projects + events
jester king goat mile
In Sept 2019, Jester King partnered with Urban American Farmer to run it's first Goat Mile. Farmer Peppy trains his herd to run a 9 minute mile through the rocky terrain of the Texas Hill Country. We invited chefs, bartenders, runners, food system advocates + writers to run a mile with the goats, practice wilderness yoga, and discuss the importance of our participation in the local food systems.
Badger Flame Beet Invasion
Urban American Farmer was awarded a grant from the Austin Food + Wine Alliance in 2020 to create an original concept called the Badger Flame Beet Invasion. We engaged the youth led Urban Roots Farm to to grow a special beet (the Badger Flame) that was brought to market by a partnership between Chef Dan Barber and Seed Breeder Irwin Goldman. The beet is sold by Row 7 Seeds.
Soil Dinner
As part of the Badger Flame Beet project, Urban American Farmer hosted a 2-night dinner and educational event, called Soil. Chefs and food system innovators from across North America brought their passion and art, sharing inspiring stories over 6 courses of Badger Flame Beet dishes.
Farm School for chefs
In 2021, we launched the first season of Farm School for Chefs on an urban farm less than a mile from downtown Austin. Over 4 months, ten restaurants teams grew their own food in 100-foot rows right next to each other. They attended weekly class sessions about soil, seasonality, pest management and so much more. The food they grew, from seed to harvest, was used in their restaurants for dishes or family meal. In total, we hosted 3 seasons of farm school, reaching hundreds of culinary professionals over two years.
East Austin Seed Exchange
In partnership with Desert Door Texas Sotol + Comdeor Restaurant, Urban American Farmer helped to create this free seed exchange, located outside Eden East Farm. The concept was to function like a little free library, with seeds instead of books. Take a seed, leave a seed. Funded by Desert Door.
Wild food dinner series
With the intention to build community around food and farming in other cities, Urban American Farmer launched Wild Food in Charleston, SC in April 2022. We gathered local chefs for a foraging hike + conversation about the challenges and successes we were all experiencing in the industry. Together, we cooked a meal for guests, using seasonal ingredients from both the coast and inland produce farms, with sales benefiting Ben’s Friends Hope.
Field Guide festival
Field Guide Festival launched in 2019, and is currently in its fourth year. The festival celebrates the producers in the Central Texas region, educating the community on farming practices and food sourcing. In partnership with Blue Norther Live, the festival has grown to include a dinner at Boggy Creek Farm called Land to Larder, and a Symposium which includes speakers from all parts of our local food system.
