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 first of 2019's staff-curated list below!

JBG crew havin' fun. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Hector (Social Media Extraordinaire)

Charlie Jane Anders is a fantastic writer and will visit BookPeople on 2/19 at 7 PM for her latest book, The City in the Middle of the Night. Her works are fantastic and I can't wait to read this book!

This might be a month head but BETTER RESERVE NOW! The East Austin Culinary Studio, a location where food lovers can gather to share their cooking expertise, is open and ready to host classes and events. They have a Sourdough Workshop coming up on 3/3 that you can't miss!

The Austin Film Society continues showing the works of director Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli during the month of February. I'll check as many as possible but I want to recommend Porco Rosso, one of my favorites and inspiration for my trip this year to Italy. I'll certainly try to visit Marco's private island, for sure!

Becky (Farm Manager)

I'm excited for the Texas Organic Farmers and Gardner's Conference this year. Going to be teaching a hands-on workshop about crop planning with spreadsheets on Feb 15th. I love geeking out with other farmers and gardeners! Stay tuned for details about the gardening workshop I'll be teaching at our Garfield Farm in March...

Becky and Brenton teaching the workshop last year. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Ada (CSA and Marketing Manager)

I just finished up a 30 at Home Challenge and have a renewed appreciation for some of my favorite kitchen tools: my large and sturdy chopping board from Restaurant Depot and my nice chef's knife (a gift from my godson) that I got sharpened at the Wednesday Mueller Farmers Market (have you been yet?).

One of the many 30 at Home breakfasts this month. Photo by Ada Broussard.

My friends and their amazing band Wood and Wire are headed to the Grammys this month. Their latest album, North of Despair, was nominated for a Grammy, and well, that's incredible (the nomination, as well as the album!). Check out this great Chronicle article about their nomination. My fingers are crossed that their banjo player, Trevor Smith, makes it on some best-dressed lists. His wife, Christina (as well as a cohort of talented women at Fort Lonesome) are hand stitching and hand sewing him the finest suit.

Missoula (Farm Dog)

I love winter in Texas. While my husky cousins up north are freezing their paws off, I'm swimming at the greenbelt. Have you been to the greenbelt lately!? Barton Creek is flowing and the grass is green. It's beautiful!

Missoula at the Greenbelt.

Andrew (CSA Packing Manager)

I've been making a ton of lo-fi beats for fun. I just collaborated with ghost.music from Japan. Check out my tracks here.

Heydon (Farm Writer)

I recently acquired a Fuji DL200 point and shoot from a friend and just got it to work! I'm psyched to see how this first roll turns out... it's certainly an adventure since it kind of takes pictures whenever it wants. I'll keep you posted.

My roommate's pup and the new/old camera.

It's about ripe time to start getting that backyard, side yard, or community garden plot ready for a bountiful spring and summer. If you're like us at JBG, your hands are itching with the urge to get out and fill that garden with new plants. Before you start planting though, we've got a few tips to ensure your 2019 garden is as productive and healthy as possible!

Be sure to check out the details for our Annual Transplant Sale, Pre-sale, as well as a special gardening workshop with Becky, at the bottom of the page!

Transplant sale loot. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Check your Tools

It happens to the best of us - tools lying around, rain barrels getting a little slimy, trellises falling apart. Now is the best time to get everything clean and ready for you to hit the ground running when you pick up your organic transplants! Organize that shed, clean your tools, fix any broken fences or irrigation, and get ready for a great year!

Garden ready! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Clear your Garden

Whether you put in a winter cover crop, or you have leftover fall crop residues, or even if your garden has filled up with grass (hey, we'll count that one as a cover crop too), it's time to clear that bed in preparation for the new! We recommend cutting whatever is left in your garden down to ground level. You can compost the residues or dig them right into your garden to decompose.

Montana watering transplants. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Aerate your Soil

Next, you'll want to start getting your soil ready for the transplants. First things first, it's time to loosen the soil. Over time, water, gravity, and sedimentation slowly compact your garden soil. Compacted soil is not as productive - your plants need lots of oxygen around their roots and plenty of space for water to trickle down. You can use a digging fork to loosen the soil or use the double digging technique. If you have rocky or poorly aerated soil, consider building yourself a raised-bed garden to give those plants the fluffy soils they need to thrive.

Compost!

The next step is to make sure your soils are healthy and fed! We recommend applying a few inches of compost to your garden every year. This provides your garden space with nutrient-rich organic matter and a host of microorganisms. Not only is compost a fantastic, natural, slow-release fertilizer, but it will increase the water-holding capacity of your soil, and decrease erosion.

You can go a step further and get your soil tested - this will tell you if you need to add any micronutrients or amendments to your soil. Here at the farm, we test with a number of laboratories to attain the best possible soils we can, but for the casual home gardener, this step is not as necessary.

Alright, you're ready to start planting, now what?

Compost! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Come to the Annual Transplant Sale

Our Spring Transplant Sale is around the corner, and your options to get your transplants are a little bit different this year. Read closely!

OPTION 1: Come to our Garfield Farm Transplant Sale happening on Saturday, Feb. 23rd, March 2nd, or March 9th from 9am-2pm. The address to our Garfield farm is 4008 River Road, Garfield, 78512. We will have our biggest selection of certified-organic transplants at this greenhouse sale. We will also have a selection of organic compost, soil amendments, and farm-grade tomato cages and stakes.

OPTION 2: Pre-order your transplants and pickup at a participating farmers' market on the last weekend of February or the first two weekends of March. Pro-tip: Get your orders in early and choose to pick up the first or second weekend, if you can. This will help us plan for your order, and make sure we set aside your preferred varieties.

OPTION 3: Come to our Organic Gardening Workshop on Saturday, March 2nd, and visit our transplant sale also happening that day. All workshop participants will get 10% off their transplant purchases. More info on that below.

This year's sale is bigger than ever, and we can't wait to see your home gardens flourish. The selection this year is immensely extensive and varied... we have tons of different fruit, herb, and veggie offerings including varieties from Slow Food’s Ark of Taste!

Transplant sale. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Learn from a Pro

Johnson's Backyard Garden is excited to announce that this spring we will be hosting our fourth annual spring gardening workshop lead by our Farm Manager (Becky). Learn tips on how to turn your backyard into a productive spring garden to feed you and your family.

When: Saturday, March 2nd, 10 am-noon

Where: Our Garfield Farm! 4008 River Road, Garfield TX, 78612

Tickets: Available now!

Becky and her green onions. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Recipe and Photo by Megan Winfrey

If you were to peek at my Favor app, you'd see a very long list of ramen and pho deliveries. It's the one thing that I constantly crave yet shy away from making at home. I've spiffed up Top Ramen before, in more of a Pad Thai sort of way, but that was college and I haven't purchased much packaged ramen since. On a rare, leisurely, child-less stroll through HEB, I was carefully scanning the Asian food aisle for reusable chopsticks. They didn't have any, but they did have about 6 different brands of packaged ramen that all looked pretty authentic. Knowing my CSA share was due the same week, the plan for a spiffed up ramen feast was formed. All I can say is, sorry Michi, you may be seeing less of me from now on.



Spiffed Up Ramen (1 serving, can easily be doubled)

• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 2 tbs. jalapeno infused olive oil, or regular olive oil
• 1/2 bunch of bok choy, sliced lengthwise
• Juice of 1/2 a lime
• 1 white, 1 purple, 1 orange carrot, shredded
• 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1 soft boiled and/or Ajitsuke marinated egg
• Chili garlic paste, to taste
• Fresh chopped scallions for garnish

Optional:

• Sliced nori
• Sauteed mushrooms
• Corn
• Pickled ginger
• Braised pork

Make the eggs a day in advance.

I used this basic recipe - all of the ones I searched were basically the same - but I modified it to what I had on hand. I substituted vermouth for the mirin, and a dry white wine for the sake. They came out slightly sweeter than I would have liked, but the flavors were definitely close enough!

Before starting the ramen, prepare the vegetables. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the broccoli florets onto a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. I used a jalapeno-infused olive oil by Texas Olive Ranch to add some baked-in heat, but regular olive oil will work just fine. Bake the broccoli in the oven for about 20 minutes, until starting to brown but still somewhat crisp. While the broccoli bakes, add a splash of oil to a skillet and toast the sliced garlic over low heat until light brown, then remove onto a towel to drain. Next, wilt the bok choy in the same skillet over medium-low heat. Add the lime juice, a drizzle of olive oil, and some salt to the pan and cook, stirring often, until tender.

Once all of the toppings are cooked, chopped, and ready, cook the ramen noodles according to the package directions. If it comes with a powder seasoning, I recommend using only 3/4 of the packet. If it's a liquid-based seasoning, use it all.

While the ramen cooked, I put the packaged seasoning and chili garlic paste in the bottom of my most favorite plum Fiesta ramen bowl. When the noodles were a minute or two away from being done, I started spooning the pasta water into each bowl until about half full, stirring in the seasonings. Using tongs, I split the noodles evenly between each bowl, topped with all of the yummy vegetables and finally, that beautiful soft boiled and marinated egg.

CSA Box Contents Week of Jan 28th

There is an inevitable torrent of resolutions with the advent of a New Year, as we try to jumpstart grand life changes when the clock strikes twelve to ring in a new trip around the sun. Whether we stick to these goals or fall short, these forays into oftentimes lofty ambitions demonstrate that we indeed DO know how to improve our lifestyles (even when we seem stuck in stagnant and cob-webbed old habits). Instead of becoming frustrated at our inabilities to adhere to grand declarations first thing this year, let’s create intentions that set us up to attain overall better well-being. We could all do a little more for our bodies, and in 2019, why don’t we all aim to brighten our plates, make more meals, become more in tune with the seasons, and ameliorate our diets once and for all. Easy enough, right? As we all strive for health in the new year, consider one life hack that is sure to bring welcome and easy change, our CSA! A simple and painless delivery service that ensures organic and fresh produce will be integrated into your diet week after week! In case that isn't reason enough, here are 5 reasons to join our CSA in 2019!

Carrot gradients. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

1 - Free Veggies!

If you join the CSA this month, you'll get your first box free! That's right, FREE! Just use the promo code VEGGIEHEAVEN when you sign up to claim that gratis cornucopia of amazing wintry crops.

2 - OPTIONS, OPTIONS, OPTIONS!

We've got 4 CSA box sizes to suit your needs - individuals to large families can all choose the size that suits their lifestyle. JBG offers add-ons of local eggs from pasture-raised hens, and small batch locally roasted coffee as well. Finally, you can CUSTOMIZE your share each week, ensuring that you get the veggies your household likes best!

Scheduling-wise, we understand that you like to take vacations and that some weeks you just don't have the time to cook. Maybe your garden is just having a bumper crop this week. That's why we make it easy to postpone your CSA deliveries any week of the year either online or by calling the farm. Plus, we offer the gamut of pick-up and delivery locations, whether you prefer the convenience of home delivery or the fun of a community or farmers market pickup. You choose!

Readying deliveries. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

3 - No Middlemen

When you buy directly from our farm, more money goes directly to your farmers, which means that we can pay higher wages to our employees, and dedicate more efforts towards sustainability on the farm. When you buy from a supermarket, your farmers don't receive that same margin. This also means you get better prices and more veggies for your dollar.

Some of your local farmers. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

4 - For the Environment

Supporting your local farm ensures sustainable land management, and organic certification ensures that we never spray harmful chemicals on the farm. East Austin housing developments? Never on this land! Cut down your food miles, too! It's estimated that the average American meal travels over 1500 miles before making it to a dinner plate. With all of that fuel, even a plant-based meal might not be too eco-friendly. In contrast, our farm is located just 10 miles east of the Austin airport. Fewer food miles also means that your produce is much fresher when it gets to you. Most of your CSA produce was harvested no more than a day or two before it makes it to your doorstep, which means it has peak nutrition and flavor.

5 - Become a Better Cook!

We provide recipes, inspiration, and tips that coordinate with box contents week after week. You'll be having a blast trying new crops, discovering new ways to utilize your favorite veggie, and impressing your friends and family with novel dishes!

Beet Soup. Photo and Recipe by Mackenzie Smith.

What are you waiting for? Sign up now! Remember to use the promo code VEGGIEHEAVEN to claim your free box!

Early morning harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Another week at the farm and we are reveling in these sunny, winter days. We are readying for the annual transplant sale weekends at the end of February and beginning of March and heading into the last week of our CSA New Year Promo. Sign up now and get your first box free! Just use the promo code VEGGIEHEAVEN when you join. See you at markets this weekend, should be a beautiful one.

Radish harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Rows and rows. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Carrots, fresh from the field. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Brussels. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Brenton, multi-tasking. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Brenton cheesin'. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Readying for the transplant sale. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Spring onion beauties. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Fennel! Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Carrot packing. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

JBG employee party at ABGB. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

JBG employee party at ABGB. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

JBG ABGB party. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Recipe and Photo by Mackenzie Smith

Judy Kim taught me an easy trick for making crisp thinly sliced root vegetables and fennel, and I use this method all the time for throwing together a simple salad. A mandoline is great for this, but if you don’t have one, slice your veggies as thin as you can before placing in ice water. One of each vegetable is enough to make a salad that feeds 3-4 as a side, but I often shave veggies into ice water and take them as I need them throughout the day.

• 1 carrot
• 1 fennel bulb
• 1 small rutabaga
• 2-3 pecans
• Flaky sea salt
• Olive oil
• Lemon juice

Photo by Mackenzie Smith.

Using a mandoline, thinly slice your vegetables and place in ice water. Chill for at least 10 minutes, no longer than 12 hours.

Dry vegetables on a towel before plating, and top with olive oil, lemon juice, and salt. Sprinkle with pecans.

If you have soft herbs on hand, add them! Parsley, basil, mint, cilantro or dill would all be great here. Grapefruit supremes or thinly sliced apples would also be a beautiful addition to this salad.

Photo by Mackenzie Smith.