Second Helpings: Farmstands

“Second Helpings” offers tasty, bite-sized restaurant listings compiled from new and previous reviews, guides, and poll results. This week’s entries were updated by Erin Mosow. For quick, reliable info about Austin eateries, check here.

Angel Valley Organic Farm

10804 Ridgeway, off FM 1431 in Jonestown, 512/267-2785 Saturday, 10am-2pm 11713 Jollyville Rd., between Oak Knoll & Duval, 336-5069 Wednesday, 10am-1pm
Angel Valley farmers Jo and John Dwyer farm near Leander and sell their organic produce at farmstands in Austin and Jonestown. Look for them in front of the Asian-American Cultural Center on Jollyville Road and in front of Tres Chic in Jonestown. They’ll be selling seasonal organic vegetables, greens, and herbs.

Austin Farmers’ Market Downtown

Republic Square Park, 422 Guadalupe, 236-0074 Saturday, 8am-noon Music: 9:30-11am
A years’ worth of hard work and planning culminated with the opening of the downtown Austin Farmers’ Market in May of 2003. Operated by the Sustainable Food Center, the new, growers-only market provides fresh, locally produced fruits and vegetables, cheeses, breads, preserves, flowers, and more. Local chefs from the city’s favorite dining spots offer weekly cooking demos, and local artisans sell their creations, making Republic Square Park a wonderful place to spend your Saturday morning.

Boggy Creek Farm

3414 Lyons, 926-4650 Wednesday and Saturday, 9am-2pm, year-round
This 5-acre East Austin market garden is located on a historic property dating back to the Texas revolutionary period. Farmers Larry Butler and Carol Ann Sayle are the current stewards of the land, producing organic vegetables, greens, fruits, herbs, flowers, and farm eggs. They also sell a line of smoke-dried tomato products, as well as, jams, jellies, hot sauce, award-winning self-published books, plus Pure Luck Texas goat cheese, and hormone- and antibiotic-free meats.

Pure Luck Texas

101 Twin Oaks Trail, Dripping Springs, 512/858-7034 Daily, 9am-5pm, year-round
Just a short drive away, outside Dripping Springs, Pure Luck is the home of award-winning farmstead goat cheeses and a family organic farm. Denny and Sara Bolton operate their farmstand on weekends, selling their great cheeses, seasonal vegetables, herbs, and cut flowers. They were honored at this year’s Saveur Texas Hill Country Wine & Food Festival as 2003 Authentic Stars of Texas for their work preserving the authentic flavors of Texas cuisine.

South Austin Farmer’s Market

2901 S. Congress (El Gallo parking lot) Saturday, 8am-1pm, year-round
The small but loyal band of mostly organic farmers who sell at this longtime weekly market will be there rain or shine, heat or snow. Seasonal fresh vegetables, fruits, and flowers plus occasional value-added products such as jams and jellies.

Tecolote Farm

16301 Decker Lake Rd., 276-7008 Sunday, noon-5pm (May-August)
The Pitres of Tecolote Farm are local proponents of community-supported agriculture, which means they sell customers annual subscriptions for a share in the bounty of their organic harvest. Interested in joining the subscriber list for next year? Send an e-mail inquiry, and get on the waiting list for spring. It’s also possible to purchase their organic vegetables at their weekly farmstand.

Travis County Farmer’s Market

6701 Burnet Rd., 454-1002 Daily, 9am-6pm
The produce available here is sold mostly by peddlers rather than growers. The market imports specialty seasonal items such as fresh roasted Hatch chiles in September, a massive load of pumpkins every October, and Christmas trees. Also: antiques, restaurants, plant nursery, and barbecue.

Westlake Farmers Market

4100 Westbank, Westlake High School parking lot, 280-1976 Saturday, 10am-1pm
This market is open year-round and offers seasonal fruits, vegetables, greens, and herbs sold by the farmers who grow them. Vendors also sell breads, pastries, cheeses, pasta, salsas, hormone- and antibiotic-free meats. Join them Oct. 25 for the Fall Harvest Festival.