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!

Nate and Ada. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Becky (Farm Manager) - I have been excited for months about the Festivals Acadiens et Créoles October 12-14 in Lafayette, LA. Three days of Cajun Food and dancing! As an avid two-step dancer, I've frequented just about every honky-tonk in the Austin area. So...looking forward to getting out of town and switching it up with the Cajun two-step (just a bit different than the Texas two-step). Plus, the food looks AMAZING!! I need to get some insider tips from Ada, (it's her hometown!!). Cheers to dancing, howling at the moon, and escaping Austin over an ACL weekend.

Lucas - This is my pick. (Sound on.)

Casey (Customer Service Extraordinaire) - I recently mixed in some fresh compost in my backyard garden, getting it ready for the fall. I really love composting and I have tried a few different techniques. A couple of years ago I decided to invest in a compost tumbler from The Natural Gardener. Instead of an open compost bin, these types of composters attract fewer mice and other creatures. The city of Austin also offers a Composting Rebate Program online. You just watch a short video online about composting and then take a short quiz to receive $75 towards buying a compost bin. If you don't want to compost at home, you can also see if your local community garden will let you donate your kitchen scraps to their compost bin or check out these guys, Compost Peddlers, who will actually pick up your compost each week for a small fee. Anyway, composting is pretty neat!



Devon (Farmers Market Manager) - This month (and probably many months to follow) I am hyper-focused on building a home out of a school bus- a skoolie to those of you in the know. My faithful companion, Dusty, and I purchased an old Thomas bus, took out all the seats and are currently working on getting repurposed laminate flooring in. There is still a long way to go- installing solar, painting the exterior, rigging up some sort of sink and composting toilet, etc. It won't be completely done when we move in at the end of the month, but it's a huge step up from our last adventure, which involved turning a Chevy Suburban into a mini RV for 4 months. After last summer, we knew we were natural born rubber trampers and started brainstorming ways to make that lifestyle more permanent. So now it's all about the bus, Gus!

Photo by Dustin Davis.

Heydon (Farm Blogger) - Just recently went to France for a dear friend's wedding in Fontvieille. It was a mind-boggling, stimulating, and stunning adventure to say the least. Quick Paris highlights that come to mind: Musee d'Orsay, a picnic at the Luxembourg Gardens, burrata and wine at PasDeLoup, a very hungover pho at Song Heng, and general meandering in the Sacre Coeur neighborhood.

Sacre Coeur wanders with Claytie and Kelly. Photo by Heydon Hatcher.

This Saturday (10/6), my drum-playing babe, Isaac, will be playing with his band, Sometimes a Legend, at Ditch The Fest at Cheer Up Charlies around 10. COME HANG! Here's their new single.

Ada (CSA + Marketing Manager) - My boyfriend and some of his best friends, all very talented musicians, formed a very dynamic and badass country-cover band. I recently went to watch them play in Gruene and had so much fun two-steppin' and toe-tappin'. They call themselves the Family Dollar Band, and they describe it best: "The music hits like a top-shelf tequila dressed to impress and goes down as smooth as iced tea on a scorching summer day. Professional musicians and members of multiple national touring acts, the Family Dollar Band plays the songs you love and is available for whatever event you can put your mind to. From Merle to Strait, from Keen to Carroll, the Family Dollar Band has a little something for everyone."

Family Dollar Band.

Hum, what else? IT'S FALL YALL! I'm so happy for the cooler weather that is already creeping in... looking forward to sleeping in a tent and exercising outside. My bones are energized! Went on a little run yesterday at Walnut Creek and was reminded about how good it can feel to run! Or jog, or run-walk, or whatever you want to call it. Now I just need some new sneakers...

Roxy helpin' out in the barn. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Fall greens are HERE! Customer favorites like collards and kale are pouring out of the fields. So, head to the markets and stock up for those favorite autumnal recipes. It sure does feel like fall, especially when Casey decorated the office with a deluge of spooky Halloween decor this past week. We are getting super excited about our Fall Open House on Saturday, October 27th (RSVP HERE!). You coming?

Purple daikon cleaning. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Early morning transplant preparations. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Early morning transplant preparations. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Watering the transplants. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Early morning farm scene. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Cabbage contours. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Fall green harvesting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Greens harvesting. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Watering the greenhouse transplants. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Recipe and Photo by Nadia Tamby

This is a spin on a couple of my favorite roasted eggplant dishes. One you may recognize from the iconic cover of Ottolenghi’s cookbook, Plenty, and the other from Bon Appetit’s website. This is a perfect weeknight dinner to serve with a side salad. The Middle Eastern flavors in this dish are delicious and balanced. You can find pomegranate molasses in specialty stores or in the international aisle of most well-stocked grocery stores. Here in Austin, I buy mine at Phoenicia.



Ingredients:

• 4 large eggplants, cut in half (keep stem on to help eggplant retain its shape)
• Enough olive oil, salt and pepper to coat and season the eggplant (At least ¼ cup olive oil)
• ½ lb ground lamb
• ½ lb ground beef
• 2 jalapenos, chopped (seeded, if you prefer)
• 1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon each ground cumin and ground coriander

Garlic Yogurt Sauce:

• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 cup whole milk plain Greek yogurt
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Topping:

• 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
• 2 tablespoons barberries (you can also find these in a Middle Eastern specialty store) or fresh pomegranate kernels
• Cilantro and mint leaves, chopped for garnish (parsley works well here too)
• Drizzle of pomegranate molasses

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 425F.

Prepare the eggplant by scoring the cut side (don’t cut through all the way to the skin) in a crosshatch pattern with a paring knife. Rub the salt, olive oil and pepper into the cut side. Roast eggplant cut side up until browned and soft, approximately 35 minutes.

In the meantime, cook the lamb and beef until browned, then add the garlic, jalapenos, onion and spices. Sautee until the onion is cooked and the meat is browned and there are crispy bits. Salt as needed.

Mix all the yogurt ingredients together and smear it on a platter. Top with eggplants and fill each eggplant with the meat filling. Sprinkle on pomegranate/barberries, pine nuts, and a drizzle of pomegranate molasses. Top with herbs before serving.

CSA Box Contents Week of Oct 1st

Imagine a bustling barn: volunteers chatting and sorting carrots, Devon preparing a box truck to head to that day's market, Hunter spraying down some muddy potatoes from yesterday's harvest, Lena packing beets to head to a wholesaler, the CSA line methodically prepping boxes for that day's delivery, and Tracy rearranging the cooler for maximum efficiency. Days can differ massively from one day to the next at the barn. One day, there will be insurmountable and constant issues, and the next will be as easy as apple pie. Regardless of the inevitably inconsistent challenges that farm life poses, there is one staple in the barn that everyone can count on (unless the power goes out), and that, my friends, is music. Connecting music-playing devices via an auxiliary tape deck adapter, farmers play their preferred tunes through an old 2-cassette Sony boombox covered in cobwebs and dirt, and stuffed with jalapenos, of course.

Barn Boombox.

The daily DJ changes from one day to the next, depending on who's on duty and what time it is; however, the person who finds himself in charge of barn tunes most frequently is Andrew Thompson, our beloved CSA Packing Line Manager (a position integral in quality control of the CSA boxes a lot of us look forward to every week). Hailing from a town neighboring Indianapolis, Andrew is a guitar-playing vocalist, who attributes his wide-ranging musical tastes to his family members' diverse album collection growing up.

Andrew, resident DJ, workin' hard. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

When we spoke to Andrew, it was a cloudy Thursday morning, and "Zankoku Jyioshi" by MANABE was wafting through the cool barn air as folks went about their morning tasks. Think: extremely chill Japanese instrumental music that paired perfectly with the weather and general mood - just what you never knew you needed on one of the coolest mornings in September yet. "It's kind of like playing live music to a room you've never played to before, you really have to feel it out." When asked about his musical selection that morning, he added, "It's a cloudy day, so you have to ease people into the more rock 'n roll stuff, which is what I always want to play. I've got roots in rock 'n roll."

Barn vibes. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Despite mentioning his personal preferences, he considers the mood of everyone in the barn when deducing what to play. "I don't play music just on how I'm feeling, it's more of a collective decision. We all work so closely together, we can all sense when one person is stressed and needs to listen to an album they really like." With a large group of folks and a vast array of preferences, things get really interesting when other JBGers take the DJ reins. Nicky loves rock 'n roll, Tracy is keen on electronica, and Collette jams out to the country tunes. When asked a universal fave of the barn? Willie Nelson, of course.

Tracy rearranging flowers. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Even though researchers have mixed opinions on music and productivity, there is a strong consensus at the Hergotz barn: music directly aids in getting work done. When people are in a bad mood, throw on some sing-along classics to pump up the vibe. When it's a cheery Friday, throw on some soul for farmers to groove along to. Slow Monday? Put on some modern folk tunes to get the toes tappin'. Rainy? The blues pair well with an afternoon deluge. When the internet/power was on the fritz for a couple of days last week, the barn populace was in a noticeably worsened mood and work was just a little bit more difficult with the lack of tunes. Andrew adds, "man, we were going crazy."

So, for your easy Friday listening, we present to you 4 playlists that we adore and play regularly at the Hergotz barn. These were curated by Andrew Thompson himself, our resident DJ. See for yourself if they help your productivity! 'Til next time.

Barton Creek Farmers Market. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Things are cooling down in week 39, with us farm folk reveling in the breezy fall temperatures. Greens like kale, collards, and bok choy are making their long-awaited return at the markets, with more coming soon. Our uber-talented and massively integral staff photographer, Scott David Gordon, has been with us officially for 8 years! We treasure all that he does week after week, and our farm memories certainly wouldn't be as beautiful without his highly-trained, compositional eye! So, thanks, Scott for sticking with us... we sure do appreciate you!

Quick reminder: save the date for our Fall Open House on Saturday, October 27th from 4:30 - sundown. RSVP here. 

Hues of the farmers market. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplant trailer on the move. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Loosening transplants. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplant crew. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Our head farmer, Brenton, loosening transplants. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplanter tractor. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Transplanter from the back. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Harvest trailer hangs. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Stocking up the transplanter with transplants to go in the ground. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

The stunning colors of a growing eggplant. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Bok choy harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Nutrient-rich soil. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Radish harvest. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Kohlrabi purple. Photo by Scott David Gordon.

Servings: 4 / Total Time: 40 minutes / Author & Photographer: The Migoni Kitchen

Both of us share a love for spicy foods, and one of our favorite cuisines is Indian food. Unfortunately, we don't have a ton of great Indian restaurants near us, so we have tried our hand at some Indian recipes at home. One of our favorites snacks are these Aloo Tikki, or spicy fried potato patties. We often get them for an appetizer at Indian restaurants. We opted to pan fry these instead of deep frying to cut down a bit on the calories, and served them with a simple herbed chutney to cut through the spiciness. It's the perfect side dish to any protein - we like to make them with Tandoori grilled chicken or shrimp!

Ingredients:

Mint Chutney:

• 1/2 Cup Fresh Mint
• 1/2 Cup Fresh Cilantro
• 1 Clove Garlic
• Juice of ½ a lemon
• 1 Teaspoon Ginger, Grated
• 1.5 Tablespoons Greek Yogurt
• 1/4 Teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne

Aloo Tikki:

• 3-4 Medium Red Potatoes Peeled and Quartered
• 1 Medium onion Diced
• 3 Jalapenos Diced
• 2 Cloves garlic Minced
• 1 Teaspoon Ginger Grated
• 2 Tablespoons cilantro Chopped
• 1/2 Cup Green Peas
• 1.25 Teaspoons Garam Masala
• 1/4 Teaspoon cayenne
• 1.5 Teaspoons Kosher salt
• 1/4 Teaspoon Black Pepper
• 1/2 Cup Unseasoned Bread Crumbs
• 1/4 Cup olive oil

Instructions:

Mint Chutney

Add all of the ingredients for the chutney into a food processor and pulse until smooth.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Aloo Tikki

Bring a large pot of water to boil and season generously with salt.

Add chopped potatoes and boil for about 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and set aside in a large mixing bowl.

While the potatoes are cooking, add diced onion, garlic, and jalapeno into a saucepan with olive oil over medium heat and cook about 5 minutes or until translucent. Set aside.

Add salt, pepper, cayenne, and garam masala to the boiled potatoes.

Mash well with potato masher or fork.

Next, add in chopped cilantro, peas, ginger, cooked onions, garlic, and jalapenos. Stir well with a wooden spoon.

Season with salt and pepper as needed.

Using your hands, form the potato mixture into 3 inch wide patties.

Spread breadcrumbs out onto a large plate. Coat each patty well with the breadcrumbs.

Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat.

Add patties in gently and cook for about 5 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Serve with chutney.