Local, Sustainable Agriculture
Local, Sustainable Agriculture
Well-managed, sustainable farms are good for the land, and food grown locally is fresher and more nutritious. Produce often loses a significant portion of its nutrients within a few days — days probably spent on a truck or a plane. At the farmers’ market, you know that bright yellow squash was picked within the last day or two. You might even get a recipe along with it — or a chance to meet the farmer who grew it.
Farmers’ markets are generally open a few days week, and some are held right at the farm. Through Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), you can buy a subscription to receive a box of seasonal produce every week or two during the growing season, directly supporting local farmers. Food co-ops operate the same way, but provide food from more than one local farm and may offer other items with group discounts.
When you buy food from your local farmer, you also play a critical role in preserving open space and the cultural heritage of the Hill Country. Texas is rapidly losing prime agricultural land to development. By purchasing food grown in the Hill Country, we can help keep local farmers and ranchers in business.
Recent Local, Sustainable Agriculture News
Ranchers raising birds to boost biodiversity
If you step outside into the morning sun but don’t hear birds singing, you may have a problem. “Birds are a leading indicator of what’s happening in your ecosystem,” says Chad Lemke, a Texas rancher who took over his family’s operation in the early 2000s with his...
Urban gardens are good for ecosystems and humans
Traditionally, it has been assumed that cultivating food leads to a loss of biodiversity and negative impacts on an ecosystem. A new study from researchers at multiple universities, including The University of Texas at Austin, defies this assumption, showing that...
South Texas rancher profile: Native American Seed Company — Taking Texas back to her roots
Bill Neiman has performed as keynote speaker at over 100 events for like-minded naturalist people around the state of Texas. His topic is his passion — sustainable native grass prairies, clean rivers, rainwater harvesting, and harnessing the energy of the sun for the...
Go native with soil health
Have you heard? There’s a whole world of life in the soil beneath your boots. News about the benefits of soil health is everywhere and agricultural producers across Texas are taking notice. Healthy soils lead to clean air and water, bountiful crops and forests,...