Sowing Community
“You folks are doing some excellent work! I love your commitment to diversity, climate action, and food policy change. I really appreciated how you urged people to get involved in creating systemic change at policy level so that more agrihoods can thrive all over North America.”
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Bringing people together through CSA memberships, camps, our farm stand, events and community partnerships has been excellent training for what we believe is the next step in community farming: creating “agrihoods” that are large enough to feed the people that live around them.
We envision communities where neighbors live with and know each other and their farmers. A place that addresses the challenges of access to local food, nature and companionship.
Our agrihood journey began in earnest in 2015, when Roberts Resorts purchased the property where we had farmed in east Austin for nearly ten years. Rather than lose yet another farm to development, we proposed something new – a community of sustainable Tiny Houses around our farm.
Together, with Roberts Resorts, neighbors, customers, the City of Austin, TBG Landscaping, and other consultants, Village Farm was born. This first-of-its-kind agrihood will eventually feature a four-acre farm around the renovated historic farm site first created by the Bergstrom family in 1902. This new kind of community is a rare balance of old and new, and one you are welcome to join.
To tour a Tiny House contact Village Farms - (512) 399-3793
For consulting or a presentation about farmer-led agrihoods, contact Green Gate Farms at info@greengatefarms.net.
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We believe that, as Gandhi said, we must be the change we wish to see in the world. That’s why we advocate for a glorious green future where everyone has access to clean air, land and water AND to clean, fair food.
That’s why it’s time for Texas to catch up to other states. Texas needs a Green Amendment — a constitutional mandate recognizing a healthy environment as an inherent, indefeasible, generational legal right of all citizens
For us, innovative farmland preservation is where it all begins — the health of our bodies, our soil and our planet are all connected.
Your help is needed as we advance policies like the Green Amendment and design sustainable communities like tiny home agrihoods. These climate actions will result in a happier, more beautiful future for us all.
Join us! See www.FriendsoftheLand.com, the environmental activism arm of the farm. Ideas, interns, volunteers, donations welcome!
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We’re available for consulting! Do you need help evaluating a property for a future farm or farmstead? Are you a farmer considering new systems or enterprises? Want to create a farm-centered development (e.g. agrihood) but don’t know where to begin?
These are just a few of the projects we’ve worked on with others. Get in touch (info@greengatefarms.net) and we’ll see how we can help.
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We love growing flowers and flower farmers!
From our beginning in 2006, we always planted flowers. But, what began as a few rows of sunflowers and zinnias has grown to an enterprise that includes more than 60+ varieties of cut flowers, shrubs, trees and herbs on two acres between our two farms.
Volunteers are welcome to help and learn at our Austin and Bastrop farms.
Our goal is to flower our neighbors. You can buy by the stem, bouquet, arrangement or even by bucket!
Here’s how:
-Come to our east Austin Saturday farm stand (9-12) for certified organic bouquets.
-Reserve flowers for pick-up at our East Austin farm on Wednesdays, noon-9. (We can also arrange for other pick-up times but Saturdays/Wednesdays are ongoing.)
-Join our monthly flower club (e.g. Community Supported Agriculture, CSA program)
-Reserve a bucket of flowers for your own do-it-yourself fun
-Take our monthly flower class held in the barn on second Fridays and our other sustainable design (no flower foam!) workshops
-Hire us to do flowers for your wedding or special event.
The world needs more certified organic flowers and flower farmers. Thanks for supporting our work!
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We started farming because we wanted to feed our friends and neighbors. This has taken many forms over the years, and now we are excited to be serving our closest neighbors at our farmstand on Saturdays where we sell fresh organic produce, flowers, eggs, and honey.
You can also reserve vegetables for Wednesday pick-up at the east Austin farm on our online shop.
If you’re interested in using our produce for catering or special events, please contact us!
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Whenever possible we work through existing organizations to improve access to organic food and improve working conditions for farmers.
Local organizations we encourage you to support include:
-Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association
-Texas Center for Local Food
-Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance
And when we couldn’t find a group to support our work, we’ve helped to form them! Our past community work includes:
New Farm Institute, creators, 2011
GroACT (Growers Alliance of Central Texas) – Co-founders, 2010
Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance, Members, Speakers, Marchers
Texas Organic Agriculture Industry Advisory Board – Board Member
Slow Food Austin – Board Member
Texas Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association – Board Member, Presenter
Edible Austin – Frequent contributor to the quarterly magazine
Arranged water stakeholders -- policymakers, developers, farmers -- to meet at Jim Hightower’s office to discuss how water shortages were impacting farmers, wrote article in Edible Austin, June 2008
Georgia Organics – Member, Conference Presenter and Marketing Consultant
Atlanta Local Food Initiative – Founding Member
Bringing people together through our years of CSA memberships, camps, farm stands, events, and local partnerships, has been great training for what we believe is the next step in sustainable farming:
Preserving farmland, conserving water and other resources by using methods that include agricultural neighborhoods that prioritize nature, sustainability, and feeding the people that live in them.
