A Bastrop, TX farm and eatery run by a couple are bouncing back after a April 9th hailstorm ravaged crops, determined to continue their farm-to-table mission.
CALDWELL and FAYETTE counties: Flood watch will be in effect from 7 AM Wednesday through 1 PM Thursday. Heavy rain likely.From a multi-year drought to our recent destructive storms, Central Texans have endured some dramatic weather extremes.
CBS Austin Chief Meteorologist Chikage Windler went to Bastrop to see how a local farm and restaurant are rising above adversity. "When you think about farm-to-table dining, it doesn't get any fresher than straight from the farm to the table, all in the same day," says Windler."It literally is the most self-fulfilling thing out there to be able to provide fresh food to people," says David Barrow, Farmer-Owner of Eden East Farm."We make pickles in our sleep. All we do is pickle," says Sonya Cote, Chef-Owner of Store House Market & Eatery. Down the street at Store House Market and Eatery, you'll find David's wife Sonya Cote. The Chef-Owner takes what David harvests at the farm and develops recipes to highlight those ingredients. "Like for real, it's from the beginning to the end, you know, It's just love from that farmer to the hands of the chef and it's just every single day," says Cote."So he runs the farm, and I kind of run the restaurant. So it's like kind of a nice little dynamic," explains Cote. The dynamic duo moved from Austin to Bastrop four years ago, bringing the farm to the table and watching their vision grow. They'd had some ups and downs, but nothing like what happened April 9th. "Between 10 p.m. and 10:14 p.m., it felt like we were the epicenter of the hailstorm," explains Barrow. "It was extremely isolated, but we had everything from golf ball to baseball-sized hail," says Barrow. "Everything was destroyed. Six months of you know his hard work was destroyed, and I was very sad about it for days," says Cote. "Tomato plants looked like someone had de-topped them and taken a weed eater through them. There was still some leaf structure, but for the most part, they were decimated," says Barrow. "Radishes were just torn out of the ground. Bok choy completely disintegrated. Broccoli completely disintegrated. We lost all of our carrot tops," he adds."I mean Mother Nature is an unpredictable foe and we just work with her and have patience with her because we know that she can be devastating or that she can be very supportive. So if you just find that happy medium you should be good to grow," Barrow explains. There's growing optimism. New plants are thriving. Tomatoes are weeks behind but making progress, and summer crops are germinating in the greenhouse. "I feel like it builds character and kind of gives you that grit, maybe, that translates to the restaurant itself," says Cote. "People come in and just make themselves right at home and we'll pamper with all of our delightful vegetables coming straight from the farm," Cote adds.If you'd like to visit Eden East Farm, the Farm Market is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm at 1910 Main St. Bastrop, TX 78602.Store House Market & Eatery is located at 813 Main Street, Bastrop, Texas 78602. Check their website for hours and menus.
Farm Store House Market And Eatery Hailstorm Eden East Farm
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Bastrop Museum calling on current, former residents to share their tattoos for new exhibitThe business will now offer more than healthcare services.
Read more »
Bastrop mother concerned about bullying in the districtThe meeting comes after a mother said her children aren't being treated fairly at the district.
Read more »
Bastrop ISD board of trustees denies family's grievance ofalleged bullying attacksBastrop ISD board denied a family's grievance claiming their children were bullied at school, after parents filed multiple complaints.
Read more »
In Bastrop, a call for tattoo stories generates buzzThe Bastrop Museum and Visitor Center is collecting tattoo stories from current and former residents until June 9.
Read more »
Day Trips: Dining in BastropThree downtown Bastrop cafes that will wow you
Read more »
For Juneteenth, Bastrop residents sew their history into quiltsA new exhibit at the Bastrop County African American Cultural Center tells the stories of families descended from local freedom colonies, which were founded by formerly enslaved people after emancipation.
Read more »