Farm-Stay Log Cabin Accommodations in Fredericksburg, Texas -- Agarita Creek Farms

At Agarita Creek Farms in Fredericksburg, Texas, we offer farm-stay accommodations in two new traditional German-style "chink" log cabins on a beautiful ridge overlooking our farm, neighboring farms, and beyond -- into the historic town of Fredericksburg. We offer an alternative to hotels, motels, and the usual bed and breakfast accomodations, offering two two-story, two-bedroom 1200 sq. ft. houses with living and dining rooms, full kitchens, and full front porches with the aforementioned views of our part of the Texas Hill Country. Each of our cabins feature stained concrete floors downstairs, with wooden ceilings throughout, with the first floor ceiling forming the second story floor. Our kitchens and baths feature genuine Talavera tile, and our kitchens feature modern appliances, dishes, flatware, and virtually every kitchen gadget a guest could want. Each cabin features leather sofas and weathered, rustic mexican and pioneer furnishing, as well as work from local artists. Whether you decide on the Behrends Cabin or the Braeutigum Cabin, we are confident that you will find that your accomodations exceed your expectations, and provide the best place for a Texas Hill Country get-away.





We invite you to check out our website, http://www.agaritacreek.com/ our Facebook page, or to call us at 830.896.9140 at our business office, which is open 8 to 5 Monday through Friday. We also invite you to visit with us at the Fredericksburg Farmer's Market, each Thursday evening from late May through October. We think if you compare us to Fredericksburg and Hill Country hotels, motels, guest houses, cabins, and bed and breakfast accomodations, you will agree that we offer something different, and that, in this case, different is better.

On Wal-Mart and Organics

So what is wrong with Wal-Mart (or Whole Foods for that matter) selling organic foods? Doesn't that make organics available to everyone, everywhere? Isn't that a good thing? Well, it is not a bad thing, generally, except that it takes the focus off of a critical element in a more earth friendly food cycle; one that is more healthy for the consumer and farmer alike. And it forever divorces two concepts that have traditionally (to the extent one can use that word in this context) and historically (ditto) been one -- it takes the local element out of the organic food movement.

Make no mistake, I am not saying that organic food is not good, it is just not enough in and of itself. You see, local food is every bit as important, or should be, as that food is produced by organic methods. Local food is fresher and healthier. Varieties can be grown because they taste good, not because they ship well. Food can be harvested at the peak of ripeness, not weeks ahead of that schedule. And massive amounts of fossil fuel are not spent for the sake of delivering food around the country and even the world.

Everyone has local food. Every region of the country. True, some seasons are shorter than others, but here in Texas we can grow something ten months of the year.

So why don't more people eat locally? At why don't Wal-Mart (and even Whole Foods) carry more than say five percent local food? The answer is simple. People have become divorced from natural cycles. They have grown accustomed to eating the same things year round. To get grapes in mid-winter one has to look to Chile, with its seasons opposite our own. The same is true of almost everything we eat.

So, what must, or should, we do instead, at least in the minds of the contrary farmer? We should eat in a way that our grandparents ate. We should try a parsnip or (God forbid) even a turnip every once in a while, in Winter, when they are in season locally. We should gorge on strawberries in late Spring and early Summer; by the time they come around again we will really, really enjoy them. We should eat the abundance of squash, tomatoes, peppers, and yes, even okra and eggplant, during summer, when a huge variety is available and they taste like something (does anyone remember what a real tomato is supposed to taste like. And when it is cool, we should enjoy spinach, lettuces, cauliflower, and broccoli. Again, what grows out here on the farm (or any good farm or garden) looks and tastes nothing like what is at the store -- even at Whole Foods.

At some point, we will have no choice. Fuel prices will, at least for a time, make the current supply chain untenable. Shipping grapes across the world will no longer be feasible. Folks will be forced to eat locally. Had $4 a gallon gasoline persisted (and it ultimately will) we would have had to face this fact sooner rather than later.

Local, in short, is just as important as organic -- both are integral to a healthier food supply. And no one is bringing you local to any large extent except your friendly neighborhood farmer or gardener. For example, in Texas, that bastion of the tofu-heads (I mean that in a good way), Whole Foods, has one regional buyer who buys a grand total of five percent of the food the stores sell locally. So don't be deceived. Is an organic onion at Whole Foods or Wal-Mart better than that same store's non-organic onion? Maybe. I like to think so. Is it a substitute for an orangically grown onion grown here at home? Not by a long shot. And in the end, even if you don't care about the shipping, use of fuel, and freshness (which is hard to imagine, if you are reading this) what would you rather do? Who would you rather spend your money with? Would you rather buy your tomatoes (in endless, heirloom variety) from the contrary farmer in your county, and help him keep farming or, alternatively, would you rather pay Wal-Mart your dollar from some organic produce it ships country-wide, if not world wide, so that Wal-Mart can keep doing what it does? Do we want more farm entrepreneurs, or do we want even more corporate farmers and Wal-Marts? That is the ultimate question.

So visit your local farmer's market. You all have one. Visit ours on Thursday afternoon/evening in Fredericksburg, at the historic Marketplatz. Go early and go often. Do something good for you, and that farmer down the road trying to send his kid to college.

Daisy, Our New Rescue Border Collie

This is Daisy, our new 2 year old female border collie. She was abandoned in Cleburne, made her way through kind strangers to a vet in Hunt, who then put out the word and we adopted her. She seems to have herding instincts, and longs to work, but we are introducing her to our sheep a little at a time, and developing a relationship with her in the mean time. We, and she, will hopefully learn how to work together soon. There is much to be learned for the novice, but well intentioned, farmer and rancher.

Tom

Agarita Creek Farms' Employee of the Month - Barnabus

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This is Barnabus, our employee of the Month for April. He is a Great Pyrenees, and is the livestock guardian of our sheep. He was purchased for a mere pittance, due to his non-social character, but his job is to guard sheep and not to make human friends. He is docile and indifferent to us, but fierce to the enemies of our sheep. He eats a lot, but when he is done he stays out of the bars, and has not even demanded health insurance, a retirement plan, or a company vehicle. The voting this month was not even close. Barnabus is our employee of the month. Come see him, from a distance at least, on your next trip to see us at Agarita Creek Farms.

Our Fabulous Jacob Ewes and Lambs

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Jacob sheep were the first breed that we decided to raise at Agarita Creek Farms, and our herd of Jacob Sheep is not only our largest herd, but the largest Jacob Sheep herd, we believe in Texas. We have many fine lambs, ewes, and rams, registered and unregistered, for sale this Spring. We invite you to come to the Farm and see these remarkable animals for yourself.

Our Wonderful Dexter Cattle

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At Agarita Creek Farms, we raise Jacob Sheep and Navajo-Churro Sheep, but we are also committed to establishing an amazing herd of Dexter cattle. We are moving slowly in this regard, acquiring only the highest quality heifers and cows, as we want to build a really special herd. We are breeding for red and dun coloration, leaving the predominant black to others. We just feel that the lighter colors are better for our hot climate. We have had two calves in late 2008 and thus far in 2009 at the farm, and look forward to many more, and an ever increasing herd. Dexters are the perfect small dual purpose cow, and we are committed to raising them in a way that honors them. Check out our Dexter cows on your next visit to the farm, and you will see what we are excited about.

More Navajo-Churro Moms and a Few Lambs

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Here are a few of our Navajo ewes, some with their lambs. We are proud to be the farm that is bringing the Navajo-Churro, the sheep of the Spanish and the Navajo, to the Texas Hill Country. We have registered and unregistered rams, ewes, and lambs for sale -- to reestablish this heritage breed in Texas. Pictures do not do them justice; you need to see them for yourself. We are looking for partners who love these animals as we do, and want to establish their own herd. They are a great meat breed, placing high in all competitions among heritage breeds, are good mothers, and provide plenty of milk and outstanding fleeces. We love them, and are looking for people who love them as much as we do.