Calendar of Events Launches
Introducing the first iteration of our Resident Calendar of Events! While we’re not yet integrated with the Farmhouse booking system, that’s a goal we’re working toward. In the meantime, we encourage you to bookmark this page.
To book the Farmhouse, please continue using the Village Farm booking site.
To add events to our Resident Calendar, email vfresidentsassoc@gmail.com.
Scott Roberts to Attend Resident Town Hall
Join us Tuesday, March 4 from 7-9 pm at the Loma Vista Community Center. Scott Roberts, owner of Roberts Communities and his management team will address resident concerns and speak to the future plans for our community. To read the list of discussion points recently sent to him and his team. Read more.
Pottery GoFundMe launched
We have the Instructor and the kiln. Now we need a certified electrician to install the kiln. And we need to raise money for the potters’ wheels. Please donate early and often! This will be open to the public, so share with your friends. The more the muddier…
News from Green Gate Farms
“Happiness is not something readymade.
Dalai Lama
It comes from your own actions.”
Twenty years ago, Skip and I returned to Austin to start an organic community farm. We chose this beautiful, open-minded, creative town to farm in community because of our deep roots, friends and family (I am a sixth generation Texan – my parents met at the University of Texas – and Skip’s family is in Houston).
Renting the Bergstrom farmhouse and its surrounding open fields proved to be the perfect place for so many reasons – the grace of the historic buildings and stately post oaks as well as the proximity to our children’s school (Austin Discovery School), other farmers, and Austin’s markets and customers.
Our goals have not wavered since we planted our first tomato here in 2006: to work with nature, feed our neighbors the highest quality food possible, and keep an open gate to our community. So many innovative people, organizations, and ideas have come through our gates; we’re looking forward to what we will all accomplish together in the coming season.
This year our priority* is completing the farm redesign that began with the arrival of Roberts Communities in April 2015. During years of (unpaid) meetings with the City of Austin, TBG Design, neighbors, farmers, land use experts and others, Green Gate Farms helped design not only the tiny home community but a four-acre farm, community allotment garden, pocket gardens and new farm stand.
This drawing by TBG’s landscape architects illustrates how the farm was designed to grow with the community, adding one-acre at the entrance near Decker Lane and a quarter-acre near the future Community Garden.
Completing the farm is integral to its long-term success and financial viability. That’s one reason why Green Gate Farms has partnered with Farmshare Austin to host and mentor two new farmers as part of its three-year USDA Beginning Farmer Training program. Please join us at the farm picnic tables for our monthly Homestead Club meeting on March 12, 5:30-7:30 (held every second Wednesday), when we will share more with you!
*One additional – and more immediate – priority is to stop the insufferable noise/light pollution from Outlast, Roberts’ newest tenant and scrap metal dealer, who is making it impossible to work outdoors and enjoy our neighborhood. Erin Flynn
Want to help the farm while recycling? Donate shopping bags (paper or heavy duty plastic preferred), clean cans that fit into car cupholders (to transport flower bouquets) and clean 5 gal buckets (ask the baker at your favorite grocery store).
Farmhouse Committee Seeking Volunteers
Volunteers are needed to help us develop a user manual for how to care for our farmhouse. For a limited time, we are fortunate to have several Green Gate Farms’ college interns who are helping with this effort; they are especially interested in creating a sustainable systems guide to reduce waste.
We’ll also be tackling:
- Kitchen organization, labeling and stocking
- Revive the Bergstrom garden project (e.g. roses and other 1902 era plants)
- Interface with Roberts management on maintenance issues
- History – maintain antiques, install historical signage, photos
If you’d like to help with this important project, please email Brandy Beverly: brandybeverly14@gmail.com
Give us a Hand
Get involved! The more you participate, the more you’ll benefit. Your talents are needed! Reach out to any committee member for more information or email vfresidentsassoc@gmail.com.
- Steering Committee: Lisa Apfelberg, Brandy Beverly, Anglea Kopit, Van Thompson, Tisa Wheeler
- Communications Committee: Brandy Beverly, Lisa Apfelberg, Mary Connor, Angela Kopit, Wendy Schuelke, Bridget Woods
- Programming Committee: Lisa Apfelberg, Angela Kopit, Regina Kubelka, Tisa Wheeler (seeking volunteers)
- Welcome Committee: Lisa Apfelberg (seeking volunteers)
- First Thursday (monthly meeting, discuss farm news and sustainability topics, 5:30-7:00)
- Homestead Groups (meets monthly, second Wednesdays, 5:30-7:00)
- Garden Club: Carey Hajovsky, Brandy Beverly and many others (all are welcome)
- Bird Club: Dennis Benke and many others (seeking volunteers)
- Food Forest Initiative: Lisa Apfelberg
- Community Garden: (future)
- Work/Skills Barter Program: (future) Seeking interested lead
- Shared Equipment Program (future) Seeking interested lead
Village Farm Residents Association 