Aunt Penny is quite indignant. She does not consider herself livestock. She’d prefer you think of her as a member of the family, or at the very least, a pet – but livestock? Never! Aunt Penny is a hen of course – but more importantly she’s a leader in the ever-growing sustainability movement. And best of all, she lives right here in the live music capital of the world – on the farm of Larry Butler & Carol Ann Sayle on the beautiful east side of Austin.

Boggy Creek Farms is a USDA Certified Organic farm, but that by no means provides an accurate description of what’s going on this 5 acre plot of ground, smack in the middle of a rapidly growing and changing community. Elsewhere around the country “organic� may be defined down as companies like Wal-Mart climb on the organic bandwagon, but Boggy Creek Farms remains true to the origins of the organic farm movement – those of sustainability, fair trade and living wages.

Eating food close to the source provides vast benefits. Fresh food tastes better and is more nutritious. Haven’t you ever had a tomato right off the vine? When you buy local, more of your food dollars stay in your own community, directly benefiting your town and your neighbors. And if you strive to imagine a carbon free future just think about this – “From field to fork, an average dinner travels 1,500 miles� source. Processed food spends a huge amount of time on exhaust spewing trucks moving miles across the country.

At this little farm in Austin – what they give back to the soil is equal to what they take. They make their own compost and pay their employees a living wage, all the while producing some of the best tasting vegetables ever. Go visit them and learn about the many benefits of eating local. Don’t forget to say hi to Aunt Penny!