At the turn of the 20th century Austin, Texas, was a melting pot of Czechs, Mexicans, Germans and Swedes seeking a better life. The Bergstroms -- three Swedish brothers who had emigrated together -- bought adjoining tracts in east Austin to start farms for their growing families. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Today, despite encroaching development, the Bergstrom’s Big Red Barn and yellow farmhouse still stands and serves as the iconic headquarters for Green Gate Farms’s five-acre certified organic, community farm.
At the heart of Green Gate Farms educational initiatives are its camps for children and adults and its many partnerships with schools and youth-based organizations. A partnership with Austin Jewish Academy is one of our most creative endeavors: every Friday fifth graders take the lead in setting up the farm stand, caring for livestock, greeting customers, managing compost, and doing fieldwork. Joint lesson plans with teacher Karen Hidalgo also ensures that children use the farm for hands-on academics. During Austin’s recent historic flooding in October, students studied the farm’s topography and created watershed models to better understand why the entire city had to boil water for nearly a week. ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
Problem-solving with resources at hand is another important aspect of our farm curriculum. Whether it’s upcycling wooden pallets for newborn bunny housing or figuring out what to make for lunch by foraging in the field, farm-based education at Green Gate gives children the opportunity to lead, fosters creativity and strengthens resilience.