Springdale Farm has a simple yet laudable goal: to build a sustainable future for themselves and for their community. Glenn and Paula Foore started out because they wanted to provide healthy food to their own family that was not laden with pesticides or other harmful substances. Like so many other urban gardeners in east Austin, they soon found that the land, which had been a major agricultural powerhouse a hundred years ago, provided much more abundant produce than they and their own family could consume. 
Paula had an “aha” moment a few years into her gardening project when she invited friends to help the family with some garden maintenance. The day was one of fellowship and connectedness, and after everyone had worked so hard, they all came inside and prepared a meal of everything they had harvested. The whole process was one of loving community, and Paula knew that this was what her gardening was all about.
Springdale Farm does not vend at any of the local farmer’s markets in town; instead, they hold an open farm stand at the farm every Wednesday and Saturday. Other days of the week are filled with community education and outreach, bringing much traffic to Springdale. Paula and Glenn have found Austin to be an incredibly supportive community, with many avenues of educating the community about locally-grown, sustainable food. They provide canning classes and host on-site dinners with the Slow Food Austin chapter.
As more residents become interested in the thriving local farm economy, the city has answered the call with the East Austin Urban Farm Tour, a semi-annual event that provides tours to the many urban farms tucked away in the historically farming land of east Austin. Springdale Farm is a major participant in the tour, working closely with the Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance – an organization dedicated to providing voices in Congress for small farms and ranchers. Glenn and Paula’s fellowship with the community has grown far beyond their family and close friends, and now they are spreading the word about sustainable food to the entire city.
