Best of Austin!

Thank you Austin Chronicle Critics for recognizing the work we’ve done to create an agricultural community in Austin, just eight miles east of downtown. The first of its kind in the US!

Nine years ago, when we sought to preserve our farm and the 1902 Swedish Bergstrom farmstead, Green Gate Farms proposed innovation: Why not create a new kind of community that combines farming and housing, one that puts our certified organic farm at the heart of a walkable neighborhood of tiny, affordable homes? Though Roberts Communities had never done this kind of innovative project before they were able to consider it because existing RV zoning codes allowed for tiny houses. Thanks to input from neighbors and customers,  Austin-based TBG Partners created a thoughtful, sustainable design that included, among other things, a four-acre farm visible from Decker Lane, a large community garden, pocket gardens, edible landscaping and new farm stand/general store. Now that the tiny home construction is nearing completion, we look forward to finishing the farm and the other elements of this project that can serve as a model for communities seeking to prioritize food production, affordable housing, health and wellness and natural beauty.

Austin Chronicle Critics Choice

Best New Planned Community, Green Gate Farms & Village Farm

An urban planning trend we'd like to see more of is a concept known as the "agrihood," which is basically a planned community that incorporates agriculture into the daily lives of residents. East Austin's Green Gate Farms is one local example, where people living on ….Village Farm can learn to farm and garden, purchase freshly harvested fruits and vegetables from neighbors, and participate in regular social events. A City Council resolution authored by CM Natasha  Harper-Madison hopes to spur development of other agrihoods across the city.