This should tell you a little about us, what we grow, and whatever other personal details we see fit to divulge.

We are a farm about 30 to 35 miles south of Austin. Total acres: about 180, with about 50 in cultivation and perhaps 20 more with cultivation potential. This includes about 75 acres across the county road that we acquired in 1999. I am having trouble finding time to keep more than about 30 acres in cultivation at any one time.

We are blessed with somewhat better soil than Austin; pH is 7.0 or less; the texture varies from sand to very heavy red clay. We have a good supply of fairly low quality ground water at around 100 feet. Most of our crops are irrigated.

Our primary customers are Austin area grocery stores, although we sell on the farm and at several area Farmer's Markets.

We started planting in 1981 and intended to grow primarily peaches. Blackberries and tomatoes were used to carry us through bad peach years. In retrospect, we could have saved a great deal of money by not planting peaches. Crop failures due to late freezes and low chill winters have made peaches un-profitable for the past 15 years, or so. Since about 1995, we have not replaced peaches at the rate at which they expire.

A few years ago, grapes seem to hold promise as a profitable crop and we had about an acre of the seedless variety Mars. Pierce's Disease reared its ugly head and most grape plantings in the eastern half of the state have died. Including ours.

A similar story developed with blackberries. In 1999, I diagnosed our several years long decline as the disease anthracnose. Attempts at reviving the plantings with more diligent pruning and fungicide sprays have failed. In the winter of 2000/2001 a new planting was made in a location remote from the infected fields.

We have branched out in to other fruits and vegetables. Spinach, in the winter, has become a big crop. We expect pears, especially Asian varieties, to replace most of our peaches in the next few years. Cream Peas, in the fall, has also become a significant crop. Green beans, okra, carrots, cantaloupes, and seedless watermelon have become regular, but minor crops.

Some personal stuff:

I am an old sports car racer, having run in many SCCA events in my younger years. Highlights have been running in events at Sebring, Daytona, Riverside, and Elkhart Lake as well as MANY local events in Texas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. All in the 1960s. Cars: MGAs, MGBs, and Elva Couriers.

Out of college with a BS in Civil Engineering, I went to work for Tracor as a computer programmer and worked there about 15 years. Then, I became a FARMER!

Starting in perhaps 1985, I became interested in genealogy. Names are MaKemie/McKemie/McKamie/etc, Moores, Taylor, Waddill, Hargrove, Harrison, Mooty, Wilson, Janes, Stevenson/Stephenson, Ross, Burge/Burgess, Farrington, Barksdale, Pearson.
I have set up a mailing list for those interested in MaKemie genealogy. These would be descendants of the father of Rev. Francis MaKemie. To subscribe to the mail list, select MaKemie Genealogy and put "subscribe" (without quotes) in the subject field. To unsubscribe, use "unsubscribe".

After you subscribe, you will receive all messages sent to MaKemie-Cousins@austinfarm.org and messages sent by you to that address will go to all subscribers.

RANTS!

Throughout my memory, I have been a rather militant opponent of tobacco smoke. And, I seem to get more militant as the years pass by. Here are some personal smoking experiences.

I am regularly amused and somewhat alarmed by the concern customers express regarding chemical hazards in their food supply. All scientific studies indicate that risks due to pesticide contamination of food is between zero and minuscule. Tobacco smoke exposure risks in comparison are something greater than enormous. Perhaps hundreds of thousands of times greater.

It seems I have mellowed with age regarding the driving of automobiles. Every day I am irked to see people driving inefficient vehicles inefficiently. It occurs to me that it is probably due to lack of education. Here are some apparently little known facts.

INSURANCE! Why do people "buy" it? Insurance is right up there with lawyering for soaking up resources with zero return. Read more.