Plus, how to help fight invasive plant species
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🥬 Keep Austin local

Where to buy locally grown food in Austin
Six wooden barrels filled with local produce.
Support local farms like Tecolote Farm by joining a CSA. | Photo by @tecolotefarm, Austin’s #ATXoriginalCSA
Earth Day may be over, but Earth Month isn’t, and we’re still drawing attention to sustainability efforts you can practice year-round in ATX.

We recently asked our readers which eco-friendly practices they wanted to learn most about. Last week, we answered your top question on how to shop plastic-free in Austin and today, we’re following up with your second most-chosen question: where to buy locally grown produce.

Locally grown food’s carbon footprint can be as much as five-to-17 times smaller than conventionally produced food. It also saves water, keeps money circulating in the local economy, and may have a higher nutritional value.

So, here’s where to get the good stuff.

Farmer’s markets

One of the largest farmers’ markets in the city is the Texas Farmers’ Market at Mueller, which runs on Sundays and boasts 120+ vendors from within 150 miles of Austin. But there are several smaller markets worth visiting in ATX, as well — check out our guide.

A box labeled "Farmhouse Delivery" opened with eggs, peanut butter, and produce on a table.

Farmhouse Delivery brings locally made groceries right to your door.

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Photo provided by Farmhouse Delivery

CSAs

Support a local farm directly with CSAs, which stands for community supported agriculture. Joining a CSA means you financially support a local farm in exchange for part of that farm’s bounty. There are ~20 CSAs in Austin — find one near you at LocalHarvest.org.

Look for local labels

Austin-area grocery stores like Central Market, Wheatsville, Thom’s Market, and Whole Foods all make an effort to sell locally made products, so keep an eye out for that “local” label. H-E-B also sells more than 3,700 products grown, raised, or made in Texas.

Delivery services

Get local produce dropped off right at your door with local services like Farmhouse Delivery or Farm to Table Texas.
  • Farmhouse Delivery offers produce, proteins, meal kits, pre-prepared foods, bouquets, and other shelf items. Boxes start at $30.
  • Farm to Table offers produce, proteins, dairy and eggs, grains, and beverages. Boxes start at $60.
Asked

Do you look for locally sourced foods when you shop for groceries?
A. Yes
B. Sometimes
C. No
D. No, but I’d like to
Let us know
Events
Monday, April 24
  • Yoga & Sound | Monday, April 24 | 6 p.m. | Moody Amphitheater, 1401 Trinity St., Austin | Free | Start your week with a free yoga class led by Castle Hill Fitness.
Tuesday, April 25
  • STEAM Week at Thinkery | Tuesday, April 25-Sunday, April 30 | 10 a.m.-5 p.m. | Thinkery, 1830 Simond Ave., Austin | Free | This children’s museum will be “dressed up” on theme for a week’s worth of story times, activities, and learning.
  • The New Pornographers | Tuesday, Apr. 25 | 8 p.m. | The Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Ave., Austin | $25-$69.50 | The indie rock band will be joined by special guest Wild Pink.
Wednesday, April 26
  • Latin Dance Lessons | Wednesday, Apr. 26 | 6:30 p.m. | Moody Amphitheater, 1401 Trinity St., Austin | Free | Learn tango, samba, and salsa led by Esquina Tango.
Thursday, April 27
  • The Official Bijan Mustardson NFL Draft Party | Thursday, Apr. 27 | 4-9 p.m. | Koko’s Bavarian, 4715 E. 5th St., Austin | $10-$115 | Watch Bijan Robinson in the NFL Draft while tasting his signature condiment, Bijan Mustardson.
Friday, April 28
  • Founders Day Festival 2023 | Friday, Apr. 28-Sunday, Apr. 30 | Times vary | 511 Mercer St., Dripping Springs | Free | Celebrate the southwest Austin community with a grand parade, plus food, music, carnival games, and vendors.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
News Notes
Development
  • Developers significantly cut down on plans for the upcoming Wilson Tower. The downtown apartment complex was set to become the tallest building in Texas upon completion, but will no longer be, as it will be 45 floors instead of the planned 80. (Austin Business Journal)
  • Work on a $164 million expansion of Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is set to begin next month. As part of the project, the airport will add three new gates, additional restrooms, a children’s play area, and a new mezzanine. (Austin Monitor)
Sports
  • A location for the new Texas football practice facility has been set. The development will replace the Steve Hicks School of Social Work at 1925 San Jacinto Blvd, just west of the Moody Center. (Austin American-Statesman)
Biz
  • H-E-B launched a new convenience store concept, titled H-E-B Fresh Bites, in Leander last week. The location is the first of 12 the grocery chain plans to redesign with on-the-go foods, snacks, and made-to-order meals. (Austin American-Statesman)
Weather
  • Tornado Alley — a portion of the US that sees high concentrations of tornadoes — may be moving. Texas leads the region with the most tornadoes per year, but the number of tornadoes appears to be decreasing in the Lone Star State, and increasing in eastern states like Tennessee. (KVUE)
Plan Ahead
  • We’re Willie excited about this news. Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic will return to Q2 Stadium this year for its 50th anniversary edition. In addition to the Red Headed Stranger himself, the lineup includes Dwight Yoakam, Shakey Graves, and Asleep at the Wheel.
Arts
  • Grab your aprons: the Great Blanton Bake-Off is back. Amateur bakers have until Tuesday, May 16 to use sweets to recreate a work from the Blanton Museum’s collection. Take a look at past winners and read the contest rules online here.
Drink
  • Hydration is key this time of year. Need to buy some water that will actually make you want to drink water? Meet Hint and use code 6AMCITY for over 45% off. (Hint: We love the Watermelon and Peach Raspberry flavors.)*
Travel
Kids
  • Two words: free bowling. Sign up for Kids Bowl Free to connect with local bowling alleys where kids can receive two free games of bowling everyday this summer. Plus, grab a Family Pass + up to four adults can join in on the fun.
Holiday
  • Get excited to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with our online shop (Six & Main). Cheers with this Margarita Bundle from Simple Times Mixers, and treat your taste buds with Sobremesa, a small-batch mole and salsa company.
 
Environment

Insights on invasives

How to combat invasive species in Austin
A close-up of Japanese honeysuckle, which has small white flowers on it.
Japanese honeysuckle is one of the Top 24 most invasive species in the Austin area. | Photo via NY State IPM Program at Cornell University from New York, USA, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In addition to reducing plastic waste and shopping for locally sourced food, in a recent survey our readers told us they wanted to learn more about fighting invasive plant species in Austin.

While we’re not experts, we can point you in the right direction for resources that could help you make a difference and preserve our native ecosystems.

Let’s start with what’s growing in your own backyard. The landscaping trade is responsible for several of the most invasive species in Central Texas. Check with your local garden store to make sure the shrubs, trees, or flowers you’re putting in your backyard aren’t dangerous for local plant life.

To get you started, here’s a list of the Top 24 invasive plants in the Austin area, which includes:
  • Japanese honeysuckle
  • Chinaberry tree
  • Golden bamboo
If you want to help outside of the confines of your own backyard, sign up here to volunteer with the city’s Adopt-a-Creek program.
The Wrap
 
London Gibson

Today’s edition by:
London
From the editor
In case you missed it, we recently broke down the history of the Driskill Grill and Lutie’s Garden Restaurant, and I had a lot of fun learning about these old Austin stories.

If we were to break down the history of another building soon, which would you want to learn about?

Missed Friday’s newsletter? Here’s how to tell whether the ghost kitchen you’re ordering from is local.
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