Market Days at Springdale Farm in East Austin

The nearly five acres of farmland just three miles from the state Capitol offer plenty of room to roam. So not only can you gather the freshest eats, you can also chat with the farmers and give kids an up-close view of where their food comes from.

The market is held inside a quaint 1920s farmhouse at the front of the property, but my crew decided to wander to see what was growing before we hit the stand.

We didn’t go far before we ran into chickens! A couple dozen hens and some roosters make their home on the farm. They entertained the kids with their low clucks and pecking for bugs in the soil. Ducks waddled and splashed around in puddles in a separate area next door.

As we continued wandering, the kids had fun running through columns of corn and beans and following dirt paths past rows upon rows of veggies that spanned from the farmers’ home snugly situated in the middle of things.

When we wound our way back towards the entrance, everyone stopped to rest beneath tall pecan and elm trees where Eden East farm-to-table restaurant springs to life on weekends. A chandelier and bulbous lights dangled from trees, suspended over long planks of picnic tables and benches, creating an idyllic outdoor space.
On weekend evenings, Chef Sonya Cote from Hillside Farmacy transforms the farm into fine outdoor dining with weekly menus inspired by what’s growing. While it’s probably not the best place to take the kids for dinner, it looked perfect for date nights.

When we finally made it inside to the market, beautifully arranged on wooden tables sat bright red tomatoes, peppers of several kinds, zucchinis, cucumbers, green beans, eggs (both chicken and duck), grapefruit, herbs, and flowers.

A chef from a local restaurant was loading up her bag and my kids explored the tables, wondering at some veggies, goggling over the duck eggs, petting the dog, cooling themselves off before the box fan, and making their picks as farmers Paula and Glen Foore answered questions and filled us in on farm happenings.

All in all, it was an enjoyable way to get our veggies for the week.

And as an aside, Springdale Farm is also part of the East Austin Urban Farm Tour held each April when visitors can tour four urban farms within walking distance of each other to enjoy local food and drinks.

Just one tip: you might want to apply insect repellent to keep the mosquitos at bay if you go in the early morning.

Springdale Farm
755 Springdale Road
Austin, Texas

Hours:
Wednesdays 9 am – 1 pm
Saturdays 9 am – 1 pm

Cost: FREE

Photos by Jessica Attie