CSA Box Contents Week of Nov 11th

This week our photographer Scott swung by our packing shed location where he got some shots of us sorting hot peppers (RIP pepper crop) and washing bulk beets. At the farm, the focus was on harvesting greens like frilly mustard, dark and dense kale, and zesty arugula. The heavy rain forecasted at the end of this week meant for very heavy harvest schedules at the beginning of this week.

The last of the cherry bomb and habanero peppers for the season. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tracy giving the pepper run down: temperatures dipped below freezing, we had to pick all of our peppers, and now we will attempt to sell all of these peppers. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Clean beets are at the end of this tunnel. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The power washing never really ends around here... Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvesting dino kale to meet this city's incredible demand for local greens. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Do you dino? Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Loading up beet seeds into our 4 line seeder. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Four lines of beets are getting planted into beautifully prepped beds. Under the soil is a line of drip tape which will give these seeds the moisture they need to germinate. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Tender mustard greens are a spicy source of Vitamins A, K, and C. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Two of the women on our harvest team, making their way down a long row of red mustard. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Neon lines of arugula. Photo by Scott David Gordon

Hello, fall! Photo by Scott David Gordon

White Salad Turnips are sizing up nicely! Photo by Scott David Gordon

Yay! It’s your lucky day! A beautiful box or tote bag is brimming with seasonal vegetables, waiting for you to unpack, and devour. Maybe you’ve customized your CSA share (more on how to do that here) and you’ve got each meal perfectly planned. Or maybe, you didn’t pick the contents of your CSA box, and what’s showing up on your doorstep or at your community pickup location is a mystery. (But did you know we post CSA contents on our website every Tuesday and on social media every Wednesday?). Whether you meticulously plan the fate of each vegetable or whether you’re more of a go-with-the flow kinda CSA member, we know that it takes some devotion to use each and every item in your box. Today, we’re sharing 5 practices that will help you unpack, prep, and eat your veggies.

1. Have fun.

Use the unpacking process as a moment of reflection: You’re a grownup adult, and you’ve chosen to spend your hard-earned dollars on local and organic produce. You’re supporting a local farm, and helping to employ at least 50 full time farmers. (Thank you!) The bunch of kale in your hand was connected to a root system just yesterday, and was cut by hand by a JBG farmer. It’s as fresh as it gets! We know the unpacking process can take a hot-minute, but we hope it’s a minute (or 10) you can enjoy. Put on some tunes, maybe a cup of tea, and revel in the bounty we picked for you.

2. Storage

We’ve been hammering the importance of proper vegetable storage a lot lately, so we won’t go into too much detail. But in general: treat your veggies like the locally-sourced fresh treasures that they are…. Store them properly, and they’ll stay fresher, longer.

3.Micro-Prep Moments

Mirco-Prep Moments: We love Christna Chaey’s suggestion to “cook something every day”. She suggests to work little moments of food prep into your daily routine anytime you’d be in the kitchen, anyway. For her, this means doing a bit of meal prep (like chopping some greens or grating some garlic) while she waits for her morning coffee to brew. Doing tiny bits of prep here and there to help ready your veggie ingredients will make cooking dinner a speedier enterprise. For CSA members, we love the idea of peeling and chopping your carrots when you have a spare moment, washing and drying your salad greens, or roasting your beets and big rustic chunks of sweet potatoes.

Got a moment? Chop some potatoes. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

4. FIFO

If you’ve worked in a restaurant, grocery store, farm, (and maybe an investment firm?) you likely know about the concept of FIFO, or First In, First Out. This is how we manage our large, walk in coolers at the farm. When a new bin of kale is brought in from the fields, it’s carted over to our kale pallet. The bins of kale from yesterday are moved to the front of the pallet, for easiest access, and the newest kale is placed in the very back of the pallet, out of reach. This practice is the cornerstone of our cooler management, and it ensures that we’re able to go through bins of kale, for example, in a day or so’s time, without accidentally letting one bin of kale sit in the cooler for too long and loose quality. Use this logic with your own CSA boxes: If you get some sweet potatoes in your CSA share but still have a few leftover from last week, put the new ones in the back and move the older ones to a space where you will get to them first. When unloading vegetables into your crisper drawer, use this time to take inventory of what is still leftover from last week’s share - move the older produce to the front, and also make a mental note that those need to be used soon.

5. Dream a little.

  Perhaps we ran out of radishes, and purple kohlrabi are showing up in your CSA box instead. Use this unexpected and unfamiliar vegetable as a moment to stretch your culinary creativity. If you need some inspiration, this Buzzfeed article titled 31 Things to Do with Confusing CSA Vegetables is relevant. Some of our other favorite resources are The JBG Recipe Archive, Bon Appetite, and Food 52. When in doubt, use the google search bar: list the vegetable you’re looking to use, plus any other ingredients you’d like to use up. A search for “khlorabi, parsley, and milk” could lead you on path of fritters, soup, or a cheesy casserole. Life’s too short not to experiment in the kitchen from time to time. Chances are, you’ll cook something edible. And if you’re using seasonal vegetables, it will likely even taste good.

Did you catch Mackenzie's recipe for Collards with Miso and Coconut? If this isn't a combination of flavors you'd normally cook with, give it a whirl!

 

Congratulations if you’re reading this thinking about how you never have trouble eating your way through your bushel’s bounty. But if you sometimes struggle to make your way through all the vegetables, we hope these quick tips help you. Please remember to be in touch - we’re happy to answer any questions you might have or any concerns about swapped items, weird-looking radishes, or mystery greens.

CSA Members: Thank you to those of you who filled out our recent CSA Survey. If you didn’t give us your feedback but would like to, just check your email - the survey link should be there. If you have any other tips for unpacking and utilizing your CSA Veggies, we want to hear about it! Shoot Faith an email to farm@jbgorganic.com with any tips or tricks you’ve picked up along the years. We’d love to share here on the blog.

CSA Box Contents Week of Nov 4th

Photos were taken early this week, when temperatures were still mild and okra was still a flourishing. After the cold front that touched down on the farm at the latter part of this week, we'll be seeing a lot less of crops like peppers, okra, and squash.

Okra plants will produce all summer if you keep picking them, and what started out as inch-high seedlings are now 7 foot plants. Photo by Scott David Gordon. 

Long sleeves and gloves are a necessity to harvest okra - the leaves and stems of the plant have small, fuzzy spines that can make your skin burn and itch. Photo by Scott David Gordon. 

That good, good light! Photo by Scott David Gordon. 

Bed shaping as the sun rises. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Epic shot of an epic profession. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Warm and rich soil on a cool and brisk morning. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Purple daikon on display. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Who needs flowers when you could get an (edible) bunch of purple daikon? Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Photo by Scott David Gordon.

A glowing leaf. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Have we mentioned the fact that fall is a bountiful time? Just look at those lush fields! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Daikon harvest, as seen from a top a box truck. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Bunched carrots are finally back! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Farmer Brenton multitasking: phone meeting and field scouting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

 

 

Recipe by Isaac Winburne, Documented by Heydon Hatcher

Isaac’s Sweet Cakes

These pan-fried patties are a great side dish or the perfect snack in between meals. They could even be fattened up and used as a veggie burger, too. Once you’ve cooked them, they are easily reheated in the oven and just as delicious as the first time around. We served them as a late night snack with a smooth sour cream and dill dipping sauce (more on that below), but the flavors in the patty could pair well with a whole gamut of sauces. These sweet cakes are versatile, fun to eat, and a great source of beta-carotene! Get into it.

• 3 regular sized sweet potatoes (we found a comically giant one at market which sufficed)
• Six carrots
• Half of a red onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 4 sprigs of thyme
• 3 eggs
• Parmesan
• Olive oil
• Unsalted butter
• Salt and pepper

Peel carrots and sweet potatoes. Cut the carrot tops off and cut the sweet potatoes to match the size of the carrots. Bake at 375 for about 30 minutes. Take out and let cool.

Finely chop the red onion and mince 4 cloves of garlic. Cook the onions in butter for 8 to 10 minutes on medium heat with salt and pepper to bait the flavors out, then add garlic to the mixture after about 5 minutes. Set aside.

Grate the baked carrots and sweet potatoes together, along with a healthy amount of grated parmesan into a big bowl. Add the onion and garlic mixture with more salt and a little bit of pepper. Finely chop 4 sprigs of thyme, thoroughly whisk 3 eggs, and add these ingredients to the bowl as well. Mix thoroughly. It should be dry but a little sticky.

Coat a large pan in olive oil. Let oiled pan heat up for about 2 minutes on medium high heat. Grab a few handfuls of the sweet potato mixture, ball the handful, and place it onto the pan. Do 4 or 5 at a time, or however many fit easily onto the pan you’ve chosen. Slightly press down on them with a spatula so that they become more patty-like. Be careful to not get popped by the hot oil. Let the patty fry and brown for 5 minutes on each side.



Serve with sauce and garnish! We whipped up a creamy dipping sauce using 4 big spoonfuls of sour cream, half as much mayo, a spoonful of horseradish, finely chopped dill, salt, and the juice of one lemon. Delicious. Hope you enjoy!

In case it hasn't been on your radar, we publish this fabulous staff-favorite-centric post every first Friday of the month! We thought it deserved a highlight since it's one of our long-time favorites and definitely a skim-worthy feature if you're in the market for new ideas and inspiration. Ever wonder what your local farmers do off the fields? Cue: 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!

Brenton: I’m terrible at buying movie tickets in advance, so often go see movies at the Arbor. I love that place! I recently saw Joker and Parasite… this Korean film that I really enjoyed.

I also wanted to give a big shoutout to Yellowbird Hot Sauce. These guys have purchased hundreds (maybe even thousands?) of pounds of our peppers this past summer including habaneros, serranos, and jalapenos. Oh! And some of the ghost peppers we grew, too. Even our carrots have also made their way into the Yellowbird bottles. If you haven’t tried their hot sauce, get ready. It’s addictive, delicious, stuff. It’s the go-to hot sauce in our house, and is great to use in cooking, but is also thick enough to make for a dipping-style hot sauce. When this week’s freezing temperatures signaled an abrupt end (aka death) to our pepper plants, we called Yellowbird up and they happily ordered “the rest” of our red jalapenos. Can you believe it!? When I called George, the owner, he admitted that they had plenty of red jalapenos in inventory, but very happily bought the rest of ours anyway. It’s so incredible to be able to call on partners like this in a pinch, and we’re incredibly grateful for this relationship. And for their hot sauce.

Photo courtesy of Yellow Bird's Instagram.

And if you’re wondering, we loved Yellowbird even before they started to use our peppers in their sauce. This glowing endorsement is real! Try the sauce! Our favorite is the jalapeno.

Okay, I realize I have a lot of picks this month. It’s the weather! I’ve also been kayaking on town lake, or Lady Bird Lake, a lot! This perfect fall weather is all the excuse I need to take out the boats for a little spin. Don’t have any kayaks of your own? No problem.. There are plenty of rental places. If you’ve never kayaked or canoed on Town Lake, you should do it!

Annemarie: A few years ago I joined a trail running group out of curiosity and went from running 2-4 miles casually here and there, to running ultra-marathons (anything over 26.2 miles) in the mountains. This eventually led to my new side gig as a Health Coach focusing on trail running for beginners and fueling with proper nutrition (emphasis on JBG veggies). My goal as a Health Coach is to shine a spotlight on those who are new to running and feel overwhelmed and intimidated by the whole trail running concept because often times the beginning stages (i.e. running your first mile or two) are overlooked but they are just as important and require just as much work to get going. My website is in the making but you can follow along on my Instagram for now.



Ada: I’m pretty stoked for Club Home Made’s upcoming Everything But the Turkey class. This class is just what it sounds like - a Thanksgiving prep class. Come dirty up our kitchen and keep yours clean! This class will take place on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, meaning you’ll be ahead of schedule for your Thanksgiving prep. My partner Becky and I are pretty passionate about Thanksgiving, and we can’t wait to get you prepped to serve a bunch locally-sourced side dishes. You can see the full menu (and buy a ticket) here on our website. Per usual, we’ll be featuring some JBG produce!!



Ada, Continued: Also, Jenny Slate's new standup that just came out on Netflix is pretty funny and weird.

Faith: FKA twigs sophomore album is coming out this month after a four year wait, and I'm verrrrryy excited. She is this generation's Kate Bush in my opinion and an incredible artist. Here's an interview/review about the album.

Andrew: I just released a new cassette tape along with some other folks in my collective, Chill Select.  I’m also hosting a monthly lofi kickback show at the Spokesman. Last but not least, I’ll be in a show happening at Swan Dive on November, 7th. It’s a free show, but you should register here.  



Tim: “Weather.” Ada: “Would you like to say more?” Tim: “I love cold weather. Make sure you note my monotone delivery.” Noted.

Angie: Working at a farm, clothes have become something of a tool to me. They all get used, hard, and need to either be completely indestructible… or completely dispensable. I’ve found the perfect winter jacket that’s only $15 from Sam’s Club, making it dispensable. Unlike an expensive Patagonia jacket, for example, I’m okay with this one getting farm ragged. It’s the coziest thing in the world! Sam’s actually has some pretty legit outdoor clothing. I bought two of these, and suspect I’ll get more for Christmas. Or maybe I’ll just go all-in and ask Santa for one of these (photo on right).



Joyce: Plow Bao. I'm opening up a plant-based dim sum food trailer at Buzzmill’s new location on Shady Lane… and am so excited! We had a soft opening last week and I made hundreds of dumplings for the occasion. We aim to officially open in mid-November… stop by and say hi for all your dim sum and dumpling needs!





Krishna: I loved the post Ada wrote earlier this month about some of my recipes. I hope you enjoy!

Fawn: Fantastic Fungi film at the Wildflower Center next Thursday!

Heydo Potato: I have so much love and excitement about Claire Saffitz in Bon Appetit's YouTube series, Gourmet Makes, that I can't see straight right now. I have been consuming this mastery on the edge of my seat (or couch) nonstop since I discovered it. This angel of cooking recreates snacks and sweets that are ubiquitous in our culture, gourmet-style... think: Doritos, Starburst, Poptarts, Hot Pockets, etc.

She starts the show in the BA test kitchen conversing and tasting the product with fellow BA contributors who you know and love (sup Molly Baz and Brad Leone). She summarizes the taste profile, texture, feel, you name it, and COMES UP WITH A RECIPE JUST FROM HER SMART 'N SEASONED BRAIN (and ample testing). Watch it, she's amazing. Her nonpareil skill has me locked in a Gourmet Makes-binging daze. Isaac and I couldn't take our eyes off of the Poptarts episode . Here's a video a friend sent me that mirrors my sentiment exactly re: Claire from the Bon Appetit Test Kitchen. Rant over. Happy November!

Lena: I love hot dogs, and I love my dog. This halloween my worlds crashed together in a cute, floofy, plush plumperdog. Needless to say, she was the best dressed at the farm on Thursday.



Hector: I'm going to Italy for 15 days, where I'll help with the olive harvest at a farm, hunt for truffles with a cute dog, learn how to cook some Italian dishes with authentic nonas, sunbathe naked under the sun in Cinque Terre and even take a brief detour to watch Godspeed You! Black Emperor in Madrid. You can follow some of my adventures here .