Austinites love buying local. And for good reason: Purchasing locally grown food helps to support small businesses, conserve natural resources, and may even be healthier for you.What better time to thank local farmers for their work than on Thanksgiving? Here are six farms in Central Texas to buy from for this year’s holiday feast.
ROAM Ranch — Animals roam freely on this first-generation farm outside of Fredericksburg, and the owners are in the middle of restoring ecosystems on the 600-acre property, which had been over-farmed for 100 years. Get a heritage breed turkey — a descendant of North America’s native wild turkey — at the annual turkey harvest event later this month. Buy tickets online. 🦃
Boggy Creek Farm — Austin’s oldest urban farm employs regenerative, sustainable practices to grow all your side dish needs this Thanksgiving. Pick up green beans, butternut squash or locally-raised meats at the farmstand open Wednesdays-Saturdays. 🥬
Smith & Smith Farms — This Rogers-based family farm can be found at several farmers markets in Austin, including the Texas Farmers Market at Lakeline and Mueller on Saturdays + Sundays. View online turkey prices. 🍽
Berdoll Pecan — You probably know it from the 14-foot-tall statue of Ms. Pearl the Giant Squirrel and the pecan pie vending machine out front, but did you know that the pecans at Berdoll Pecan come from an 15,000-tree orchard? Buy your holiday pecans online 🐿
Black Bear Farm & Apiary — Buy a hormone-free, free-range turkey from this farm in Dripping Springs. The small, family-owned farm prioritizes producing ethically-sourced food and sharing knowledge about food quality + animal health. Buy your turkey and brine kit online. 🍗
Richardson Farms — Pasture-raised turkeys are sold out for the season at this Rockdale-based farm, but grass-fed beef, pastured pork, and dairy products are still available. Farmers at this decades-old farm champion their use of conservation-minded farming methods. 🧀
