To make a reservation for the few saved seats left, email: suzanne ( at ) sustainablefoodcenter (dot) org

Preserve your summer!

Experience some great deals that will take you through August, Sept., and longer when you pick up a goodie bag with more than $50 in coupons THIS SATURDAY ONLY AT SUNSET VALLEY (July 17th). The point is, you must bring a friend! You both show up at the Market Friend booth right next to the Information Booth and you both get the bag of coupons– absolutely free. We LIKE people who bring friends to the market (it can be your husband, wife or partner..they are your friends, too) because it introduces more people to the great new layout of the market at Sunset Valley, the plethora of farmers with all types of veggie, fruits, meats, cheeses, eggs, honey and flowers. Then there are the food vendors! Award-winning and delicious. Enjoy our cafe, the Taste the Place booth, and next week, our Chef’s Demo at Sunset Valley will feature Chef Jack Gilmore of Jack’s Kitchen in Oakhill. He’s grillin’ for our Grillin’ and Chillin’ Festival. Come see. And there’s another prize on the 24th for $75 worth of goods from the Market and Wheatsville Food Coop- but you have to enter tomorrow for the drawing (July 17th at the Bring a Friend to Market Day).

See you there!

Want to support local farmers? Want to support a local, mission-driven non-profit 501 (c)(3) that has fresh, local, healthy food at the top of its agenda for all in Austin? What better way to enjoy your contribution to the local food scene and to the farmers that need it than going for the tastes of summer at an SFC farmers’ market?

We invite you to come to even more of an offering this year, within the SFC (Sustainable Food Center) family of farmers’ markets. Now, we operate in addition to the Wednesday Triangle market and the Saturday Downtown market–the SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley!

Be part of the crowd that enjoys year-round goodness (rain or shine) from the market that ensures that the growers only sell what they grow, that ensures that the food producers are using local products, that ensures that you have a good time while eating local food from the largest certified, grower-only market in Texas!

Join the crowd at either Sunset Valley or Downtown (and later in the week at Wednesday’s Triangle Market) for lots of interactive exhibits, farmers’ product tastings, live music, kid’s activities (Wed) and more to help give honor to our Mother Earth. Tons of free parking at Toney Burger Center.

At the SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley, the entire market will be on solar power with a trailer from Austin Energy. Live music from Stephen Kearley and tastings at the “Taste the Place” booth. Check out the more than 50 vendors too,  including lots and lots of farmers and ranchers who deal with Earth everyday.

Downtown at Republic Square Park there will be exhibitors for ecologically sound products and local foods, green companies. Live music on the deck around the Auction Oak, an interactive Eco-Series panel on food / farm policy, the Be Groovy/Be Green booth and just a great place to hang out are the activities at that location. Lots of hot, specialty foods made from farm products too!

For parking in the garage, please state to the attendant that, “I’m here for the farmers’ market.” and proceed in at no charge (limited to 200 spaces). You will need to park in the upper decks of the State Parking Garage, or, you can park in the LAZ parking lot, on the NORTH HALF of the parking lot.

Wednesday, April 21st, 4 – 8 pm, with movie, “Earth” following at dark

Triangle Park at 46th and Lamar will be the back drop for a great Earth Day Celebration that includes the presenter, Austin Farmers’ Market, and community partner Austin Green Art. Come see more than 30 farmers, and food vendors, and more than 50 additional booths that are friendly to the earth. Live music all afternoon long, kid’s activities, tastings, and more.

Most people call the SFC family of farmers’ markets by their geographic names. When they come to the Information Booth at any of these sites, they relate back to the farmer or producer stall as, “You know, the farmer who has those excellent soup bones,” or, “They were next to the pasta guys,” or, “He always has the best asparagus!”

No matter, we can point out to shoppers and visitors the farmer who has the soup bones, the asparagus (but remain impartial on which is best, as there are three farmers that have it and we want them all to sell their crops), and the stall next to the Pasta & Co. booth.

The SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley has adjusted a bit, since the changing of hands and a majority of the farmers and vendors staying at the same location. Because it is a member of the SFC farmers’ market system (which includes the downtown market, and the Wednesday night Triangle market), we naturally will create a market from the farmers and vendors that stayed to include 51% or more farmers. It’s our mission, our cause, our committment to the farmers and the supporters of local foods–you–the shoppers. And, because we really work at community development from the ground up, we felt that even though the market stalls themselves were prohibited in the new lease conditions with AISD, the market’s strength of excellent farmers, food vendors, a few quality artisans, and the educational and fun programming of SFC could pull customers just 200 feet to the east into Pillow Road, and, later, into the developed grassy green area just north of there. The parking lot at AISD is still very much available to thousands of customers and vendor parking.

The most recent City of Sunset Valley council meeting April 6th ironed out the lease agreement between SFC and the city, and moved forward on the establishment of the farmers’ market as an anchor in the community, with improvements getting underway to incorporate the green space of the city’s ‘triangle’ property. Why do we still want to incorporate green space?

In the years of holding markets downtown and at the Triangle (46th and Lamar), we continue to assess consumer feedback on what they like especially about the markets. The number one thing is that they like the farmers and the other vendors (we’ve got that!). And they like being next to or on green space. A comment that sticks particularly in my mind is someone saying, “I want to be at a “some-thing” at a ‘some-place”, not a “some-thing” at a “no-place”. We’re planting the seed, and tending the crop, for a really cool “some-place” at Sunset Valley. Look ahead, like farmers do, for a future bloom of a nice trail in the city’s triangle, with farmers and food vendors on each side, leading to a cafe area shaded by two big oak trees with music wafting through the air. Aromas of farmers’ sausages are in the air as well, while a stir-fry is in the next booth, and made to order omlettes come fresh off the grill. It will be here before you know it!

Who’s at the SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley?  Austin Natural Soap, Bar W Farm, Bella Verdi Farm, Bradshaw Farm, Comanche Farm, Co-op Coffee/Owltree, Dewberry Farms, Doug Benjamin, Elevated Goods, Empanada La Boca, Engel Farm, Flintrock Hill Farm, Gardener’s Feast, Gwen Rocks, Hairston Creek Farm, Hill Country Cupcake, Hill Country Homestyle Canning, Indian Hills Farm, Johnson’s Backyard Garden, Katz’s Coffee, Kelly Jo Salsas, Kocurek Family Artisinal Charcuterie, Loncito’s Lamb, Mediterranean Chef, Microbial Earth, McKemie Farm, Montesino Farm, Naegelin Farm, Nile Valley Tea, Ottmer’s Family Farm, Pasta & Co., Plum Crazy, Rasco Ranch, Rasmey Farm, Richardson Farm, Rio’s Brazilian, Round Rock Honey, Sesa Tea, St. Pepper’s, Straight from the Vine, Spring Orchids, Swede Dairy, Sweetish Hill Bakery, Tacodeli, Texas Lavender, Texas Olive Ranch, Thai Fresh, Thunderheart Bison, Texas French Bread, Two Happy Children Farm, Trinity Gardens, Vital Farms, Watson Farm, Way Back When Dairy. Coming soon: Tecolote Farm. 

Turn left at the barricades for the market and turn left into the south pocket parking lot (several hundred spaces), or, turn right into a small pocket parking area right by the carnival. Have fun!

The Sustainable Food Center (SFC) expects almost 50 vendors to appear next week in a more pleasant kick-off of the continuation of a farmers’ market at Sunset Valley. Yes, it is a continuation of the farmers’ market at Sunset Valley!

Now called the SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley, the non-profit SFC stepped in to run the market on a temporary permit because a majority of the vendors wanted to stay, to remain loyal to their customers and to work out an alternative home base that is still within the AISD Toney Burger Center area, using part City of Sunset Valley property (for tents, music, cooking, and educational activities) and part AISD property (for parking). SFC also has an application in to run the market on a more permanent basis, which will be considered by the City of Sunset Valley April 6th.

Here’s who has committed to continue at the market, please come support them (and we expect more and more as the season continues)!

Who’s at the SFC Farmers’ Market at Sunset Valley? Aunt Nita’s, Austin Natural Soap, Bar W Farm, Bella Verdi Farm, Bradshaw Farm, Comanche Farm, Co-op Coffee/Owltree, Doug Benjamin, Elevated Goods, Empanada La Boca, Engel Farm, Flintrock Hill Farm, Gwen Rocks, Hairston Creek Farm, Hill Country Cupcake, Hill Country Homestyle Canning, Indian Hills Farm, It’s About Thyme, Johnson’s Backyard Garden, Kelly Jo Salsas, Kocurek Family Artisinal Charcuterie, La La Lemonade, Loncito’s Lamb, Mediterranean Chef, Microbial Earth, McKemie Farm, Montesino Farm, Nile Valley Tea, Ottmer’s Family Farm, Pasta & Co., Rasmey Farm, Richardson Farm, Round Rock Honey, St. Pepper’s, Straight from the Vine, Swede Dairy, Sweetish Hill Bakery, Texas Lavender, Texas Olive Ranch, Thai Fresh, Thunderheart Bison, Treasured Earth, Texas French Bread, Two Happy Children Farm, Vital Farms, Watson Farm, Way Back When Dairy.

Coming soon: Spring Orchids, Naegelin Farm, Tecolote Farm, Markley Family Farm, and Animal Farm.

NOTE: The Thomas Carnival (www.thomascarnival.com) will be set up the next 2 weeks, March 27 – April 3.

THE MARKET WILL CONTINUE ON PILLOW ROAD!

Follow the signs to drive your car on the ‘roadway’ to the right or left around the carnival to get to the Market. There are still several hundred parking spaces for parking available.

If you want to take a neighborhood route, then turn right on Ernest Robles Way just after Kohl’s and before the AISD Transporation Facility (you’ll see busses).  Turn left on Jones Road and then turn left on Pillow Road.   From Westgate, turn west on Jones Road and then right on Pillow Road. 

Turn left at the barricades for the market and turn left into the south pocket parking lot (several hundred spaces), or, turn right into a small pocket parking area right by the carnival. Have fun!

Customers are welcome to use the same ample parking that they are accustomed to, and are invited to stop by the Information Booth to learn about the change and how to continue support of the farmers. After an interim temporary period of operation, the market is up for review of an annual permit at the City of Sunset Valley April 6th council meeting.

The market hours remain the same, from 9 am to 1 pm, and the location of the market will move slightly to the east within the area. SFC’s application with the City of Sunset Valley expresses an intent to run the market weekly, rain or shine, year-round.

SFC is prepared to carry out our mission of cultivating a healthy community by strengthening the local food system and improving access to nutritious, affordable food.  We institute a number of educational and accessible programs at the markets we operate, including the SNAP Lone Star program, Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program coupons for fruits and vegetables during the summertime, farmers’ product tasting tent, chef’s demos, gardening workshops, etc.  We are a local 501 (c)(3) non-profit and have been involved in the community of growing food for more than 35 years.

Find out more about SFC’s family of farmers’ markets and programs at www.austinfarmersmarket.org and www.sustainablefoodcenter.org . We’ll see you at Sunset Valley this Saturday!

Thank you,

Suzanne Santos, Austin Farmers’ Market Director    Ronda Rutledge, Executive Director

Sustainable Food Center                                      Sustainable Food Center

Even after I admonished by near 13-year-old to stop walking around with his good shoes in the field yesterday, I couldn’t help my self this morning going out in my “good shoes” to inspect the peach trees, loquats, figs and plum trees. The peach trees are starting to blossom. Just one or two flowers per tree, but with lots of buds. The jonquils are in full bloom. And my shoes are muddy.

But I am glad to see predicted 60-degree days with some sun for the next few weeks.

To celebrate the sun, and a very small peek at the spring that is yet to arrive, I made a smoothie of “found” white peaches and strawberries that were frozen in my chest freezer in the mud room. With White Mountain yogurt (local) and some agave, it was delicious.