Aug 8, 2022
Finegan and Jason of Steelbow Farm, in Austin TX, may seem like unusual guests for the Winter Growers Podcast. But, with climate change and more frequent extreme weather patterns, I was curious to hear from a farm down at the 30th parallel where farming from November through March is more common. However, it is still full of challenges, such as extreme daily temperature swings.
Finegan and Jason first farmed together in Austin before deciding to start their first farm in Maine, where they leased land for three seasons and sold mostly into the Portland area. After coming up short in their search for permanent farmland, they reached out to a farmer farm mentor in Austin who offered to lease them farmland and infrastructure. It was too good of an offer to refuse, so they took the leap and moved their farm BACK down to Texas. In late 2019, they packed their bags, along with their first child, and moved to Austin to begin their new farm adventure.
In the last two years, and during a pandemic no less, they have rebuilt Steelbow Farm, now cultivating 2.5 acres, and sell to over 20 restaurantes with a 130+ member CSA. They also have 7 employees, prioritize paying them well, with quality, community, and communication as as central focus in all that they do.
Year round growing is primary to their farming model, but it's not without it's challenges, even in Texas. I hope this conversation offers a wider perspective on what it means to farm year-round, no matter where the farm is located.
Mentioned in the show...
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