Field trip to Boggy Creek Farm

On Saturday morning, Jack and I took an early morning trip to Boggy Creek Farm, a five-acre organic farm located two miles from downtown Austin. Boggy Creek Farm is one of Austin's most beloved treasures. We are lucky to have such a wonderful place to visit.

As we approached the farm, we drove across a large empty watershed. Jack said, "That's Boggy Creek." On the way back home, I snapped a quick picture. As you can see, the creek is as dry as a bone.


Luckily, the farm is going strong despite the D-4 drought, and getting ready for fall planting. We arrived early, before the official opening hour of 9 a.m.; the staff were still readying the market tables.


Boggy Creek Farm's market tables are a feast for the senses. Near the front of the market stand, fresh greens and cherry tomatoes were already laid out in neat rows.


Behind those were several varieties of tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant and squash.


Onions and red potatoes were also available for purchase. The tall gentleman in the hat is carefully polishing each onion with a clean towel to remove any dirt.


Bell peppers, poblano peppers and okra filled several straw baskets.


One of the farm's helping hands, Maria, is laying out bundles of Asian long beans that were harvested this morning. It doesn't get any fresher than this, folks.


Here we have bunches of fresh native greens -- pigweed amaranth and lamb's quarters. Purslane was also available.


In the building behind the market tables, there are refrigerators full of all sorts of goodies: locally-produced cheeses, yogurt and milk, fresh eggs, and local humanely-raised grassfed bison and lamb, as well as desserts, pastries, and books. The sign on the front of the building reflects the farm's "Best of Austin" award from the Austin Chronicle.


After making our purchases (cherry tomatoes and eggplant), we left the market stand and walked around the farm. The farmhouse was built in the 1840s. The owners, Carol Ann Sayle and Larry Butler, live on the premises.


Pepper plants are shielded from the unrelenting heat in this hoop house.


Creamer peas (or are those long beans?) flourish next door to the peppers.


Here we see a fresh okra harvest in progress. Tomatoes are in the background.


Before heading home, we visited the Hen House, full of healthy, happy hens.


The hens got a special treat this morning - cherry tomatoes that were a bit past their prime for the market tables.


I wish I knew what type of hens they were. Their feathers are beautiful.




I apologize to you, dear reader, and to the subject, Rusty Roo, for this terrible shot, but his plumage is so striking, I felt I had to share what I had.


One last look before we leave at a field of sunflowers and chard.


The market stand is open Wednesday and Saturday, 9 to 1. You can read more about Boggy Creek Farm, the hens, the farm's helpers and how they're dealing with the drought, from Carol Ann herself. She's a regular contributor to The Atlantic magazine's On the Farm column, and her stories are always both educational and entertaining.

We'll be back!