Locally Grown

Houston sprouts up as a top U.S. city for winter farmers markets in new report

Markets such as Urban Harvest's are great this time of year.

For much of the country, winter means cold and snow and a whole lot of ick: roads get icy, sidewalks get slushy, and everyone heads indoors, hibernating like bears, until spring.

Obviously, Houston doesn't have this problem. One epic freeze aside, Houston's temperate climate means life here goes on pretty much the way it does the rest of the year: wine on the patio, strolling the beach, yoga in the park.

And while Houstonians didn't need anyone to tell them this, it was cool all the same to wind up No. 4 on the list of Lawnlove's Best Warm Cities for Winter Farmers Markets. It also placed second on this list for cities with the most winter farmer's markets, finishing behind L.A.

Lawnlove, a company that offers lawn and yard care, and has an extensive blog in its website, ranked 101 of the biggest cities in the U.S., dividing them into warm and cold, which they determined based on the mildness of a city's winter. To tally the availability of farmers markets, the team looked at USDA-registered farmers markets that operated at least once between November and March.

Houston's overall ranking of No. 4 put it behind Los Angeles, Honolulu, and Miami. Lawnlove gave big love to the Bayou City, which topped San Diego, San Antonio, Atlanta, and others, for the sheer availability of its farmers markets, along with its temperate climate. Houston ranked No. 2 overall for access, No. 15 for walkability, and a (surprising) No. 33 for climate.

Visit these winter Houston markets
In springtime, locals can check out our list of top spring farmers markets.

Meanwhile, Lawnlove (rightly) cited H-Town's Urban Harvest Farmers Market, open every Saturday from 8 am to noon at 2752 Buffalo Speedway as a standout. Head there for veggies, breads, honey, dairy products, meats and more from more than 100 vendors who hail from a 180-mile radius around the city.

Look for produce from Atkinson Farms and Finca Tres Robles, pasta from Casetta Cucina, beautiful greens from Animal Farm, coffee from Java Pura, eggs from Dustin's eggs, fresh fish from Airline Seafood, and juices from Juice Girl. A list of the epic number of vendors is here, and it's easy to spend a morning noshing and shopping at this weekly event.

Every Saturday and Sunday from 9 am to 1 pm, Coltavare turns itself into Eleanora's Market. More than 100 vendors are there, offering fresh produce, cheese, homemade baked goods and more. Nando's Honeybee Farm, Gundermann Acres, Urban Dog Bakery, and Boomtown Coffee are among the vendors, and the atmosphere is family friendly and fun.

The Westchase District Farmer's Market, at 10503 Westheimer Rd. next to St. Cyril of Alexandria Catholic Church, is perfect for those looking for a weekday farmer's market option. From 3 to 6 pm, vendors such as Conroe's PEAS Farm, Houston Winery, and Pure Texas Honey offer a variety of artisanal foods and home goods.

Around the Lone Star State
Other Texas cities also fared well on Lawnlove's list. San Antonio ranked number 6, while Dallas cracked the Top 30 at 29, and Austin came in at 32. Lubbock (20), Corpus Christi (31), and Fort Worth (35) also made the cut.

Standout Texas markets

Pearl Market (San Antonio)
Held every weekend at the Pearl Brewery, this lively market brings together grower/producers unique to South Texas. Ranked one of the country's top farmer's markets by USA Today, the market is as much gathering spot as it is a chance to get local food and produce. Look for vendors such as South Texas Heritage Pork, Freshwater Farms, Alamo Gristmill, and Swift River Pecans.

The Dallas Farmers Market at the Shed is open weekends and has a great newsletter that lets visitors in on who's going to be there, as well as offering recipes and other foodie tips. Some vendors also set up shop at the nearby Market, which is open seven days a week.

The Barton Creek Farmers Market in Austin has two locations, both open Saturdays and Sundays. In addition to producer and prepared foods, there are vendors offering jewelry, clothes, and gifts, making it a terrific one-stop shop for stocking the cupboards and finding that special something for a special occasion.

Note: Most farmers markets are closed this Saturday, December 25, in observance of Christmas Day. Check local listings for more details.

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room for improvement

Houston has work to do on ranking of America's fittest cities for 2026

Photo by Gabin Vallet on Unsplash

About 74 percent of Houstonians have exercised in the past month.

Houstonians are more fit than they used to be, but the city still needs to hit the gym. The Bayou City ranks in the middle of the pack in a ranking of America's fittest cities.

This year’s American Fitness Index puts Houston at No. 44 among the country’s 100 most populated cities, up from 49th place last year. Houston ranks 26th in the personal health category and a disappointing 64th in the community and environment category.

The index shows 74 percent of Houston residents had exercised in the previous month, 57 percent had met aerobic activity guidelines, and 33 percent had met aerobic and strength activity guidelines. The first two of those numbers are below the 100-city averages.

The Elevance Health Foundation and the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) produce the annual index, which they say combines measures of personal health behavior, chronic disease outcomes, community infrastructure, and environmental factors “to provide a comprehensive picture of how well cities promote fitness and well-being.”

Arlington, Virginia, tops the index, followed by Washington, D.C.; Minneapolis; Seattle; and Denver. The Dallas suburb of Plano takes the top Texas spot at No. 12 nationally.

“The cities that consistently rank at the top aren’t succeeding because of one program or one investment,” Stella Volpe, past president of ACSM and chair of the Fitness Index Advisory Board, says in a press release. “They’ve built systems that support healthier living over time. They are the ones creating environments where physical activity can easily become a part of everyday routines.”

One thing helping Houston is its strong network of parks. In May, Houston landed at No. 10 in Texas and 69th in the U.S. in the annual ParkScore Index. That was down slightly from 2025.

Every year, land conservation nonprofit The Trust for Public Land rates park systems in the 100 biggest American cities on accessibility, equity, acreage, investment, and amenities.

Among other Texas cities appearing in the American Fitness index are:

No. 28 Austin, down from No. 21 last year.
No. 43 Dallas, up from 46th last year.
No. 69 Fort Worth, up from 80th last year.
No. 80 San Antonio, up from No. 94 last year.

“Where you live increasingly determines how healthy you are,” Volpe says. “The healthiest cities don’t just encourage exercise — they make movement part of daily life through infrastructure, transportation, and community design.”

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