out but also managing our crew to make sure the beds are prepped and ready to go when its time to plant.  From now until May, we will all be working extra hours to get those plants into the ground for Spring.

Look at all of those transplants! Photo by Scott David Gordon

As we are gearing up for Spring planting, my hope is that you will do the same.  Now is the time to start planning your own gardens!  Just as a reminder, we will be having our Annual Spring Organic Transplant Sale on March 7th, March 14th, and March 21st.  We will host it out at our farm at River Road in Cedar Creek for the first time - this way, you can also see our new greenhouses and get a look at what's growing in the fields.  Believe me, it's not too far out - just 10 short miles from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport down 71 and well worth the trip.  See you out there soon! Send Us Photos of Your Garden! If you are a gardener, we'd love to see photos of your garden!  Send us a picture of your garden from last year so we can post it in the newsletter.  Who knows?  Your efforts may inspire others to grow their own vegetables, too!  Just email the photo to carrie@jbgorganic.com along with your contact info.  Thanks so much!

Also, want to learn about organic gardening?  Farmshare Austin is hosting a series of organic gardening classes beginning February 7th - just in time for Spring!  To lean more, please click here.