We recently visited Crawford Farm’s, an east Texas farm that is all about growing high quality produce by tried and true family methods. Steve Crawford’s farm is located in Timpson, TX, a town with a population around 1,000 people located about an hour from Shreveport, LA. Steve has been farming for forty years and his son and daughter plan to carry on the family tradition. A third generation farmer, Steve learned about the business from his grandfather who started the farm in the seventies. Now, Steve is growing just about everything you can think of. He showed us his newest additions last week and taught us a little about life on the farm. The forty-acre property is filled with abundance from the moment you drive in. The fields surrounding the house are already full with rows of greens, summer squashes, and the first sprouts of watermelons. Lining the house are peach and plum trees where Steve showed us the beginnings of the fruit that were smaller than a pea. A trampoline stands among them for Steve’s two, soon to be three, grandchildren. Steve walked us over to his greenhouse where his summer plants were taking root. Peppers, tomatoes, and more watermelons, each planted individually from seed, filled the greenhouse awaiting consistently warm weather. And that was just the beginning. Loading into his truck, Steve drove us through the berry patches, around the field of peas, the rows of onions, the pond located on the property and to the remnants of last years tomato crop located next to a freshly tilled field where the crop had been undecided. Maybe more snap peas, cauliflower, or brussel sprouts. The possibilities are endless. Steve’s favorite things to grow are the summer crops that will be coming up the next few weeks. Peaches, squashes, berries, and melons will be here in abundance from the farm. Crawford Farm’s is already in full swing for the spring season, even though up until a couple a weeks ago he was still at risk of surprise cold snaps. Here at Crawford Farms the mentality is “you’ve gotta plant it early to have it early” and they fully abide by this. Melons, okra, peas, and peppers have been planted and are just sprouting. Steve has been burned by this philosophy before, telling us how a recent crop of tomatoes was ruined by a surprisingly late cold snap, but Steve feels it’s worth it. In order to get the fruits and vegetables everyone loves out as soon as he can, he finds that planting as early as he can ensures he is one of the first farmers to harvests his crops. Steve is committed to growing the highest quality of crops and is certain you will know the difference. “Customers are real smart. They are able to tell real quick that we are the real deal. They can look at us and see how we talk and know we’re farmers.” He is excited to share his knowledge and wants people to know about his sustainable and pesticide free farming. Steve is in the unique position of someone who has lived through the past of farming and is on the forefront of the future of farming. We are excited to welcome Crawford Farm’s to The Shed. They now have fresh salad mixes with their greens, as well as the first of their potatoes. The Dallas Farmers Market is open Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays (10am – 3pm), Saturdays (9am – 5pm) and Sundays (10am – 5pm). Can’t get enough of the Dallas Farmers Market? Subscribe to our weekly newsletter!