CSA Box Contents Week of Mar 9th

Large Box
Beets
Cabbage
Carrot, Orange X 2
Greens, Collards
Greens, Dandelion
Greens, Kale, Curly
Greens, Salad Mix
Herb, Cilantro
Herb, Parsley, Flat
Onion, Spring White
Roasting Veggies

CSA Box Contents Week of Mar 9th

A bee lands in the field. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Whether you’re worried about stocking your pantry or concerned about how to stay well, we’re here for you. Full plates of organic and local vegetables are the perfect fuel to keep a healthy body vibrant, and our produce will do just that. We assure you that our harvest, packing, and delivery procedures are as safe as ever.

Our farm is following the guidance published by the CDC for businesses and employers, the City of Austin, as well as well as all procedures required by our Organic and GAP certification, many of which revolve around food safety, equipment and tool sanitization, and employee hygiene. Both GAP (Good Agricultural Practices) and Organic Certification require establishing rigorous and detailed protocol and procedures that ensure the health and safety of not only our employees working on the farm, but also of the vegetables that leave the farm. We are proud of these systems as well as our employees’ sustained compliance with them. (By the way, within the past 6 months we’ve been a part of routine audits by the TDA, USDA, as well as our organic certifier, NICS: We passed each audit with zero issues or concerns!).

Krishna with the JBG Food Safety Policy Plan. This is a picture of our plan from 2017. See all those tabs? In the three years since this photo was taken we've added even more. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tracy sanitizing the tools. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Given the times, we are also taking a few extra precautions: All of our delivery vehicles are equipped with hand sanitizer so that delivery drivers can sanitize along their route. Farmers’ market staff are additionally being asked to sanitize their hands routinely between customers, and both sets of employees are washing their hands more often than what is required by food safety regulations… which is a lot to begin with. Our partners at the farmer’s markets are also taking COVID-19 seriously. Texas Farmers’ Market has increased the number of sanitization stations and are not allowing self-service of samples to customers. The Sustainable Food Center is similarly setting up additional hand-washing stations and will “remain in communication with the City of Austin regarding any potential for suspension or closure of our markets. As a point of food access for our residents, at this time the city is not recommending that we interrupt our services and the markets will continue.”

As a reminder to all of our CSA Customers: If you live in the Austin-area, home delivery is an option for an additional $5/delivery. We know avoiding public spaces may help alleviate potential stress for you during this time. To see what day we visit your neighborhood, simply enter your zipcode on this page. If you have any conflicts with your current delivery schedule, reminder that you can reach out to Faith at farm@jbgorganic.com.

For those of you looking for a wonderful reason to spend most of your weekend at home, might we suggest getting a spring garden started?! We speak from experience when saying that some time in the sun and the dirt is good for your health. Our Spring Transplant Sale will be going on for an additional 3 Saturdays: 3/14, 3/21, and 3/28! The sale is from 9am-2pm in our greenhouses, located at 4008 River Road, Garfield, 78612. This weekend we’re excited to again distribute free trees provided by Tree Folks. This weekend's saplings include Texas Mountain Laurel, Texas Persimmon, and Mexican Buckeye. In addition to these trees, we have tons of organic vegetable transplants for sale including endless varieties of cherry and slicing tomatoes (Chocolate Cherokee?!), hot and sweet peppers, squash, okra, and a whole medley of herbs like Holy Basil, mint, and oregano just to name a few. We purged our seed cooler and have the transplants to prove it. We also have farm-grade tomato stakes and cages as well as compost for sale. No need to go anywhere else.

Transplant picks. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

If you’re unable to make it to the farm, a reminder that you can pre-order your transplants online and pick them up at a farmer’s market. *The delivery cutoff for any same-week delivery is Thursday afternoon. Order today (Friday 3/13) and your transplants will be delivered next weekend (3/20 or 3/21).

As always, thank you for your support of local agriculture. In contrast to produce you might find in a grocery store, our veggies aren’t passing through any middle-men or distribution warehouses. Vegetables go from our farm to your kitchen, providing you with not only safe, but also delicious, ingredients to fuel you and your family. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions, and have a wonderful day.

Spinach harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.



Need something to keep you going? How about a big bowl of dark, leafy greens. Photo by Mackenzie Smith Kelley.

CSA Box Contents Week of Mar 16th

CSA Box Contents Week of Mar 16th

Large Box
Beets
Cabbage
Carrot, Orange X 2
Greens, Collards
Greens, Dandelion
Greens, Kale, Curly
Greens, Salad Mix
Herb, Cilantro
Herb, Parsley, Flat
Onion, Spring White
Roasting Veggies

Wilted Kale Bacon Fennel Salad Recipe and Photos by Laura Lee Imhoff

One of my favorite parts of working for Johnson’s Backyard Garden for so many years was experimenting with recipes throughout the week to share with customers at the market. Fennel was one vegetable that folks didn’t always know what to do with. Let’s face it the bulbous base and feathery top can really stand out, not to mention the anise-flavored attributes. Fennel with the right flavor combinations such as the saltiness of the bacon and the sweet, acidity of fresh orange, can spruce up any winter table setting.

• 2 bulbs fennel, 1/4 inch thick, sliced, 1 inch or less length
• 1/2 pound applewood bacon
• 1 bunch lacinato or dinosaur kale
• 1.5 oranges cut up, 1 zest and hand-pressed juice
• 1 tablespoon Cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoons agave syrup
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

• Chop the ends off of the fennel, leaving the bulb and the heartier ends of the stalks.
• Remove the outer shell of the fennel bulbs and cut in half. Slice fennel into 1/4 inch thick slices
• Cut bacon into 1/2 inch pieces
• In a hot sauté pan, place bacon in the pan. Stir occasionally to break up the pieces
• Once bacon begins to brown, strain off the grease
• When bacon is looking thoroughly browned, add the fennel to the pan
• While bacon/fennel mixture is cooking, coarse chop kale and put in a large bowl
• Zest one orange, after zesting dice up 1.5 oranges. Squeeze the juice from the remaining half of the orange onto the kale
• Add vinegar and agave into the bowl. Toss and massage the liquids into the kale
• Remove the fennel and bacon from the pan
• While still warm, mix the fennel and bacon with the kale and dressing. The heat from the mixture will wilt the kale slightly
• Salt & Pepper to taste.

Things in the human-world are complicated at the moment, to say the least. The economy, travel, gatherings with friends... it's all come to a halt. But you know what hasn't slowed down? The crops we have growing in the fields. They didn't seem to get the memo that we're engaged in a global pandemic, and they are busy flourishing according to mother nature's tick tock. It's spring, y'all! Mid-March is always a bustling time on the farm, and this March is no different. Well, actually, it's very different. In addition to the regular hustle and bustle of farm life in the Spring, we're also busy adapting to the ever changing demands brought on by the Corona virus, including implementing new procedures at the farm, on our delivery routes, and at the farmers' market. We've seen a huge surge in demand for our CSA boxes (home delivery, specifically) and are trying to meet our community's need for fresh, safe, and delicious produce as fast and as best as we can. If you've been a CSA member for a long time and are reading this, thank you for your patience as we shift delivery schedules and make adjustments. If you're a new CSA member reading this, welcome! About every two weeks we share photos of what's happening on the farm, and despite the chaos going on in the office, things appear to be somewhat normal in the fields. Without further adieu, this week's photos:

Spinach harvest, headed to CSA shares and farmer's markets. Sanitized knives, fresh gloves, plastic liners... these are all regular practices under our food safety policies and are proving to be helpful during this pandemic, as well. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Anyone craving a salad? Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Flowers next to our dino kale. Do you spy the beneficial insect in this photo? Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The demand for our carrots is high this week. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The under cutter bar loosens the soil beneath our carrots, then our harvest team makes the bouquets. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Don't worry... we've got more where those came from. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Our busy transplanting schedule has not slowed down. Here, peppers are getting into the ground. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Pepper transplants ready to be planted. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Have you tried our spring onions? The bulbs are sizing up, yet their young age makes them milder and sweeter than they will be in a month or so. We love these grilled whole - both the greens and bulbs are delicious! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

A few weeks ago, before anyone knew what the term "social distancing" even meant, our friends at Club Home Made taught an Organic Gardening Workshop in the lunch barn. Needless to say, we're all so grateful for this community gathering that was able to take place! Participants perused the JBG Transplant Sale after the workshop, and we know there are some killer gardens growing right now. Speaking of: are you still interested in getting transplants? We've stopped all deliveries of transplants, but there are still two options to come to our Garfield Farm and get some transplants for your garden. More details here. 

Becky and Ada of Club Home Made usually run a Meal Prep Club. On this day, however, they wore their farmer hats and taught a gardening workshop! Thanks, y'all! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Lines before lines were forbidden. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Head farmer, and two helpers. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

This week we thought we’d start off with some updates, then just leave you with some of the most soothing and peaceful farm photos we could find. We know you’re all inundated with news right now, so we appreciate you taking a moment to consume ours. Don’t forget to scroll to the bottom for some virtual and visual stress relief.

 

• First, we just wanted to take a moment to say what a wonderful community we have. When we needed hand sanitizer in order to attend markets, CSA Members, Instagram followers, and restaurant partners pitched in. Service industry workers, artists, and concert venues are a pillar of our city’s economy. These folks are hurting and need our support. Austin’s health care workers are operating under stressful and tense conditions. Farmers and grocery store staff are working overtime to meet our community’s overwhelming demand for fresh food. All this to say: thank you to our community for doing your best and doing your part, whatever that might be. We’re here for you! We got this!
• CSA Members: Please be patient as we incorporate a huge number of new deliveries into our home delivery routes. Be on the lookout for an important email this weekend regarding a few minor changes we’ll be making to the CSA for the next few weeks while we adjust to the incredible increase of members. As a reminder, we’re here for you! E-mail or call us if you have questions! (Tell Faith she’s doing a great job, while you’re at it ;)
• Lots of you are asking about CSA site closures: We are staying on top of this and are coordinating alternative pickups with each and every member that this affects. Email us if you have a question.
• Reminder that we’re practicing no-contact deliveries. If you see our driver, give him/her a big ‘ole air five from 6 feet away.
• Reminder to leave out any empty CSA boxes for our driver to scoop up. (These are being sanitized and also incorporated into a strict rotation schedule with a long holding period.)
• As of 3/12, we are no longer accepting volunteers at either of our farm locations.
• We are still attending all farmers’ markets. These are important food access points for our community and are operating under VERY modified conditions to accommodate quick and contactless food pickups. Check your favorite market’s social media account for the latest updates.
• We have one-last opportunity for you to get spring transplants. Details on picking up transplants at our Garfield Farm here.
• Last, we know many of you are spending more time in the kitchen than usual. A reminder, we have an awesome collection of seasonal recipes on our Recipe Archive. Over the next couple of weeks we’ll be collecting recipes from our customers and sharing here, on the blog. If you cook something delicious, tag us on social media (@jbgorganic) and use the hashtag #jbgcooks . If it’s a real home run, make sure you snap an artsy photo (protip: use natural light for food photography!), and e-mail it directly to Ada: ada@jbgorganic.com. Now, onto the photos.

 

Scott has been visiting the farm just about every week or other week for the past 8 years. At the farm, he captures the busy hustle and bustle of a commercial vegetable farm, but he also captures the slow moments like dew on cabbage and mist amid the fields. At a time when we’re, perhaps, distracted by the difficulty in socially isolating ourselves, let’s enjoy the gift of time we’re suddenly given to go on a slow walk and appreciate the small wonders. Stop and smell the roses and redbuds, if you will. Thanks, Scott, for giving us some beautiful images that capture this special moment in our growing season - Spring!

Sit and be still

until in the time

of no rain you hear

beneath the dry wind’s

commotion in the trees

the sound of flowing

water among the rocks,

a stream unheard before,

and you are where

breathing is a prayer.

-Wendell Berry



 























 

CSA Box Contents Week of Mar 23rd

CSA Box Contents Week of Mar 23rd

Large Box Beets Cabbage Carrots Greens, Chard, Rainbow Greens, Collards Greens, Dandelion Greens, Kale, Curly Greens, Spinach Herb, Cilantro Onion, Spring White Roasting Veggies

 

Dear CSA Members,

We are experiencing incredibly high demand for our CSA shares at the moment and are working very hard to provide as many Texans with our produce as possible. That being said, we have reached our capacity and now actually have a waiting list to join the CSA! Our fields are bountiful, but they can only fit so much produce. We have two important updates regarding the CSA that we're instituting to help us manage the workload:

One: In order to streamline the CSA packing process for our staff, we will not be offering our normal customization feature. You may still see the "customize this box" button on your page, but please do not use this feature until we give you the green light. We know many of you enjoy this feature, and we appreciate your understanding as we pause on customization for the moment. We are going to try our best to make exceptions for anyone who has serious allergies to certain vegetables. If this is you, please e-mail Faith and we'll see what we can do - farm@jbgorganic.com.

Two: We're not the only farmers currently experiencing incredibly high demand for our products. Our egg and orange vendors are not able to increase their production and so are having trouble meeting our increased demand for these products. For this reason, you cannot add these products to your orders right now. We are still getting in some of these products and if you already ordered eggs or oranges, we will deliver them when we have them and evenly distribute them among the routes. If you ordered eggs or oranges but did not get them, please email us and we will issue you a refund - farm@jbgorganic.com.

Again, thank you all for your incredible support during this time. We are honored and proud to grow you fresh, safe, and delicious vegetables for all your culinary needs. Speaking of, if you're looking for some ideas as to how to use your CSA veggies, checkout the JBG Recipe Archive. Cook something delicious and think others should know about it? Tag the farm on social media (@jbgorganic) and use the hashtag #JBGCOOKS. We'll be collecting photos and recipes here to share on the blog. If you whip up something that you know is blog-worthy, snap a pic and email a recipe directly to Ada - ada@jbgorganic.

Stay Well, Your JBG Farmers and Farm Staff

This collards wrap recipe is an oldie but goodie. It's the perfect recipe to combine fresh items from your CSA share with some leftovers or canned beans that might be lingering in the fridge. See Mackenzie's collard wrap recipe here.

The farmers' markets in our community are important food access points and will remain open. Our booth and the way we operate, however, are very far from normal. No customers are allowed inside our booth, and designated staff are packing orders for customers on by one. Surfaces, hands, registers- they're all being sanitized on a strict schedule. The list goes on, and so do the vegetables.

All of our staff are required to wear gloves and also sanitize their hands every hour. Dusty is taking up his protection to a new level with his very smart, and stealth looking mask. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

 

Surprise! You're not allowed in our booths. During this time, no shoppers are allowed inside our booth and you will be greeted with a table blocking your entrance. We have designated staff to handle veggies and designated staff to handle cash, and never shall the two mix. Please come to our booth having an idea of what you would like to order - our staff will pack up a back for you. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Ordering a CSA share is a wonderful way to facilitate quick , no contact pickup at market. Our CSA signup is temporarily closed, but feel free to enter your email when prompted on the signup page to get updates on the program. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Our golden beets are looking beautiful! Two vegetables, in one. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Thank a farmer, like Dusty, if you head to market. Maybe even give them an air-five. We sincerely appreciate the hard work of our market staff who are dedicated to providing the community with safe, organic, and fresh vegetables. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Not only are market customers asked to social distance, but vendor booths are also spaced out from each other. We miss being huddled up next to our neighbors, but this breathing room is the way to go. Notice anything else missing from our booth? We're foregoing tablecloths right now to more easily sanitize the tables. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

It's spring! And that means our crops aren't slowing down for anything. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

This Saturday we're hosting a farmstand at our Garfield farm where you will also be able to grab Spring Transplants. If you need advice on what to plant, stand 6 feet away from Brenton and ask him yourself. Farm stand and transplant sale: 9am-2pm, 4008 River Road Garfield, 78612. Please make sure to use this address; google may lead you to our other location. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

 

Emily's meal planning setup. Photo courtesy of her Instagram, seasonal.ish.

By Emily Laughlin (follow for more @seasonal.ish)

If you are new to CSA or recently restarted an old subscription the circumstances that brought you here are different and let’s all just pause for a moment to contemplate what the farmers and operations staff have done for years and now in this extreme time to feed us all and keep us healthy. Let’s extend huge thanks and a collective round of applause to our local farmers and operations staff for the ongoing and hard work they do. Wow!

By the time we decided to try CSA I had already tried my hand at growing vegetables in the backyard (too many squirrels), attempted to start a community garden (too much politics), and attended some farm tours before finally realizing that my best role in this may just be consistently supporting others who do that work. Would simply supporting the work of others in food production make a bigger dent in my life and the lives of others in the community? For someone searching for greater connection to food production, and cleaner healthy eating CSA was POSSIBLY the answer.

Having no idea what they were going to send me, nor any idea how to deal with all those new-to-me-veggies and what was going to do with them(?), signing up for a CSA membership has turned out to be one of the best decisions and one way I actually ENJOY SPENDING money. As an investment it multiplies and returns back in great dividends such as: healthier appetite, chance for creativity in cooking, and a greater connection to local community.

At the beginning it was a little stressful. The first few weeks went like this: “what IS this??!!?!?!!?”, “how am i going to store all this?”, oh darn I forgot to EAT THAT (stares down browning broccoli)”, And so on....it felt like the clock was ticking and the pressure was on to make use of and all this food and do what one is supposed to do…um… what is one supposed to do with an entire cardboard box full of veggies?

Photo courtesy of Emily's Instagram - seasnoal.ish.

Your list of CSA hacks from one semi-newbie to another:

1. Storage & Prep Upon receiving the box, set time aside immediately to store it all the right way, right away. That means mindfully clearing space in fridge the day before delivery, keeping plastic storage bags on hand and reusing them over and over. Do a little research on which veggies need to be cut or kept as-is (hint: leave cabbage alone, cut off carrot tops but save them for the recipe below) and then research which ones go in the fridge vs. what goes on the counter top vs. dark pantry shelf. If it feels overwhelming check the farm website to preview what is coming in your box and read up on the storage tips on the site too!

2. A little planning goes a long way Don’t go to any food store in the days leading up to the day you get your veggie-box-o-love. With a little planning you’ll have a better idea how you’re going to use the veg and won’t end up with doubles or extras, effectively keeping your bills lower and getting only what you need. Again, preview the selection but also know amounts can differ slightly so you might get extra of one thing and less of another sometimes and know that is just the exciting realities of living directly off the land. However, if you follow the next tip you may not need to go to any food store after all.

3. Keep key ingredients on hand and you’ll be ready to cook most things a few different ways. I’m talking things like garlic, ginger, big yellow and red onions, basic dry noodles, some key oils and sauces (soy/tamarin/coconut aminos/, sesame oil, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, white vinegar), tahini (for veggie hummus), Parmesan, a semi-soft cheese, some proteins (chicken, beef, tofu, red beans, black beans, eggs), sea salt of course, and a few favorite fresh herbs. Or better yet…..

4. Start an herb garden in the kitchen window, pots outside, in the ground… wherever it works for you to get some good light, and remember to water it. There are lots of options. Rosemary tends to grow well here as a landscape shrub for example. JBG has a transplant sale you can buy starter plants and they frequently send out dill, cilantro or parsley in the boxes. So I recommend starting with basil, oregano, and thyme.

5. Quick Pickling Get a couple wide mouth mason jars and try your hand at being a pioneer. Hah, no we have refrigeration so it’s much easier. It’s cheap and fun and so satisfying to realize how resourceful you really are. You basically heat up some water, white vinegar, sugar, and salt then poor over sliced radish, cucumbers, carrots and you’ll have a great mix for tacos, sandwiches, etc... (see below for recipe ideas)

6. When in doubt just FREEZE When something appears to be wilting I just buckle up and make something with it and share it with a friend, or have as leftovers the next couple days. If you have a busy week ahead figure out how to combine it all into one dish, make a bunch of something and then freeze half (casserole, soup, quiche for example). If they send you lots of dill for example you can cut off little bits and freeze in bags or ice trays for later use! Since becoming a CSA member I’ve gained a small sense of what living at the mercy of the seasons, weather, and land provide and thought a lot more about my ancestors. Of course we aren’t doing the heavy lifting, and day to day operational planning that comes with farming so there’s that and we also have a huge leg up with refrigeration. So use it to your advantage! Quick pickling and cooking and freezing extends the life of not only your fresh veggies but also the good intentions you’ve made by committing to a few boxes of CSA membership. It doesn’t have to be perfect but try something new before you are forced to let it go into the compost pile. And that brings me to…

7. Composting - in some parts of the delivery zone there is city compost collection. But why would you allow all that primo organic waste go away to the city when you could gather it up and create the most amazing and free fertilizer for your own landscaping needs? This topic may be worthy of a whole other post but believe me if we can do it you can do it and it’s soooo much easier and more simple than some how-tos make it sound. I’ve even heard of apartment dwellers that do it successfully. Note: If you see Live Oaks nearby they are shedding ALL their many leaves RIGHT NOW so grab a couple bags full and you can start the compost of your dreams and have a place to send all your CSA peelings, trimmings and leftovers at the end of the day.

Earlier I touched on the subtle shift I’ve experienced since becoming a CSA member. When we receive our veggies I see a person in a delivery truck I know lives in the area, and that the veggies they bring were packed recently and nearby. I see the pictures on the blog of the people and even met a few who work to make that happen. I am familiar with the ground and soil that these veggies grew in and know first hand how hard it is to grow things in the hot Texas sun and where it seems we are either experiencing a flood or drought. I know the temps we’ve had because I’ve experienced them too. And with that comes a deep appreciation for the hard work and expertise it must take and I gladly support the effort, creativity, and organization it takes to run such an operation. Being a customer allows me a part of keeping this process going and a chance to belong to a greater local community. All this reminds me to minimize my waste and not take more than I need.

Emily's transplants that she scooped up at the JBG Transplant sale and Club Home Made gardening workshop. Photo from Instagram.

If we can learn to accept what is natural and raw from the ground in the area we live we can support a process of natural organic food creation. Being a CSA member is for good health, and also supports a healthy local food system in our community and beyond. I’m contributing just one part of that process and every time I receive my box I’m reminded of my place in that system and that’s why it’s been a great decision to become a CSA member. So I thank and applaud you too for taking a chance, supporting local farmers, and our local community. If you are looking for ideas what to cook each week, want more tips and share ideas with people who are getting the same veggies that you are follow us on Instagram @seasonal.ish and say hi!

Carrot Top Pesto

As a pesto lover it blew my prepackaged-carrot-buying mind wide open when I realized one can make PESTO with green carrot tops!!!! If you already knew this don’t judge, but if you didn’t join me this week in collective resourcefulness and creativity in making this not so exotic but delightfully new treat. The main thing here is that a lot of substitutions work with this dish. Don’t have pine nuts? Use Walnuts. I’ve even seen ingredients with cashews and macadamia nuts in them. I’ve added in mozzarella when i didn’t have enough Parmesan for example. I just hope you have garlic and olive oil.

• Ingredients
• 1 bunch of carrot tops
• 1/2 cup Olive Oil
• 1/3 cup of pine nuts or walnuts (sub other nuts)
• 1/2 cup cheese (parmesan usually but I’ve subbed in mozzarella and it worked out)
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp salt & pepper

Now… if you don’t have food processor use a blender, then you may have to ask around. The cool thing is that you can share some with whatever friend or neighbor lends their equipment for this project. First add the carrot tops, nuts, and garlic to the blender and blend, then add cheese, blend, then if possible pour in olive oil while running the blender. It is ok to pour in thirds some then blend after each time. Now empty into a bowl and dip with carrots, crackers or add to your favorite pasta dish. This keeps in the fridge or freezer for later.

Emily's carrot tops, ready for pesto. Photo from the seasonal.ish Instagram.

Middle Eastern Spinach Pies



Author: The Migoni Kitchen 

Makes 16 Pies 

Total Time: Approx 70-90 minutes

For the full post, head to Summer's blog. 

These small hand pies, otherwise known as Fatayer in Arabic, can be filled with ground beef, mixed cheeses, or spinach with assorted spices. They are usually a hit with all the kiddos in our family, plus would be super fun to get the little ones involved in making them! 

 

It’s worth mentioning that the pies freeze amazingly well, so make a few extra and save them for later. If you’re not one for extensive cooking projects, you can swap store bought pizza dough or even crescent roll dough and still use the same spinach filling with a similar result. 

 

The dough is very simple and similar to pizza dough, requiring yeast, flour, and water. It does require some time to rise, so you can work on preparing the filling while the dough rises. The filling is mostly spinach and onion. We opted to add in some fresh herbs like mint and parsley as well along with some lemon and sumac for freshness. Sumac is a common spice in Middle Eastern cooking that has a fresh lemony taste. Locally, it’s carried at Whole Foods and Central Market. 

 

Ingredients:

Pie Dough

• 1 Packet Active Dry Yeast
• 1 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar
• 1 Cup Lukewarm Water
• 2½ Cups All Purpose Flour
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt

Spinach Filling

• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 6 Ounces Fresh Spinach Finely Chopped (can sub about 4 ounces frozen spinach)
• ½ Medium Yellow Onion Diced
• 1 Cup Fresh Parsley Chopped
• ¼ Cup Fresh Mint Chopped
• 1 Lemon Juiced
• 1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
• 2 Teaspoons Sumac
• ½ Teaspoon Garlic Powder

 

Instructions: 

Making the Dough

1. Combine the yeast, sugar, and water into a large bowl and allow to sit for 3-5 minutes until the yeast has bubbled.
2. Next, combine the flour, salt, and olive oil in a stand mixer or large mixing bowl. Add in the yeast mixture into the flour and knead until the dough is soft and no longer sticks to the bowl.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour or until doubled in size.

The Spinach Filling

1. Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add in the onion and cook for 3-4 minutes until translucent.
2. Add in the spinach and herbs and continue cooking for about 10 minutes, allowing the greens to wilt and most of the liquid to evaporate.
3. Then, add in the remaining ingredients - lemon juice, salt, garlic powder, and sumac. Cook for another 5 minutes, then remove from heat and allow to cool.

Making the Pies

1. Pre-heat the oven to 450-500F
2. Once the dough has risen, take a golf-ball size piece of dough and roll out onto a floured surface into a flat disc about the size of the palm of your hand.
3. Fill with approximately 2 tablespoons of the cooled spinach filling in the middle of the disc.
4. Wet the edges of the dough slightly with water and pinch the edges of the dough together to sear the filling in. We make ours into triangles.
5. Continue until you have used all of the filling.
6. Bake on a baking sheet at 450-500F for 10 minutes or until the dough is golden brown.

This Saturday, March 28th, we're hosting a farmstand at our Garfield, Texas farm. From 9am-2pm. Drop by the farm on Saturday to grab veggies for the week (or a couple of weeks...) as well as spring transplants. This is the last opportunity to get certified organic transplants from our farm and all transplants are discounted to $2/plant. Victory garden, anyone? We can't think of a better time to grow your own food.

When: Saturday, March 28th, 9am-2pm

Where: **4008 River Road, Garfield, 78612

What: JBG Farmstand and Transplant Sale

**Please make sure to use this address. Google may lead you astray.

Please note: We will have a modified market booth on site selling our organic produce. In addition to that, we will have a limited number of pre-packed boxes of vegetables. If you're interested in one of these, please ask your cashier if any are available.

We will be operating the farm stand following very strict no-contact and social distancing procedures. Hand washing stations are setup outside and inside the greenhouse, and we will be enacting a strict "you touch it, you buy it policy". In our experience, farmstands that we host at our out-of-town Garfield Farm have a slow stream of shoppers, and so we don't anticipate a large number of people arriving at one. Should this happen, however, we will be limiting the number of customers' in our greenhouse.

If you make your way to the farm this Saturday, we invite you to enjoy the open air our farm has to provide and take a stroll around the farm. Our spring crops look beautiful right now. Please, just make sure you practice responsible social distancing not only with others around you, but also with our crops, tools, trailers, and tractors.

CSA Box Contents Week of Mar 30th

Large Box
Beets
Carrots
Greens, Chard, Rainbow
Greens, Collards
Greens, Dandelion
Greens, Kale, Curly
Greens, Kale, Dino
Greens, Spinach
Herb, Cilantro
Onion, Spring White
Roasting Veggies