Chadwick Stahlman and his wife, Elizabeth, started their farm stand venture a decade ago because they wanted to feed their kids “the best food in the world.”
The two were newlyweds who had just returned home from their honeymoon in 2010 and wanted to adopt children. The couple were working as teachers at the time when Elizabeth told him that they had no money and he had to find a different job.
“We knew that we needed more money. We couldn’t be teachers and have adopted kids ... I said, well I got a couple friends that are going to get some peaches. I’ll just sell some peaches on the side of the road and two boxes became four, four boxes became six,” Stahlman said.
The endeavor began with selling boxes of peaches out of the back of his grandfather’s Isuzu Trooper in 2010. In 2015, he built a brick-and-mortar shop on the property now known as Stahlman’s at Bear Creek-Farm Stand and Pecans, to serve as a small grocery store.
Ultimately, Stahlman and his wife adopted three children.
How it’s going
Stahlman’s father-in-law, Hardy Purvis, helped him kick-start the farm stand adventure by providing fresh produce from his farm in Buda.
Now, Stahlman’s at Bear Creek-Farm Stand and Pecans sources all of its vegetables, fruits and cheeses from farmers in Fredericksburg, Seguin, Spicewood, Pearsall and Mason.
The farm stand also bakes an assortment of bread such as sourdough from an old starter, olive oil sea salt baguettes, scones and chocolate croissants. Not only that, but the farm stand offers meats, New Mexico hatch chiles and special seasonal items such as pumpkins and Western-Oregon Christmas trees.
Notable quote
Stahlman emphasized the community’s role in supporting his venture.
“This business wasn’t built by me. It was my idea and all that but it was the people, it was the community,” he said.
- 5511 FM 2722, New Braunfels
- www.facebook.com/stahlmans
