News from Green Gate Farms
First published 2/15/25
“Happiness is not something readymade.
It comes from your own actions.”
Dalai Lama
Twenty years ago, Skip and I returned to Austin to start an organic community farm. We chose this beautiful, open-minded, creative town to farm in community because of our deep roots, friends and family (I am a sixth generation Texan – my parents met at the University of Texas – and Skip’s family is in Houston).
Renting the Bergstrom farmhouse and its surrounding open fields proved to be the perfect place for so many reasons – the grace of the historic buildings and stately post oaks as well as the proximity to our children’s school (Austin Discovery School), other farmers, and Austin’s markets and customers.
Our goals have not wavered since we planted our first tomato here in 2006: to work with nature, feed our neighbors the highest quality food possible, and keep an open gate to our community. So many innovative people, organizations, and ideas have come through our gates; we’re looking forward to what we will all accomplish together in the coming season.
This year our priority* is completing the farm redesign that began with the arrival of Roberts Communities in April 2015. During years of (unpaid) meetings with the City of Austin, TBG Design, neighbors, farmers, land use experts and others, Green Gate Farms helped design not only the tiny home community but a four-acre farm, community allotment garden, pocket gardens and new farm stand.
This drawing by TBG’s landscape architects illustrates how the farm was designed to grow with the community, adding one-acre at the entrance near Decker Lane and a quarter-acre near the future Community Garden.
Completing the farm is integral to its long-term success and financial viability. That’s one reason why Green Gate Farms has partnered with Farmshare Austin to host and mentor two new farmers as part of its three-year USDA Beginning Farmer Training program. Please join us at the farm picnic tables for our monthly Homestead Club meeting on March 12, 5:30-7:30 (held every second Wednesday), when we will share more with you!
*One additional – and more immediate – priority is to stop the insufferable noise/light pollution from Outlast, Roberts’ newest tenant and scrap metal dealer, who is making it impossible to work outdoors and enjoy our neighborhood. Erin Flynn
Want to help the farm while recycling? Donate shopping bags (paper or heavy duty plastic preferred), clean cans that fit into car cupholders (to transport flower bouquets) and clean 5 gal buckets (ask the baker at your favorite grocery store).