EIEIO farm seeks help from drought

Wimberley’s EIEIO Farm needs the community’s help.

The 10-acre organic farm in the heart of town is home to Kathleen Mooney and her son, Max. Since purchasing the farm in 2008, Mooney has been raising organic vegetables and flowers and has developed a line of popular condiments that can be found at farmer’s markets and other retail locations in the region under her EIEIO label. While she said the farm was a wholesome and nurturing place to raise her son, there were deep challenges to face.

The year 2015 proved to be especially difficult when the farm was flooded on Memorial Day and then again five months later on Halloween. Ironically, now, it is a lack of water that poses the greatest threat to the farm.

Because of a fouryear drought and continued development in the area, the well on the property has gone dry. Wilson Creek, which runs alongside the property, has steadily dried up and now only serves as a wet weather conduit during heavy precipitation.

Because the farm is so immediately connected to rain cycles and the availability of water, EIEIO’s predicament may be compared to the proverbial canary in the coal mine.

Mooney said she believes the well drying up is a first harbinger of the effects of environmental stressors in the area that include the closing, for the time being, of Jacob’s Well.

“Mr. Boyd, the previous owner who farmed the land from 1938 to 1992, used the water from Wilson Creek to irrigate his crops,” Kathleen said during a recent walk around the farm. “We can’t do that. Today, the farm needs a deeper well and a rainwater collection system to survive.”

Friends and neighbors of the Mooneys have united to throw a fundraiser for the farm. Scheduled for June 8, its goal is to raise $32,000 towards drilling a new well and at least another $25,000 for a conservative water catchment system. If more money is raised, a larger, more comprehensive system will be installed.

Longtime friend David Baker, founder and executive director of The Watershed Association, will speak during the fundraiser to provide a context for guests to understand the farm’s predicament and to encourage listeners to embrace water conservation for the area.

“When we were flooded twice in 2015, Wimberley came forward and provided so much assistance to Max and me,” Mooney said. “Since then, I’ve sought ways to give back to the community that gave us so much support and to let people know how grateful I am for their generosity.”

In addition to long hours on the farm, Mooney has taught at the Katherine Anne Porter School, volunteered at the Village Store, Susanna’s Kitchen and for many other organizations. She is a wellknown figure at area farmers markets and has freely shared her organic skills and knowledge with anyone who wanted to learn. With a child in local schools, Kathleen has been involved in Boy Scouts and baseball, and other activities that have required time volunteering for everything from campouts to concession stands.

The farm’s website features entertaining videos, thanks in part to the years Kathleen managed the legendary Austin comedy institution, Esther’s Follies.

“I began posting those videos in part to thank everyone for helping us,” she explained.

The videos also teach the basics of farming organically. Online visitors can learn companion planting, crop rotation, composting and, among other things, cleaning and bug control using homemade remedies.

“In Wimberley, when natural disasters strike, everyone helps each other out. If you want to dig your roots into this community, here’s your opportunity to provide real help in a way that’s enormously worthwhile. If you don’t know Kathleen and Max, here’s your chance to visit the EIEIO farm and link hands with the rest of the community,” said Frankie Bane, farm manager at Montesino Farm in Wimberley.

The fundraiser will be held at EIEIO Farm, located at 1000 Green Acres Drive in Wimberley. Tickets for the event are tiered. At $27, guests may enjoy non-alcoholic beverages and the music of Susan Gibson, Andrew Hardin, Jay Sims and Soma Jerome. $53 tickets allow guests to enjoy hors d’oeuvres, $79 provides beer and wine and $105 adds bouquets of farmgrown zinnias and basil.

A large silent auction includes gift certificates from Jo-Bell, Leaning Pear and RR12 Supper Club. Additional items and services from Shops Off the Square, Creekhaven Inn & Spa, River Dog Kennels, King Feed, Mission Day Spa and other local businesses are part of the auction. Guests are advised to bring cash for the silent auction items.

For tickets and to learn more, go to eieiotx. com.