On a Saturday afternoon in mid-April, more than 100 guests arrived at Edelen Farms for the first in a series of farm-to-table dinners. Situated just south of Alice, the farm is home to the Edelen family, a flock of chickens and a herd of cattle. On this spring night, though, the gates were open to all.
Catered by Caribbean Roots, the main courses featured Edelen Farms turkey and chicken as well as Turkey Hollow Farm beef and pork, garnished with edible flowers from McNabb Microgreens and followed by flan made with Edelen eggs and Heritage Farms raw milk.
Guests toured the nearly 350-acre farm, sipping beer donated by Nueces Brewing Co. In-kind donations and sponsorship from St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, North Bay Church of Christ and Grow Local South Texas helped make the evening possible.
The second-generation family farm, established by Greg and Lauren Edelen, is now in the hands of their son Andrew, his wife Kaylyn and their 2-year-old son, Alister. The focus on grass-fed beef, pastured poultry and free-range eggs forms the basis of the farm’s subscription boxes, which Andrew hand-delivers to customers throughout the Coastal Bend. Edelen products can also be found at the downtown Corpus Christi farmers market and Boarri Craft Meats & Goods.
April’s farm-to-table event was so immersive, the Edelens brought the table out to the farm. Under the shade of a high-tunnel greenhouse hoop, guests broke homemade artisan bread with their neighbors over a banquet setting that extended toward the horizon.
“There’s something timeless and grounding about that long communal table under the hoop house. It reminds us of what mealtime is really about—people coming together,” said Kaylen.
Edelen Farms’ next seasonal event depends on Mother Nature. “The wild cactus that we have all over South Texas puts on a fruit, and it makes really good jelly,” Andrew explained, laying out plans for a jelly-making class to “show kids how to get food just straight out of the wild.”
“Food is health,” said Andrew, who finds purpose in demonstrating a “clean and wholesome” agriculture system, especially for the next generation. “I really enjoy what I do,” he continued. “I love providing a product or a service.”
Kaylyn added, “That’s our goal with these farm-to-table dinners: to create a space where strangers share stories, kids pass plates and everyone slows down to enjoy a meal that was grown locally. It’s a celebration of food, yes—but even more so, it’s a celebration of community.”
Mark your calendar for the next dinner on March 21, 2026. Until then, the online marketplace is open 24/7 for a taste of sustainable South Texas.
