Spring fever has us busy as ever. Planning, planting, and harvesting as always with many spring events on the horizon to excitedly anticipate. Our transplant sale is live! Order your new spring crops for pick up at participating farmers markets here. If you'd rather peruse in person, come to our Garfield Farm Transplant Sale happening on Saturday, Feb. 23rd, March 2nd, or March 9th from 9am-2pm. Our farm manager, Becky, will be hosting an Organic Gardening Workshop on Saturday, March 2nd from 10 am to noon. 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. All workshop participants will get 10% off their transplant purchases. Get workshop tickets here.

Looking for a new gig? We are hiring a full-time delivery driver. This position will include a wide variety of deliveries including restaurant deliveries, CSA home delivery, and CSA pick-up. This driver will work closely with our CSA as well as wholesale managers to ensure that all deliveries are made in a timely manner. Plus, you will have a new JBG farm-ily! Spread the word if you know someone who might be interested.

Carly waters and fertilizes the transplants in front of the greenhouses at sunrise.

Getting ready for the transplant sale!

The pepper transplants look really good!

There will be so many great plants to choose from at the sale.

Loading up kale transplants.

Heading out to transplant kale.

So much beautiful lettuce.

There is always something to fix on a farm.

Packing up Bok Choi.

John adds fertilizer to a field with the Clampco Fertilizer Applicator.

John refills the fertilizer applicator.

Gorgeous Spinach.

Transplant crew working on Kale.

Placing the harvested kale into the storage cooler.

Harvesting green garlic.

Rows of green garlic.

Recipe and Photo by Mackenzie Smith Kelley

Romanesco cauliflower “steaks” are a great way to appreciate the beautiful shape and texture of the weirdest, most beautiful vegetable around. Serve on a swoop of lemony yogurt tahini sauce and top with fresh herbs, toasted pecans, and pomegranate for a beautiful weeknight meal.

Photo by Mackenzie Smith Kelley.

Yogurt Tahini Sauce

• 4 tablespoons tahini
• 1 clove garlic, grated or finely diced
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• Juice from one lemon
• 1 cup greek yogurt
• Small drizzle of honey
• Salt to taste

Whisk tahini, garlic, lemon juice & olive together until smooth. Stir in yogurt and honey and add salt to taste.

Cauliflower Steaks

• 2 heads of cauliflower
• Salt
• Red pepper flakes
• Olive oil

Preheat oven to 475ºF.

Remove the outer leaves to expose the full head of cauliflower.

Using a large knife, cut the cauliflower in half lengthwise through the center. Cut a 1 1/2-inch thick steak from each half of the cauliflower. If the head is large, carefully cut one more steak from each of the cut sides.

Repeat with the other head of cauliflower. Trim any florets not connected to the stem and save for another use.

Place cauliflower steaks on a rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then flip, drizzle and sprinkle again.

Cover the baking sheet with foil and bake for 5 minutes.

Remove foil and roast for 10 minutes, then flip to roast the other side for another 3-4, until both sides are golden brown and slightly crispy.

Spread yogurt sauce on plate. Place cauliflower on the sauce, then top with herbs, nuts, and pomegranates.

CSA Box Contents Week Of Feb 11th

It's high time for another installment of one of our most favorite blog series: the JBG Employee Spotlight! We hope that these interviews will help acquaint you with the folks on the farm who are largely responsible for keeping the delicious JBG vegetables rolling out, week after week.

This week, one of our market managers, Lyndsie DeCologero, took time out of her busy schedule to offer her take on agriculture, cooking, art, and connection. This immensely industrious and creative human has worked for the farm in a multitude of capacities for over 8 years now. She works beautifully and patiently with fellow JBG-ers, creates stunning displays at markets with her artistic vision, and speaks vibrantly about veggies to market goers all weekend-long with a smile on her face. Here's to an outstanding and longstanding JBG-er, learn all about her below.

Lyndsie! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

How long have you been working at the farm, and what roles have you played at the farm?

I've been working at the farm ever since the fall of 2011. I just sort of showed up one day and started working, knowing they would have to start paying me (she laughs). I started out in the field planting and harvesting, then I grew into a new position as the post-production manager for the Wholesale Department, as the farm expanded. Then I took a little art hiatus and landed back as the Market Department Head, and then another art hiatus lead me to where I am now, quite contently managing just the Cedar Park and Mueller Farmers markets, and painting a few trucks.

Lyndsie in one of her many roles, back in 2013. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Where did you grow up, and what brought you to JBG?

I grew up in Massachusetts, attended art school in Savannah, Georgia, and then after felt like Austin was the vibe I was looking for. I moved out here, having never been, and started searching for my path. I wanted to contribute to the community. I never wanted a job, but to contribute in a way that felt meaningful to me. I was passionate about my artwork in a dreamy, luxurious way, but I felt like it was important to balance my life in a more grounded way.

What is your current role at JBG?

I am the Market Manager of both of our Cedar Park and Mueller farmers markets. I love the markets, and really enjoy the customer relations, their gratitude, and support. I also enjoy speaking vegetable, which is mostly what I speak all day Saturday and Sunday.

Lyndsie with Brenton at the Mueller market in 2016. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

What drew you to agriculture and local food systems?

I live my life almost in a constant state of existential crisis, it seems so utterly important to me to ground myself by doing something of great value. Nutrition seems to be the most fundamentally valuable thing to being a human. Also, I think sustainability is an important survival skill.

What’s cooking in your kitchen these days?

I eat mostly by intuition I would say, I just pick out the things that look pretty to me, chop them up, cook them up, and add seasoning. It is such a wonderful privilege to work at a farmers market. I bring home a bounty of vegetables and other local fresh and delicious staples from the market, and then I just collect spices and dry stock at the grocery store, giving me a vibrant array of colors to choose from. I think eating the “rainbow” is the best way to ensure you're eating balanced nutrition.

Lyndsie with BFF Sarah at the Triangle.

What does your life off the farm look like?

Off the farm, my life looks like: making artwork, showing in galleries, attending exhibitions, traveling to other cities to connect to the art scenes there, collecting art and records, watching Criterion films, enjoying nature and books, and such.

What has been most surprising about your experience on the farm?

I was most delighted and surprised to find so many creatives drawn to JBG. I have made so many essential art connections at the farm. The first gallery I ever showed in was the Prizer Gallery, Carrie Kenny’s gallery. She had been the operations manager at the farm for years before opening her gallery. Scott David Gordon, our photographer, who is now the voice of Austin Art Talk, which has quickly become my favorite art podcast, was actually the one who suggested my internship with The Little Pink Monster Gallery, which has really helped my art career to blossom. Not to mention the countless artists that have worked at the farm, and even Brenton Johnson himself is a wonderful painter. I don’t think the creativity in art can really be differentiated from the creativity that is found in the millions of seeds the farm plants each year.

Lyndsie and Adams at the Triangle market. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Favorite and least favorite crop?

I am absolutely obsessed with red beets, it might be the richness of their color. Obviously, I’m a very seasonal eater, looking forward to each season - to a change of vegetables, but time and time again beets wind up often my favorite. Watermelon I have to say is my least favorite crop, but for a completely separate reason... they're so heavy.

Can you tell us a little about your art?

My current series is a collection of abstract expressionist portraits in a freestyle embroidery on textile. I'm fascinated with the condition of the human belief. I often find my inspiration from films where an array of dramatic emotions are depicted. Characters in realities built of their beliefs, some serving, some limiting.

Lyndsie's embroideries on textile.

What’s your favorite market to work and why?

I love both of my markets at Cedar Park Saturdays and Mueller on Sundays. They are both put on by the Texas Farmers Market, so I get the pleasure of seeing most of the same vendors at both markets and there are so many wonderful vendors. The Texas Farmers Market does such a fantastic job at creating a quality market with high standards for fresh, local, quality goods. Plus, I love the community of vendors, I look forward to seeing all their lovely faces every weekend, and hearing about their weeks!

Gifting a sunflower to a tiny market goer. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

What have you learned from your role?

I have learned oh so many things over the last 8 years of my life. I’ve learned how to nurture myself and how to collaborate with others. I've also learned that farming is not some idealist's dream, it's a lot of hard work, and it is most definitely where our food comes from.

If you were stuck on a desert island, and could only bring three things… what would they be?

An acoustic instrument, the longest existentialist romance fiction novel I can find, and my cat, Saavy.

Lyndsie with Saavy

JBG Staff Survey: If Lyndsie were a veggie, what would she be and why?

Ada (CSA and Marketing Manager) - Lyndsie is rainbow carrots incarnate. Her blond curly hair, bright green carrot tops. She is also so bright, both literally and metaphorically! She's always sporting the brightest and funkiest outfit (if you've seen her at market, you know!). Like carrots are a foundation to many dishes, Lyndsie is part of this farm's foundation. She knows this place inside and out, and we are so lucky to have such a smart, hardworking woman on our team.

Krishna (CFO) - She is a daikon. A tall and strong person.

Andrew (CSA Packing Manager) - Romanesco because she's in tune with herself and artistic. I relate the golden ratio with the arts as well.

Casey (Customer Service Extraordinaire) - Romanesco because she is beautiful, unique, and creative.

Mike Mo (Wholesale Manager) - Tomato because she's colorful, multifacted, and vibrant.

Tracy (Barn Manager) - Flowering braising mix. Spicy, versatile and a beautiful touch (the flowers) that always make anyone smile. Versatile in all kinds of dishes, just like she is versatile in many aspects of the farm. Also, the braising mix is made up of a bunch of varieties of plants each adding their quality to the whole. I feel that sums her up. She has a lot of different experiences and talents that add to her as a whole.

Thanks for reading! A quick reminder, our pre-sale for the transplant sale is going strong! Check out our varied crop offerings here. Also, if you want to learn from one of Austin's best and savviest farmers how to garden like a pro, buy tickets for our gardening workshop here.'Til next time!

New tractor delivery!

The pre-sale for our annual Spring Transplant sale is going strong! Check out our varied crop offerings here and get excited for your best backyard garden yet. Need pro tips? Peruse our latest blog post for some garden prep intel. Our transplant crew has been working overtime to cultivate a thriving and diverse selection of transplants.

We have been very busy building a new barn, testing out a new organic fertilizer applicator, constructing a new office for our service manager inside of the aforementioned barn, familiarizing ourselves with a brand new tractor, building a road around the office complete with a parking lot, and building a greenhouse inside of a greenhouse for a future seedless watermelon crop. We are trying out growing cucumbers trellis-style this year in the greenhouse which is immensely exciting! After our long-time direct seed lead, Montana, left for new adventures, Brenton has been reacquainting himself with the direct-seeder which has certainly been an adventure for all of us.

Tracy and Brenton took a quick trip down to Brownsville to visit Tenaza Farms. They were extremely impressed and learned a ton. See their gorgeous South Texas artichokes below! We are touching up the paint on our farm trucks and looking for volunteers to help... interested? Email us at farm@jbgorganic.com to learn more. See you at markets this weekend.

Karly setting up a greenhouse in a greenhouse for the seedless watermelons.

Brenton working the direct-seeder again after long-time direct seed lead, Montana, has left JBG.

Building an office in the barn for our service manager.

John and Angel on our first day trying out an organic fertilizer applicator on our plastic mulch layer.

We are touching up our trucks in the coming weeks, and looking for volunteers! Email us at farm@jbgorganic.com to get more info.

Our hard-working transplant crew. They've been working overtime because of all the transplants!

Tracy and Brenton at Tenaza Farms checking out their artichokes.

The pros at Tenaza Farms.

Servings: 4 / Total Time: 20 minutes / Author: The Migoni Kitchen

Soba noodles are such a versatile item to keep in your pantry. They take about 3 minutes to cook and contain fewer calories and more fiber than traditional pasta, making them a quick and healthy option for a side dish. We love this simple soba noodle salad that we adapt with whatever vegetables we have on hand.

This week we got some beautiful watermelon radishes in our JBG Organic CSA box, which I LOVE because they are so beautiful to photograph and have a milder flavor than most traditional radishes. They go perfectly in this dish.

Photo by The Migoni Kitchen.

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces Soba Noodles
• 3 Cups Green Cabbage, Shredded
• 2 Large Carrots, Sliced into matchsticks
• 1 Watermelon Radish, Sliced into thin rounds
• 2 Green Onions, Diced and whites removed
• 1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds, for topping
• 2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Miso Paste
• 2 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
• 1 Teaspoon Honey

Instructions:

Cook soba noodles according to package instructions. Drain in cold water and add to a large salad bowl.

Prepare the dressing - add the miso paste, soy sauce, vinegar, sesame oil, and honey into a small bowl and whisk until well combined. Set aside. Add the shredded cabbage, carrot matchsticks, and sliced watermelon radishes to your soba noodles.

Add in half of the dressing and toss well with tongs, adding more dressing as needed. Top with sesame seeds and green onions. Serve alongside your favorite protein such as grilled chicken, tofu, or shrimp.

Photo by The Migoni Kitchen.

CSA Box Contents Week of Feb 4th