Photo: Kathy McCall
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
Hill Country Conservancy is now accepting pre-applications for funding of conservation easements through the Hill Country Headwaters Conservation Initiative
The Hill Country Headwaters Conservation Initiative (HCHCI), a program of Hill Country Conservancy, the Texas Hill Country…
Big money is building a new kind of National Park in the Great Plains
A privately funded, nonprofit organization is creating a 3.2 million-acre wildlife sanctuary — American Prairie…
New bill will help preserve family farms
A bill introduced today to help more farm families continue their livelihoods after the death…
Efforts encouraging Texas ranchers to restore native grasses show promise
There aren’t many pastures with native grasses left in Texas. Instead there are invasive weeds…