Tired of increasing grocery prices? Farmshare Austin’s Fresh For Less Mobile Markets might be just what you’re looking for. The program is cultivating food access to communities throughout Austin with eight different locations and their mobile delivery service.
Farmshare Austin is a nonprofit founded in 2013 by Brenton Johnson with a goal to “grow a healthy, just and equitable local food system by increasing community food access and cultivating new farmers,” according to its website. Its “Fresh For Less” mission is geared to serve food insecure communities in Travis County.
Their markets offer a variety of locally and sustainably grown produce, eggs, honey and other grocery items at a reduced price. The majority comes from Farmshare’s organic farm in Cedar Creek. The list of available groceries changes every week and can be accessed through its website.
All markets and delivery accept Lone Star SNAP, P-EBT, credit card, debit card and cash payments to maximize accessibility. Aside from the Fresh For Less program, Farmshare Austin also has a Farm Starter program for aspiring farmers and offers different education workshops and classes.
The closest market near campus is located at People’s Community Clinic on Camino La Costa just off of I-35 and 290. This market in particular is open Thursdays from 12:30 p.m.-2 p.m. The market hosted a long line of people picking out groceries from large baskets on tables covered in red gingham cloths. The items ranged from staples like potatoes and tomatoes to seasonal produce like watermelon radishes. There was even white rice, garbanzo beans, oat milk and other organic products.
Catarina Fantini, a food access coordinator for Farmshare, ran the market by herself, weighing, charging and bagging the groceries for customers. She rushed back and forth between answering questions to cashiering amidst the chatter of market-goers.
“We’re a good service in providing fresh, local, organic produce at affordable prices because now, people are looking to buy the best price they can, so they won’t spend it on organic or local foods,” Fantini said. “It’s just a great way to get affordable healthy food.”
Fantini’s background in nutrition and her passion for organic foods and farming led to her job at the nonprofit two years ago. Her tasks include setting up and running the markets while also packing up mobile orders and delivering them to customers.
“I find a lot of value in organic farming, both for the health of the soil and the health of the human body,” Fantini said. “I’ve come to enjoy the community that’s built at Farmshare with my coworkers and getting to engage with the community in Austin as well.”
At the end of the line, customers could hear Sustainable Food Center facilitator Selene Dominguez promoting SFC’s Saturday Farmers Markets. Although SFC and FFL Mobile Markets aren’t a joint-organization, Dominguez said each one promotes the other since they both offer such important programs to the community.
Along with SFC’s market, the organization also offers free cooking lessons through its Happy Kitchen program.
While Dominguez and I spoke more about SFC’s mission, program facilitator Maria Tello joined us. Tello recently finished teaching a Happy Kitchen class and told me about her weight loss journey through SFC. Tello said she directs her students to the FFL Mobile Markets, contributing to the program’s expansion and assisting others in finding healthier, budget-friendly food options.
“I wouldn’t have been able to accomplish any of this (weight loss) without having access to reduced priced vegetables and fruits. It’s just amazing,” Tello said. “There are resources here in our community, all it takes is learning about them and taking a chance and benefitting through these opportunities for your own health.”
