Erin Flynn is co-founder of Green Gate Farms and Friends of the Land, a flower farmer, educator, and agricultural activist whose passion for farmland preservation and innovation has only deepened since she and her husband founded a certified-organic, community-based farm in 2006.

A sixth-generation Texan, Erin and her husband Skip Connett left their careers in public health and journalism in Atlanta to establish Green Gate Farms—an organic vegetable and flower farm on leased land in East Austin, Texas. 

Their open-gate policy has welcomed thousands of volunteers, students, and visitors through a variety of programs, including a CSA, community events, agritourism initiatives, and award-winning Farm Camps for kids and adults.

In 2010, Green Gate Farms expanded with the addition of 32 rural acres along the Colorado River in Bastrop County. This second location has served as a hub for farm-based education, supported local restaurants, and helped feed people in need throughout the area.

Both farm locations have faced intense development pressure. In response, Erin and Skip have embraced innovation, proposing solutions such as “agrihoods” and dedicated agricultural zones. 

To preserve their historic urban farm, they spearheaded the creation of Village Farm—the country’s first farm-centered Tiny Home community, also known as an agricultural neighborhood.

To protect their rural Bastrop farm—and the 1,500 acres of prime farmland surrounding it—the couple launched Friends of the Land, a nonprofit that raises awareness about destructive environmental practices by irresponsible mining companies and other industries threatening this “ecological paradise” on the riverbend.