Edition 62

January 8, 2010

• Local Box Contents
• News & Updates
• Recipe Corner
• Greenling Tidbits

• Probably Gone- Tangerines, from Orange Blossom expected to freeze
• Still waiting - Swiss Chard, locally, it just doesn't like the cold and has been growing very slowly
• Not Producing - Goats! turns out they don't like cold. Milk in short supply and Chevre gone for winter.
• New - Flavored Vinegar, from Texas Olive Ranch
• Scarce - Sprouts, from local sources....they just don't sprout in the cold
• Winding Down - Texas Apples, nearing end of season...we'll miss you!

Call For Ambassadors

Help us spread the joy of Sustainability & healthy eating!

Last year our Ambassadors helped us with events, improvement ideas & much more. Join the team to get to know us better and help change the world.

See more & Apply here

Website Tip - Have you been on hold over the holidays? After you log-in just go to 'Manage Baskets' to see all of your baskets & order one

James & Colin Join the Packing Room

We have two new additions to the morning family. The morning crew is a very special group, getting up long before the sun does to pack bundles of joy for delivery. James comes over from Texas Campaign for the Environment where he was fighting for recycling programs on a grass-roots level and lobbying the legislature. Colin is a recent NYU grad and was drawn to Austin by our culture & music. He may go back to grad school in a year or two, but wants to take some time to figure out his path.

Know Your Farmers - Wayne Lundgren

Wayne Lundgren is a 5th generation farmer with a pioneering vision. He has restored the several hundred acres in eastern Travis County that have been in his family since 1903. During the globalization years the farm almost turned into an airport. Luckily for Central Texas the land was spared the concrete jungle and the family decided it was time to bring it back into production. They began revitalizing the soil and became certified Organic in 2007. Though his certification is recent, he has been farming organically since his teenage years (he's 40 now), before it was cool or there was any certification.

In addition to the monumental task of farming organically, he is forming a non-profit and education center on his property to show people the benefits of Organics and help other farmers improve their farming practices.

Wayne grows a delicious variety of crops throughout the year and we have bought everything from tomatoes to onions to peppers and right now turnips with more on the way. Wayne also grows some grain and will hopefully soon be supplying local bakers with locally grown, Organic flours. We'll use these flours exclusively for our daily fresh-baked breads. He'll also try to ease the incredible supply shortage of Organic animal feed, giving some local meat operations one of the missing pieces to their certification.

Wayne's a true visionary and an amazing asset to the Central Texas Organic community. Read on here

This Week's Box Contents & Local Items

Bracing for the hard freeze, many farmers are scrambling to protect or harvest as much as they can. They're also ready with transplants and seedlings to get growing as soon as the cold passes. So is the life of a Texas farmer - grow what you can while you can and be ready to start over at any moment. There's no point in worrying at night, but everyone is anxiously waiting for daybreak to assess the damage. Some fields will be wiped out and some will be spared. Tangerines will mostly freeze, but may hardy greens & root veggies will just take a little while to recover.

Here's what will be available from local farms on our website this week (the best selection of local produce in the state - guaranteed):

In Local Boxes ($34.99) this week (Jan 11-15):

• Assorted Lettuce - Acadian
• Turnips - Acadian
• Green Shallots - Acadian
• Green Garlic - Green Gate
• Red Onion - Naegelin
• Greens (Collard, Mustard, Kale) - Animal Farm
• Purple Turnips - Lundgren
• Tangerines - Orange Blossom Farm **Might Freeze**
• Pac Chai - My Father's Farm
• Cilantro - My Father's
• Radish - My Father's

Last Week's (Jan 4-8) Local Box Video:

In Farmstead & Local Produce Boxes ($49.99) this week (Jan 11-15):

• Duck Eggs - Purple Goose
• Handmade Jalapeno Jelly - Homestead Farms
• Fresh-baked Daily Ciabatta Round - Sweetish Hill
• Hand-crafted Gouda Cheese - Brazos Valley

Gluten-free Farmstead Box:

• Duck Eggs - Purple Goose
• Handmade Jalapeno Jelly - Homestead Farms
• Artisan Rice Loaf - Wildwood Bakery
• Hand-crafted Gouda Cheese - Brazos Valley

Order Here

Fresh, Prepared Meal Selection for this week:

Dish #1 - Vegetarian Roasted Garlic & Potato Soup w/ Crispy Shallots (1 pint - serves 1 for lunch) - see website for ingredients this weekend

Dish #2 - Vegetarian Turnip & Potato Gratin w/ Gruyere, Pecorino & Herbs (1 pint) - see website for full ingredients this weekend

Produce from Local Farms

• Arugula, Baby - Animal Farm
• Herb, Asst - Pure Luck
• Herbs, Basil, Live - Bella Verdi
• Lentil Sprouts - Groovy Greens
• Sunflower Sprouts - Groovy Greens
• Red Bok Choy - Acadian
• Gala and Fuji Apples - Top of Texas
• Lettuce, Baby - Animal Farm and My Father's Farm
• Lettuce, Bibb - Bella Verdi
• Tangerines - Orange Blossom
• Meyer Lemons - G&S Groves
• Kale - Naegelin
• Mars Orange - G&S Grove
• Persimmons - Indian Hill Farm
• Cherry Tomatoes - Naegelin
• Grapefruit - G&S Grove
• Green Garlic - Green Gate
• Scallions - Lundgren and Acadian
• Pea Shoots - Bluebonnet
• Watercress - Bluebonnet
• Ayote - Finca Pura
• Red and Green Bell Peppers - My Father's Farm/Walnut Creek

Produce from Local Farms

• Yams - Naegelin
• Microgreens, Arugula - Bella Verdi
• Microgreens, Broccoli - Bella Verdi
• Mushroom, Crimini - Kitchen Pride
• Mushroom, Portobello - Kitchen Pride
• Mushroom, Shiitake - Kitchen Pride
• Mushroom, White - Kitchen Pride
• Onion, Red - Naegelin
• Potatoes, Sweet -Naegelin
• Onion, Yellow - Naegelin
• Potatoes, Red - Naegelin
• Shallots - Lundgren Farm
• Jalapeno - Lundgren
• Chard - Naegelin
• Tomatoes - Engel Farm
• Red Radish - My Father's Farm
• Collard Greens - Naegelin
• Purple Plum Radish - Millberg
• Watermelon Radish - Ringger
• Mustard Greens - Naegelin

January Events - Soiree, Cooking Class, Farm Tour, Smackdown

Local Food Tasting Soiree

-Location TBD

-January 23rd, 6:30pm

-FREE

Urbanspace Realty, who set us up for the Best of Austin Bash in that very posh downtown loft will treat us again with another spectacular location. We're tentatively having it at 1111 E 11th. Check it out here

We've confirmed Shane Stark, of Paggi House will prepare some dishes with in-season Greenling Organic products and we invite Greenlings (that's you) to prepare your own, too. The group will decide which ones get to go in the Greenling Central Texas Seasonal cookbook (name to be improved later) and the creator will get featured in the book.

So bring your best recipes and let Greenling make you famous. Or not...it is Austin, after all so there's no pressure or dress code or any of that. All you really need to bring is yourself. We'll also have some Greenling beverages, desserts, and some great company!

RSVP by visiting our Contact Us page and emailing Jessica, or RSVP here (facebook)

Local Box Workshop

-Saturday, January 23rd

-9:30am - 2:00pm

-$8

-Faraday's Kitchen Store

***Workshop moved to the 23rd***

Join Chef Andrew Brooks (spiritedfood.com) for our Local Box Workshop, as he shows you easy recipes and storage tips for using fresh, seasonal produce. You'll leave armed with a variety of ways to use what's local and in-season right now!

We will offer three sessions of this workshop with 15-person capacity for each at 9:30 am, 11:15 am, and 1:00 pm (1-hour sessions). Call 266-5666 TODAY to reserve your spot! These classes sell out fast.

Other Events

Yonder Way Farm Tour

-Leaves from Austin

-January 16th, 9am

-$25

Farmer Jason Kramer is opening up his operation and sharing some knowledge on pastured livestock systems in Texas. He follows the Polyface Farms methodology (Joel Salatin's farm, star of Food, Inc. & Omnivore's Dilema). The farm is in Brenham so the group will take a bus from Austin & drive out there for a tour from 11-2pm. Your $25 goes directly to pay for some meats you take home with you.

While we don't currently buy from Yonder Way, their principles are very much in-line with ours and we hope to carry their meats as they grow to handle greater capacity. Their operation is very similar to Richardson's.

For more information & reservations, click here

To read more on Yonder Way, click here

Bad to the Bone Chef Smackdown

-Stubbs

-January 15th, 6pm

-$35

Three of Texas' youngest and most acclaimed chefs - David Bull, Shawn Cirkiel, and Paul Petersen will go head to head in a high-energy, fun event with great food, live music and a competition that's interactive and exciting. DJ, el john Selector will spin bad-to-the-bone soul, funk and world beats to keep the tempo going until final votes for the chefs have been cast. Once the winner is announced, the evening melds into a rockin' live concert with Charanga Cakewalk, a seven-piece Latin band. This event benefits the Sustainable Food Center

For more information & reservations, click here

Sign The Petition

Back in 2007 the Austin City Council unanimously signed a resolution that Austin would be a leader in Greenhouse Gas reduction and clean energy. There was a big press release, some great speeches, and everyone felt good. At the moment it's looking like it was all just a publicity stunt. I saw Austin Energy COO Cheryl Mele talk about their plans. No mention of the resolution or of how they would decommission Fayetteville Coal Power Plant, the 5th worst polluter in Texas and the source of 70% of Austin's CO2 emissions and over 50% of our power. There's a group of dedicated citizens fighting to hold the City, and Austin Energy (the City owns the utility), to honor their 2007 commitment. Sign the petition asking them to do just that here:

Sign Petition

Help get the signatures to 500! We're at 352 right now. Every signature counts!

Recipe Corner

Turnips & Greens w/ Mustard Butter

Ingredients:

• 1/2 stick (4 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
  
• 1 tablespoons whole-grain Dijon mustard
  
• 1/2 tablespoon finely chopped shallots
  
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
  
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
  
• 3 pounds collard greens or Pac Choi(Bok Choy)
  
• 1 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  
• 1 medium onions, halved and thinly sliced
  
• 2 oil-packed anchovy fillets, drained and mashed
  
• 2 pounds medium turnips, peeled and quartered
  
• 1 Roasted Red Pepper, seeded and cut into 1/4-inch stripss
  

Instructions:

In a bowl, blend the butter with the mustard, the shallots and 1 teaspoon of the garlic. Season with salt and pepper.

In a stockpot of boiling water, cook the greens until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and let cool, then squeeze the greens dry and coarsely chop them.

In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil. Add 2 tablespoons of the mustard butter and the onions and cook over moderately low heat until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the anchovies and the remaining garlic and cook until the garlic softens. Add the greens and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the turnips and cook until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain and return the turnips to the pot; shake over high heat to dry them out. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons of the mustard butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Reheat the greens. Stir in the peppers and the remaining tablespoon of mustard butter. Season with salt and pepper again if desired.

Spoon the greens into a warmed bowl. Top with the turnips and serve.

For More Recipes Check Out The Eating Out of the Local Box Blog. Also make sure to become a fan of Greenling on Facebook to get weekly recipes from Woman With A Whisk & The Best of Thymes food bloggers.