At the Cibolo, we are proud of our programs that fulfill our mission of conservation, education, and community. We are especially proud of the Farmers Market at Herff Farm, which, though small, has proven itself a powerful staple for our vendors and the community of Boerne and surrounding areas. For over 10 years, local growers and small farmers like Wren’s Garden and Betsy Blue Farm have brought their homegrown, in-season produce and farm fresh eggs to our market.
Farmers Markets have existed in many forms for thousands of years. In America, they popped up in central areas connecting urban people with their rural neighbors and allowing for business and trade. As corporations and factories boomed, “curb markets” waned. But wars and recessions throughout the 1800s and 1900s ensured these markets would always be needed by the farmers that sold there and the visitors that shopped there. Since the 1990s, the number of farmers markets in America has grown exponentially, thanks to the average consumer becoming more conscious of where their food comes from and how it is handled. When the environmental and economic impacts are considered, the importance of supporting a community market continues to grow.
Markets like our own offer small and newer farmers a greater opportunity for success by giving them a low-obstacle space to test products and practices and receive feedback. This is especially important for growers who already struggle with costs. Shopping at these markets stimulate the local economy, as the small business owners return money to their local communities at a greater rate than grocery store chains. Finally, shopping locally and seasonally means reducing the energy waste and costs of shipping food from far away packaging and processing facilities.
