FarmShare Austin

General programs - at Farmshare Austin, our mission is to grow a healthy, just, and equitable local food system by increasing community food access and cultivating new farmers. We envision a future of resilient local food economies that ensure equitable access to food and to the resources needed to farm. Farmshare Austin builds bridges between the produce grown on our 10-acre certified organic farm in eastern travis county and food access programs reaching food-insecure communities in Austin and travis county, Texas.

Farm-farmer starter is a 20-week intensive program for adults who desire to launch organic and sustainable farming careers. The course includes a combination of hands-on in field experience, classroom education, and community workshops at other local farms. Over 60 percent of the 102 farmer starter graduates are farming. Cultivator is a micro-incubator on our farm where recent farmer starter graduates can test out their farm business plans and deepen their growing skills. Cultivators grow produce for fresh for less customers and wholesale and retail outlets. Farmshare is playing a pivotal role in creating an inclusive, collaborative, diverse local farming community and providing farmer training and mentoring, especially for beginning farmers.

Food access - Farmshare Austin's food access mission is to provide fresh, local, nutrient-dense produce and organic grocery items (mainly sourced from unfi) at a reduced cost to Austin's community members experiencing food access barriers. Fresh for less offers customers multiple points of distribution that are convenient to them. Our weekly mobile markets are located at 8 different community locations and our home delivery service delivers custom orders to 25 zip codes for no additional fees. We work to make sure our produce is at the highest quality for an affordable price. 28% of our customers use snap and double up food bucks, a produce incentive.

Other programs - grants