A Renaissance of Four Urban Farms, raising vegetables and chickens!!

HausBar Farm, Springdale Farm, Rain Lily Farm and Boggy Creek Farm.

East Austin Urban Farm Tour

The farmers will conduct continuous educational tours of vegetable fields and hen houses. At each farm, tastings of farm produce/eggs will be paired with chef artistry by Olivia, Dai Due, Cooking by Design, Texas French Bread, Eastside Cafe, Jeffrey’s and the Odd Duck Farm to Trailer. Local creators and purveyors of wine, beer and spirits, plus Zhi Tea’s fine teas, will be on hand with samples too!

All the farms are located within walking/biking distance (3 blocks) of each other, and maps will be provided. Car parking is available on the farms or on the streets in front of them.

The Historic Background:
The fertile Bottom Land of Austin, just east of I-35, attracted farmers from the Deep South in the 1830′s. They created the farms that fed the young City of Austin throughout the 1800′s. Farming continued into the mid 1900′s, with East Austin so perfect for Spinach growing, that it was the first Spinach Capital of Texas. By the end of World War II, however, the farms were divided up into lots for houses, warehouses, and commercial enterprises. Only a few sizable tracts of land escaped this fate, and the four contemporary farms rooted into them, forming a renaissance of agriculture in East Austin.

Cost of the Event:
Adults $35 advance/$40 at the gate; free for children under five.
Tickets are available at Boggy Creek Farm (cash/check/willcall on market days)
and through Farm House Delivery (credit card) http://www.farmhousedelivery.com/

Beneficiary:
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance.
This organization, directed by Judith McGeary, is leading grass-roots efforts to maintain freedom to keep livestock animals without expensive chipping (NAIS), to eat “leafy greens” and other fresh produce direct from the farmer, and to consume raw milk. http://www.farmandranchfreedom.org/

Montesino Ranch

The Montesino Ranch and Farm Tour is ON at 12:00! You may get wet and muddy, but hey, it’s ranching! Details here.

Alternative directions from Austin to avoid the low water crossing (still open as of Thursday morning) coming from Wimberley.- From Austin, continue on RR 12 through Wimberley. When you get to the junction of RR 12 and RR 32 take a left. Drive approximately 5-6 miles and turn left on Fulton Ranch Road.

Slow Food Austin (SFA) Farm Tours, supported by TOFGA, offer a signature opportunity to forage food items directly from area farms, in the context of an informative tour showing how and where the items were grown or produced, and introducing the people that produce them.

Goals of Tours:

• Increase understanding of the contributions area farmers make to our local food community
• Offer opportunities to sample local foods
• Increase understanding of Slow Food Austin’s goals to promote our local food culture and encourage conscious and appreciative enjoyment of it
• If possible, provide food for thought – novel discussion topics and angles on local farming

SFA is launching our farm tours with a bang – come with us on January 16 to meet Jason Kramer of Yonder Way Farm, an ambitious and exciting operation along the lines of Joel Salatin’s pastured salad bar beef farm, Polyface. Jason raises pastured pork, beef, poultry and eggs, and is completing construction of an on-farm commercial kitchen from which he plans to serve barbecued pork, sausages and other eatables. In the best farming tradition of cooperation, Jason also offers organic produce and milk from two other neighboring farms.

Yonder Way Farm [directions]
5500 Hwy 105
Brenham, TX 77833 (1 hour 45 min from Austin)

The tour carpool will leave Austin at 9am on January 16 (depature location TBD). Expect to return to Austin by 5pm.

For more information, send an email to education@slowfoodaustin.org.

Volunteer!

Contact region2@tofga.org for volunteer opportunities on tour events.