Dallas Farmers Market Farm Visits
Providing access to fresh, local and authentic food for Texans is the fundamental goal of the Dallas Farmers Market. To ensure the quality of product, validity of growing methods and to learn more about the challenges each farmer or rancher must overcome, the DFM team travels to visit each farmer and rancher accepted into our market. We believe that by learning about our food we are able to form a deeper appreciation for the meals we eat and the people who work to provide them. Join us as we travel across Texas and meet the incredible men and women who work to keep us all fed.
Baugh Family Farms – Wills Point, TX
Grow heirloom tomatoes, peaches, watermelons and a variety of other vegetables. Also grows variety of flowers and sells them fresh cut.
Berry Best – Larue TX
Blueberry farm (state certified organic) that provide fresh (usually 1 to 3 days off the bush) organic, handpicked blueberries.
Bois d’Arc Meat Company – Windom, TX
Few farmers have the opportunity to farm land that has been in their family over 160 years. Thomas Locke of Bois d’Arc Meat Company in Windom, TX is one of those fortunate farmers and takes pride in this legacy by embracing the farm practices of yesteryear where natural ecological processes were allowed to occur. The Locke family, farming 160 acres just 90 minutes from Dallas, raise their cattle, pigs, turkeys and hens in a traditional, non-GMO environment– believing that pasture-raised cattle, chickens, turkeys and pigs are happy animals that produce extremely high-quality and healthy foods and eggs.
Bonton Farms – Dallas, TX
An agricultural intervention to restore lives, create jobs and ignite hope in the most forgotten and neglected neighborhoods for the most marginalized and vulnerable people.
Cedar Ridge Egg Farm – Pickton, TX
Cedar Ridge Egg Farm is marked by a level of quality and care that is difficult to match. These hens are living the ideal chicken life and it shows in the deliciousness of their eggs. Each egg is checked for quality through a “candling” machine that is rare in a family-scale operation. Candling ensures that each egg is fresh, without cracks or defects. The eggs you purchase at the Dallas Farmers Market from Cedar Ridge Egg Farm are truly “farm-to-table” where you can meet the farmers and see photos of the hens living their happy lives! When it comes to knowing how your food is raised, you can look beyond the label at the Dallas Farmers Market and get the full story. Read more about Cedar Ridge on our blog.
Crawford Farms – Timpson, TX
“Our crops are sustainably grown using organic practices.” Come and give a big DFM welcome to Crawford Farms! They will be bringing turnip greens, spinach, white turnips w/ top, cilantro, mustard greens, broccoli, kale, collard greens, baby leaf lettuces, some red potatoes and onions from their fall crop. They have been farming for 40 years and we are very excited to have them!
Eden Hill Winery – Celina, TX
When you hear of a friend’s upcoming wine tour, you most likely think of vineyards in California, Italy, or even Spain. Eden Hill is trying to change that. Chris Hornbaker has a love of wine, and believes that Texas grown wine can be just as good as wine grown in more “exotic” locations. He is making his dream come true in Celina, TX, located about an hour north of Dallas. Chris and his family graciously hosted the Dallas Farmers Market team to show us around his property and let us into the secret of making world-class wine in Texas. Read more about Eden Hill Winery on our blog!
Jersey Girl – Winnsboro, TX
This family dairy farm, Jersey Girls Milk Company, provide pasteurized milk + chocolate milk, many delicious yogurt flavors and a variety of cheeses. Once you get a taste, it sells itself.
Juha Ranch – Barry, TX
Anyone who knows Harry Butaud and Judi Glasgow know they go together like peas and carrots. One needs look no further than their business name to understand their bond. While sitting at the ranch bar with friends one night, the pair established the ranch name as a combination of their first names. “Ju” for Judi and “Ha” for Harry. Harry appealed to call it “HaJu” instead, but the group decided that sounded too much like a sneeze.
Raising beef using sustainable practices, such as rotational grazing on chemical-free pastures. Expanded the ranch to include pork, lamb, rabbit and range-free chicken eggs. The pair also raise and train horses and working dogs. The JuHa Ranch philosophy is simple: practice and spread the principles of sustainable agriculture; conserve and restore all aspects of nature; maintain ecological integrity in all practices; continue their commitment to best practice and improvement; and the ethical and humane treatment of all animals.
Lee-Lynn’s Farm – Barry, TX
Lee-Lynn’s Farm and Ranch began when Rick Tantlinger got his first give chickens in his Arlington home. He soon discovered that he had found his passion and began investing in his future farm. Now, Rick has moved from city life to Barry, TX and has embraced country life. His farm and ranch is composed of a 300 chicken flock, 40 ducks, and a handful of cattle, dogs, cats, and a baby donkey named Murphy. Stop by Lee-Lynn’s to buy non-GMO and non-soy fed chicken and duck eggs.
Lost Ruby Ranch – Bonham, TX
The name “Lost Ruby Ranch” was given in loving memory of Bill Allen. Bill’s sister, Virginia was a court stenographer at the Nuremberg Trials at the end of WWII. When Virginia returned from Germany, she brought a ruby to give to her only brother, Bill. The ruby was mounted as a ring and graced with a diamond was worn by Bill for many years until it slipped off his finger here at the ranch, never to be seen again. The story of the lost ruby grows larger with time and will someday be so large that we cannot help but trip over it.
Paul has been able to plan building layouts and pasture fencing, for years, while visiting many dairy goat farms in Texas and Oklahoma. Attending several cheese making classes each year with the eye always on the day when retirement and “Lost Ruby Ranch” would be realized. Currently managing a herd of 22 dairy goats with kidding season to begin in early March 2016. Lost Ruby Ranch’s fresh goat cheese is available at the Dallas Farmers Market and is available in plain and many different flavors. They will let you try a sample because it tastes so good!
Prayer Lavender Garden – Rockwall, TX
Pruitt Farms – Mexia, TX
Despite the setbacks, a growing demand for local produce is undeniable in DFW. “There’s a future in this now; there wasn’t a future when I got started.” Gerald says that now more than ever, customers are looking for local produce and to support those who grow it. His customers often are interested in learning about seasonality and finding ways of being more self-sufficient. “It’s going to get easier. Customers want it. You can tell in Dallas especially.” For Gerald, it’s a matter of fact that not only do customers want his food, but that this work is essential to support growing populations in urban centers. “Downtown Dallas needs as much help as it can get.” Much like ourselves at the Dallas Farmers Market, Gerald pairs his rooted traditions with bold innovations to serve our community with confidence in our sustainable future. Read our full visit here.
Skye Farms – Willow Park, TX
Skye Farms of Willow Park, TX is what you might call a “micro-farm” — a small urban farm, specializing in nutritious microgreens. Microgreens have become abundantly popular in recent years, and for a good reason. These small-but-mighty veggies pack a huge nutritional (not to mention tasty) punch. Travis of Skye Farms began growing microgreens for his own enjoyment and to add to his many plant-based meals. Skye Farms offers a rotating selection of micro-sunflower, pea shoots, radish, broccoli, arugula, amaranth, chives, cilantro, and many others. Each variety offers different flavor profiles that take any dish to the next level. On your next taco, try adding micro-cilantro–you’ll definitely be thanking your farmer for that one.
Microgreens grow on soil and enjoy about 7-14 days of sunlight until they are harvested as their first two leaves emerge (these leaves are referred to as cotyledons for you plant-bio enthusiasts). Since microgreens are harvested at such a developmentally pivotal moment, they are packed full of nutrients and flavor–imagine you’re getting ready for a race, you’ll definitely want to have some “umph” stored up from a good smoothie before you start! That’s how we can envision the cause of nutrient density in microgreens. According to a study from the USDA and University of Maryland, “Researchers looked at four groups of vitamins and other phytochemicals – including vitamin C, vitamin E, and beta carotene — in 25 varieties of microgreens. They found that leaves from almost all of the microgreens had four to six times more nutrients than the mature leaves of the same plant.” We really didn’t need any extra reasons to love microgreens, but that definitely seals the deal! You can get your microgreen fix every weekend from Skye Farms.
Silver Spur – Hico, TX
A native Texan that had the privilege of living in Santa Rosa, California on Olivet Road for 25 years, Phillip Lopez is committed to creating Texas wines with bold flavor. With help from his close neighbors and winemakers he has gained the knowledge and understanding of the wine industry. Now back at home in Texas he brings the styles of wine and wine making crafts from the region of Sonoma County to the Texas Wine Industry. Using background gained from experience in the California wine industry, Silver Spur Winery applies art and science to overcome the unique challenges that Texas grape growers face. Their tasting room is located in downtown Hico but look for them on weekends the Dallas Farmers Market.
Thirsty Farms — Forney, TX
Local producers who sell all-natural longhorn beef, produce, honey & flowers.
Winona Orchards — Winona, TX
Imagine picking the freshest, juiciest peaches or berries and placing them in a cooler on a truck. Now drive that truck straight to the Dallas Farmers Market. THAT is how fresh the fruits from Winona Orchards are. Located on 65 acres near Tyler, Winona Orchards is family owned and operated. Along with luscious blueberries and blackberries, the Sattler family has been growing 35 varieties of high quality peaches since 2004.