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🪶 Letter from the Editor

There are six herb plants on my porch that have been there since Saturday.

I bought them at HEB. Impulse buy — the kind where your hands are already reaching before your brain catches up. I told myself I'd get them in the ground that afternoon. The beds weren't prepped. The drip line has a leak I keep meaning to fix (and by that, I mean, my husband). The forecast said something about one more cold front, maybe. So I set them on the porch and said tomorrow.

That was five days ago. They're still there. And they're growing anyway — roots circling the bottoms of those little pots, reaching for somewhere to go, completely unbothered by my timeline.

This week's edition is about that gap — the one between ready and ready enough. Because this is the last week of Q1, and if I'm being honest, not a single thing I planned in January went exactly the way I drew it up. Some things went better. Some things stalled. And most of the good stuff happened because I stopped waiting for conditions to be perfect and just started.

The featured essay this week is a love letter to that exact feeling — to the herb plants and the patched fences and the businesses that opened their doors before the website was finished. If you've been standing on your own porch with a shovel and no confidence, this one's for you.

In Business Insights, we're looking at two ideas that feel like cousins: acting with 80% of the information instead of waiting for 100%, and treating every season like a draft instead of a final copy. With stocker steers bringing $507–$572 at San Angelo and grant deadlines stacking up through April, the operators moving right now aren't reckless — they're ready enough.

The events calendar this week is stacked — 48 listings across the region. Heart of Texas Country Music Festival wraps in Brady with a grand finale Saturday. The Llano Earth Art Fest takes over Grenwelge Park. Mason's 10th Annual Chamber Music Festival brings the Artisan String Quartet to the Odeon. Rock crawling at Katemcy. A hamburger picnic and Easter egg hunt on the courthouse lawn. Fredericksburg's Touch-A-Truck. And that's just this weekend.

Hazel Mae and Fern are in the garden this week — and Hazel Mae's advice is basically what the herb plants have been trying to tell me: get them in the ground, give them water, and stop overthinking it. Fern, as always, makes the whole thing sound like a poem.

The Intel section is carrying real weight: 81% of Texas in drought. Wildfire risk elevated — 14 fires and 2,679 acres on Monday alone. But also: FEMA just opened a billion-dollar resilience fund today, $281 million in rural health transformation money is headed to Texas, and the 89th Legislature's rural wins are starting to take effect. It's a hard season and a hopeful one, all at once.

This is the last edition of Q1. Next week, we turn the page — new quarter, new themes, new rhythms. But this week, I just wanted to say: if you've spent the last three months getting ready for something and you're not quite there yet, that's fine. You're closer than you think. And the porch is getting crowded.

Plant the herbs.

— Katie Milton Jordan
Editor, The Townie
📬 [email protected] // 📞 325-475-499

The Two Insights Your Business Needs Right Now

Running a business in this region has never been simple — but right now, it’s especially easy to misread the signals.

Some things are working better than they look. Other things feel “fine” right up until they aren’t. Based on what we’re seeing across shops, services, ranch-adjacent businesses, and Main Street operations, here are two insights worth sitting with this week.

Insight #1: Action Without Over-Optimization

There's a version of readiness that never quite arrives. It looks like another spreadsheet, another round of research, another conversation about whether the timing is right. And in the meantime, the TDA Downtown Revitalization grants close April 3. The USDA Value Added Producer Grant window shuts April 15. The wildflower tourists are already booking.

This isn't a criticism of planning. Planning is what keeps small operations afloat. But there's a point where preparation stops serving you and starts protecting you — from the discomfort of doing something imperfect. The rancher who moves cattle before the pasture is textbook-ready, because the grass is starting and the water's where it needs to be, understands something that spreadsheets don't capture: conditions are rarely ideal, but they're often sufficient.

With 81% of Texas still in drought and cattle markets holding strong — stocker steers at San Angelo's March 20 auction bringing $507–$572 per hundredweight for 400–500-pound animals — the operators who are moving right now aren't the reckless ones. They're the ones who've decided that ready enough is a legitimate position. That you can act with 80% of the information and adjust with the other 20% as it arrives.

The question isn't whether your plan is perfect. It's whether your plan is honest about what you actually know right now — and flexible enough to absorb what you'll learn next.

Insight #2: Learning as You Go

There's an old assumption in business planning that says: figure it out first, then execute. As if learning and doing are separate phases. As if you can study your way into confidence and then deploy it cleanly.

But that's not how most Hill Country businesses were built. They were built by people who started with what they had, paid attention to what happened, and adjusted. The woman who opened the bakery downtown didn't wait for a perfect business plan. She made bread, sold it, learned what people wanted, and made more. The rancher didn't read a manual on drought management — he lived through three of them and got smarter each time.

Learning as you go isn't a backup plan. It's the actual plan for most small operations. And the businesses that thrive here aren't the ones with the most polished strategies. They're the ones with the shortest distance between doing something, noticing what happened, and trying again.

This is especially true right now. Beef demand remains historically strong, but feedlot closures and rising grain costs are shifting the economics. Tourism bookings look solid, but wildflower season may disappoint if the rains don't come. You can't plan perfectly for any of this. But you can stay close to the ground, pay attention, and move when the signal is clear enough — not when it's certain.

The best businesses out here treat every season as a draft, not a final copy.

A Small Townie Takeaway

Spring has a way of reminding us that nothing waits for perfect conditions. The bluebonnets push through limestone cracks. The calves arrive whether the pasture is lush or lean. The festivals get planned, the doors get opened, the signs go up. Readiness isn't a destination you arrive at before you begin — it's something you build while you're moving. If you've been waiting for the moment when everything lines up, this is your gentle nudge: it probably won't. And that's not a problem. That's just how it works out here. Start with what you have. Learn the rest on the way.

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🌾 Fresh off the Porch

Events

BRADY, TX

37th Heart of Texas Country Music Festival — Final Weekend Thu–Sat, Mar 26–28, Shows daily · Ed Davenport Civic Center, 816 San Angelo Hwy, Brady · Heart of Texas Country Music Association The grand finale of ten days of honky-tonk heaven. Thursday's Happy Hour Dance features The Kenastons & Friends (free, 2–5 PM), followed by Kelly Spinks & Miles of Texas and Jake Hooker & The Outsiders in the evening ($25). Friday brings the Darrell McCall & Friends Golf Tournament and an evening dance with Landon Dodd & The Dance Hall Drifters ($25). Saturday's blowout finale features Darrell McCall, Tony Booth, Amber Digby, Justin Trevino, Landon Dodd, Rance Norton & Dottsy — afternoon concert ($20/$30) and Grand Finale Dance ($25). Benefits the Heart of Texas Country Music Museum. Tickets at heartoftexascountry.com.

MASON, TX

Mason's 10th Annual Chamber Music Festival — Community Concert Fri, Mar 27, 12:00 PM · Odeon Theater, 122 Moody St, Mason · Artisan Chamber Players The Artisan String Quartet performs "Be Serious" in this midday community concert at the beautifully restored Odeon. Free or donation-based. A perfect excuse to take a long lunch.

Mason's 10th Annual Chamber Music Festival — Gala Concert Sat, Mar 28, 7:00 PM · Odeon Theater, 122 Moody St, Mason · Artisan Chamber Players / Odeon Preservation Association Solo violinist Patrice Calixte joins the Artisan Chamber Players for "Italian Seasonal Favorites." World-class music in an intimate Hill Country theater — tickets $30, doors 6:15 PM. The building alone is worth the drive.

W.E. Rock East vs. West Rock Crawling Competition Sat–Sun, Mar 28–29, 10 AM–3 PM · Katemcy Rocks, Katemcy (Mason County) · W.E. Rock World-class rock crawling: East Coast vs. West Coast teams battle it out on the legendary Katemcy boulders. Open wheeling available for spectators. If you've never seen someone put a Jeep where a Jeep has no business being, this is your weekend.

Mason County Farmers Market Sat, Mar 28, 11 AM–4 PM · N. Spring Street (on the square), Mason · Mason County Farmers Market Local vendors, fresh produce, handmade goods, and live music on the square. Come for the tomatoes, stay for the neighbors.

Music in the Vineyard ft. Spicy Loops Sat, Mar 28, 2–5 PM · Robert Clay Vineyards, Mason area · Robert Clay Vineyards Live music from Spicyloops with Texas wine in the vineyard. Afternoon perfection.

Fiesta at the Beach — Steady Steps Spring Fundraiser Sat, Mar 28, 4:30–7:00 PM · River of Life Gymnasium, Mason · Steady Steps Spring fundraiser benefiting Steady Steps, a local nonprofit doing good work. Doors at 5 PM.

80's Night at Willow Creek Cafe Sat, Mar 28, 5–11 PM · Willow Creek Cafe and Club, Mason · Willow Creek Cafe Break out the neon and the hairspray — 80s dress-up night with themed music and drink specials. Totally tubular.

Annual Hamburger Picnic & Easter Egg Hunt Sun, Mar 29, 11 AM–4 PM · Mason County Courthouse Lawn, Mason · Mason County Child Welfare Board Community hamburger picnic and Easter egg hunt on the courthouse lawn. Proceeds benefit the Child Welfare Board. Bring the kids. Bring the grandkids. Bring the appetite.

Church at the Camp & Logan Ranch Camp 7th Anniversary Sun, Mar 29, 10:30 AM–2 PM · Logan Ranch Camp, Mason · Church at the Camp Morning worship celebrating seven years of Logan Ranch Camp, followed by food and fellowship. All are welcome.

Mason Arts & Wine Festival — Spring Sat, Apr 4, 10 AM–4 PM · Mason Town Square · Mason County Chamber of Commerce Mason's signature bi-annual festival returns with fine art by local artisans, Hill Country wines, and live music on the square. One of the best Saturdays in the Hill Country calendar.

Ruthie Foster in Concert Sat, Apr 11, 7–9 PM (doors 6:15 PM) · Odeon Theater, 122 Moody St, Mason · Odeon Preservation Association Grammy Award–winning blues artist and 2026 B.B. King Entertainer of the Year nominee brings her powerhouse soul to the intimate Odeon stage. $25 advance, $30 door, students 18 and under $10. Do not miss this one.

Spring City-Wide Garage Sale Sat, Apr 11, 8 AM–5 PM · City-wide, Mason · Mason County Chamber of Commerce Grab the printed location map from the Chamber and treasure-hunt your way across town. One person's spring cleaning is another person's prize find.

Rock Hunt (Topaz Rockhounding) Sat, Apr 25, 8 AM–3 PM · Meet at Mason County Courthouse · Mason County Chamber of Commerce Dig for Texas Topaz in the hills around Mason — the Topaz Capital of Texas. $40/person. Meet at the courthouse, then head to the dig site.

LLANO, TX

Llano Earth Art Fest (LEAF) Fri–Sun, Mar 27–29, Fri 11 AM–7 PM · Grenwelge Park, 100 E. Haynie St, Llano · Llano Earth Art Fest Rock stackers, sand sculptors, and land artists from around the world descend on the Llano River for the World Rock Stacking Championship. Driftwood art, mandalas, live music, workshops, vendors, and the kind of creative energy you won't find anywhere else. One of a kind.

48th Annual Llano Fiddle Fest Sat, Apr 4, Contest 8:30 AM / Concert 7:30 PM · John L. Kuykendall Events Center, Llano · Llano Fiddle Fest Since 1976, the best fiddlers in Texas have gathered in Llano to compete for bragging rights. This year features Dick and Emily Gimble, Katie Shore, Jason Roberts, and Wes Westmoreland. Evening concert: Kelly Spinks & Miles of Texas. VIP $30, GA $20. Don't forget the air fiddle contest.

36th Annual Llano Crawfish Open Fri–Sat, Apr 17–18, 9 AM–Midnight · Robinson Park, 303 Hwy 71 East, Llano · Llano Crawfish Open Twenty-two thousand five hundred pounds of mudbugs, headline live music both nights, charity golf tournament, 5K run, motorcycle fun run, barrel racing, cornhole, and art vendors along the Llano River. More than 12,000 folks turn out annually. Fri $10 before 5 PM, $30 after; Sat $20 before 5 PM, $35 after; weekend pass $50. Come hungry.

Sadie's Treasures Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Mon, Apr 7, 5:15 PM · 407 E Young St, Llano · Llano Chamber of Commerce Welcome Llano's newest downtown shop! The Chamber hosts a Business After Hours ribbon cutting. Stop by to browse the wares, meet the owner, and support Main Street Llano.

CASTELL, TX

Castell Grind Gravel Bike Race Sat, Apr 11 · Start/Finish at Castell General Store, 19522 W Ranch Rd 152, Castell · Castell Grind Iconic annual gravel cycling event since 2014. Three distances: Full Grind (62 mi), Three-Quarter (45 mi), Half (31 mi). Remote Hill Country gravel roads with cattle guards and low-water crossings. Cap: 650 riders. If you're not riding, come watch the finish and grab a burger at the General Store.

FREDERICKSBURG, TX

City of Fredericksburg 7th Annual Open House & Touch-A-Truck Thu, Mar 26, 3:30–6:30 PM · City Hall, Fire Station & Marktplatz, Fredericksburg · City of Fredericksburg Free community event where kids (and let's be honest, adults) get to climb on city trucks and equipment. Department booths, giveaways, snacks. Bring the small humans. Rain date: April 2.

Wildseed Farms Annual Wildflower Celebration Apr 1–12, Mon–Sat 10 AM–5 PM, Sun 12–5 PM · Wildseed Farms, 100 Legacy Dr, Fredericksburg · Wildseed Farms Stroll 200 acres of wildflower trails — bluebonnets, poppies, phlox — at the nation's largest working wildflower farm. Live weekend music, wines, shopping, food. Easter Bunny visits April 5 (12–3 PM). Free admission and parking.

Fredericksburg Bluebonnet Festival Sat, Apr 4, 12–4 PM · Grapetown Vineyard & Farm, 8142 Old San Antonio Rd, Fredericksburg · Best of Texas Wine tastings, safari tours with 300+ exotic animals, live music, grape stomping, baby goats, and vendors. Dog-friendly. Tickets from $7.

Luckenbach's 5th Annual Bluegrass Festival Sat, Apr 18, 12–6:30 PM (doors 11 AM) · Luckenbach Texas · Luckenbach Texas Full day of bluegrass headlined by Yonder Mountain String Band, plus Luke Bulla, The Fretliners, Shelby Means Trio, and Volume Five. All ages. GA ~$35, kids 8 and under free. Luckenbach in the spring with bluegrass — it doesn't get more Hill Country than that.

Redbud Artisan Market Spring Show (10th Year) May 2–3, Sat 10 AM–5 PM, Sun 10 AM–4 PM · Marktplatz, Fredericksburg · Redbud Artisan Market Juried all-handmade art and craft show featuring 50+ Texas artisans. Free admission, live music. Ten years and still going strong.

Fredericksburg Crawfish Festival Fri–Sun, May 22–24 · Marktplatz, Fredericksburg · Fredericksburg Jaycees The Jaycees turn downtown into Cajun country for Memorial Day Weekend. Live music, mountains of crawfish, a kids' carnival, and art vendors. Fri $15, Sat $20, Sun $10; kids 6–12 $5. The unofficial kickoff to Hill Country summer.

JUNCTION, TX

Junction Easter Pageant (75th Anniversary) Sat, Apr 4, Sunset (~7:30 PM) · Easter Pageant Grounds, Cedar Creek Rd & FM 2169, near Lover's Leap · The Men's Bible Class of Junction Seventy-five years and counting. Junction's beloved outdoor reenactment unfolds on a natural hillside beneath Lover's Leap limestone bluff — local actors, real bonfires, a Texas night sky. Free admission. Arrive early. Goes on rain or shine.

2026 Texas Adventure Rally — Spring Thu–Sun, Apr 30–May 3 · Tree Cabins at Rivers Bend, 701 Agarita, Junction · Texas Adventure Rally Four days of dual-sport and adventure motorcycle riding through Hill Country dirt roads, bump gates, and water crossings. Six route choices (~250 miles/day), group fajita dinner Saturday, "Stop the Bleed" course. Registration at texasadvrally.com.

⚠️ Heads up for Junction visitors: South Llano River State Park has major construction through July 2026 — water/electric campsites, walk-in sites, shower facility, and amphitheater are all closed. River access, trails, and bird blinds remain open. Plan accordingly.

MENARD, TX

Menard River Rat Fest & Jim Bowie Day Cook-Off Sat, Jun 13, 9 AM–11 PM · Low Water Crossing Park, 301 Decker St, Menard · Menard County Chamber of Commerce Pat Green and Cory Morrow headline Menard's biggest day of the year. Jim Bowie Day BBQ cook-off fires up at 9 AM, plus vendors, food, live music, kids' activities, and evening concerts under the pecan trees along the San Saba River. BYOB with $20 cooler charge. Tickets $20 adults, $10 minors/seniors, 6 and under free.

KERRVILLE, TX

54th Annual Kerrville Folk Festival May 21–Jun 7, Daily performances · Quiet Valley Ranch, Kerrville · Kerrville Folk Foundation America's longest continuously running music festival returns for 18 glorious days. 2026 lineup includes James McMurtry, Brandy Clark, S.G. Goodman, The Vandoliers, Lilly Hiatt, Jon Muq, Andy Frasco & The U.N., JJ Grey & Mofro, and St. Paul and The Broken Bones. Plus the legendary Grassy Hill New Folk Competition (May 23–24) and camping under the stars. A Hill Country institution since 1972.

Community Features

[Mason] — Cowgirls Make State Championship History The Mason Cowgirls girls basketball team reached the UIL Class 2A Division I State Championship game for the first time in program history, finishing 40-2 with a 32-game winning streak. Star Anna Marie Whitworth scored 2,000+ career points and 1,100+ rebounds, and was named to the UIL All-Tournament Team. Coach Alicia Cummings earned her 400th career win during the run. A season for the record books — and the whole town felt it.

[Fredericksburg] — Lady Billies Reach State for First Time Since 1948 Fredericksburg HS girls basketball reached the UIL 4A Division II State Championship at the Alamodome for the first time since 1948, riding a 23-game winning streak. Under Coach Carrie Grona, the Lady Billies (31-8) defeated Bridge City 49-45 in the semifinal. Senior Rilyn Grona earned All-Tournament honors. Seventy-eight years is a long time to wait — and the town showed up.

[Fredericksburg] — 240-Acre Muckleroy Ranch Conserved Near Enchanted Rock Hill Country Conservancy announced the permanent protection of Muckleroy Ranch, 240 acres bordering Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. The conservation easement strengthens protection of one of the most iconic landscapes in the Hill Country.

[Mason] — County Preparing Flood Warning Sirens, EMS Serving Neighbors Mason County EMS has both ambulances in service and is actively helping neighboring counties with emergency coverage. Meanwhile, the Emergency Management Coordinator is working with the Texas Water Development Board on grant-funded flood warning sirens for areas affected by last July's devastating floods. Recovery continues — quietly and steadily.

[Junction] — Pedernales Electric Investing $6M+ in New Facility Pedernales Electric Cooperative is building a 9,340-square-foot facility at 552 US Hwy 83N in Junction — a $6 million investment with expected occupancy July 1, 2026. Good infrastructure news for Kimble County.

[Kerrville Area] — College Volunteers Rebuild After July Floods Dozens of students from Texas State, UTSA, and other universities traveled to Hunt on March 22 to rebuild after the July 4 floods — laying sod, clearing rocks, restoring Guadalupe River banks. "Things that would seem like little things, just mean so much to these people." The kind of story that restores your faith.

Business/School Highlights

[Brady] — Texas Mobile STEM Lab Coming to Brady Elementary The Texas Mobile STEM Lab — a high-tech "classroom on wheels" — brings hands-on science and engineering experiences to Brady Elementary students March 31 through April 2. The next generation of Hill Country innovators starts here.

[Llano] — LEAF Festival Making a Comeback The Llano Earth Art Fest returns to Grenwelge Park March 27–29 with community support and a fresh fundraising campaign — a sign of cultural resilience and a town that believes in what makes it special.

[Llano] — Main Street Program Earns National Accreditation Llano Main Street has been designated as an Accredited Main Street America™ program for meeting rigorous national performance standards. That's not just a plaque on the wall — it's proof that downtown revitalization works when a community commits to it.

Awards/Recognitions

[Llano] — Rebecca Vaughn Powers to Regional Championship Llano HS powerlifter Rebecca Vaughn won the Class 3A Region II Large Schools championship with a combined total of 830 pounds. Eight Lady Jackets competed at regionals. Strength comes in all forms.

[Junction] — Eagles Wool Judging Team Places 2nd at Hondo Junction Eagles wool judging team placed 2nd as a team at the Hondo competition. Individual placings: Crue 2nd, Kelton 12th, Grant 13th. If you know, you know — and in this part of Texas, you know.

[Fredericksburg] — Shea Nebgen Honored After 24 Years of Ag Service Shea Nebgen was honored as Ag Spotlight (sponsored by Capital Farm Credit) as she departs the Gillespie County Extension Office after 24 years of service. A quiet career of enormous impact.

Hill Country Weather

Warm and dry — that's the headline, and it's not changing anytime soon. Highs will push into the upper 80s Thursday through the weekend, with sunshine wall-to-wall and zero precipitation in the seven-day forecast. A cold front Friday night brings a brief wind shift to northerly and gusts up to 30 mph, dropping Saturday's highs into the mid-70s — a welcome one-day breather before we climb right back into the upper 80s Sunday through Tuesday. Overnight lows in the upper 40s to mid-50s. The Fredericksburg and Llano corridor may see low 90s by midweek. Wind advisory-level gusts Thursday and Friday are elevating fire danger across the region — mind those burn bans and keep water handy. No severe weather alerts active, but the dry pattern persists with no meaningful rain in sight.

Rural Policy & Funding Watch

Big money is moving toward rural Texas — if you know where to look. The Rural Health Transformation Program is sending $281.3 million per year to Texas — the largest state award in the nation — for rural hospital grants, telehealth, AI-enabled care, workforce recruitment, and cybersecurity. Over five years, that's $1.4 billion. Local grants begin rolling out this spring through HHSC. That matters: 14 rural Texas hospitals have closed in the last decade, with 82 remaining at risk. Separately, FEMA reopened the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program today — $1 billion nationally, applications accepted through July 23, covering up to 75% of project costs. Subapplicants coordinate through the Texas Division of Emergency Management. After the July 4 floods, Hill Country communities should be paying close attention. The $1.3 billion BEAD broadband program has been approved with 22 awardees selected for a four-year buildout — targeting 123,000 locations via fiber, 65,000 via satellite, and 54,000 via fixed wireless. The LCRA also received a $29 million broadband grant specifically for Central Texas fiber backbone improvements and flood-monitoring connectivity. And from the 89th Legislature: SB 7 is directing new water infrastructure funds to small rural utilities, HB 2 delivers $8.5 billion for public schools, HB 120 expands rural career and tech ed pathways, and a new wildfire package dedicates 10% of Rural VFD Assistance funding to volunteer firefighters. One note of concern: the President's FY2026 budget requested $0 for USDA rural business grants and a 32% staffing cut to USDA Rural Development. Congress may restore the funding in appropriations, but it's worth watching.

Economic & Small Business Intel

Texas saw near-zero job growth in 2025 (0.1% year-over-year) — the weakest since 2002–03. The 2026 forecast is modest recovery at 1.1% employment growth, still below the historical ~2% average. Bright spots include AI and data center construction ($11 billion invested in Texas in 2025) and infrastructure spending. Headwinds are real: a 50% drop in immigration, weak oil prices, a residential construction recession, tariff impacts, and federal spending cuts. Texas unemployment sits at 4.3%. On the land front, rural prices are stabilizing — slow sales but sustained price strength, with prices forecast to rise about 2% over the next four quarters. Sellers are anchored to 2022–23 peaks and many are withdrawing listings rather than accepting lower offers. Average tract size is down 7.3% year-over-year. One number that should get your attention: in Comal County alone, nine proposed developments totaling ~4,200 lots were notified that the water company won't provide water. "Demand is up greatly, supply is down." That growth-versus-water tension is heading our direction. Texas did win its 14th straight Governor's Cup for economic development — 42,000+ jobs created and $75 billion in capital investment. And firms affected by tariffs expect 2.7% price increases in 2026, versus 1.5% for unaffected firms. Plan accordingly.

Agriculture & Livestock Notes

Drought is tightening its grip. As of March 17, roughly 81% of Texas is in drought, with an additional 17% abnormally dry. About half the state is in severe drought or worse, and one in five acres sits in extreme-to-exceptional conditions. This is the fourth consecutive week of expansion — the largest one-week increase since November 2025. State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon called it "one of the driest six-month periods on record across parts of the state." The Edwards Aquifer's J-17 index well has dropped to 627.6 feet — below the Stage III trigger and approaching Stage IV (630 feet). Fifty-eight percent of rangeland and pastures rate very poor to poor, and 52% of oats and 49% of winter wheat are in the same shape. Ranchers are hauling water, feeding more hay and supplements, and facing difficult stocking decisions. Wildfire risk is elevated: Texas A&M Forest Service is at Preparedness Level 3, with 14 wildfire assistance requests and 2,679 acres burned on March 24 alone. Governor Abbott activated additional emergency resources for "extremely critical wildfire danger" across the Hill Country, Concho Valley, and Big Country. Without significant spring rain, this gets harder before it gets easier.

Market Snapshot

Cattle: Markets remain historically strong on tight national supplies. San Angelo (March 12): 597 head sold, calves and yearlings $5–$10 higher with "extremely strong demand on all classes." Better quality steers 400–600 lbs brought $430–$530/cwt; bred cows and 2-year-olds $2,500–$3,900/head, with choice sets at $3,500–$4,000. Mason/San Saba (March 11): Stocker steers steady to $4 higher, packer cows $5 higher across 2,993 head. Fed cattle (TX/KS): $235/cwt live, $372/cwt dressed. Texas and Colorado feedlot inventory is down 5.3% year-over-year, impacted by the suspended Mexico cattle trade. Sheep & Goats (San Angelo, March 24, 6,004 head): Slaughter lambs $20–$30 lower at $3.50–$4.08/lb; kid goats $15–$25 lower at $3.50–$5.00/lb; slaughter ewes $10–$20 lower. Hay: Steady with good demand. Central Texas Bermuda large rounds $50–$55/bale FOB. Texas average alfalfa $238/ton — among the highest in the nation. Roughly 51% of U.S. hay-producing acreage is under drought, up 7% from last month, and hay is still moving into Texas from bordering states. Pecans: Wholesale steady at $4.69–$13.44/lb depending on variety and grade. In-shell ~$2–$3/lb, shelled ~$4/lb.

Grant Watch

⏰ Critical Deadlines:

USDA REDLG Q3 — March 31, 2026. Up to $300K grants or $1M loans for current/former RUS borrowers and nonprofits in rural areas under 50,000.

RCHIP Healthcare Loan Repayment — April 2, 2026. Loan repayment and stipends for healthcare professionals in underserved rural Texas.

USDA Value-Added Producer Grants — April 15, 2026 (Texas deadline). Up to $75K for planning, $250K for working capital. Agricultural producers eligible.

Historic Rural Log Building Grant — April 17, 2026. Up to $150,000 via Texas Rural Funders.

Hogg Foundation Mental Health — May 6, 2026. Up to $75,000 for community organizations.

THC Courthouse Preservation (Round XIV) — May 8, 2026. Up to $10M per county for historic courthouses.

TWU Rural Woman Business Grant — Opens May 5, closes June 5. For rural women-owned businesses.

FEMA BRIC — July 23, 2026. From $1 billion national pool. Local governments apply through TDEM.

TPWD Local Parks Grants (FY2027) — August 1, 2026. Up to $750K non-urban, $150K for small communities under 20K.

Ongoing: USDA Rural Business Development Grants (open, no max, contact USDA TX State Office at 254-742-9700), TxCDBG Downtown Revitalization (contact TDA), TWDB HB 500 Water Grants ($1.038B available, must be used by Aug 31, 2027), TWDB Drinking Water SRF (up to 100% principal forgiveness for small/rural disadvantaged communities), and HHSC Rural Health Transformation local grants expected this spring. The Texas Rural Funders Grants Hub at texasruralfunders.org/grant maintains a searchable database with dozens of active opportunities and a grant writer referral list.

Tourism Pulse

Bluebonnet season 2026 is moderate and spotty — notably weaker than last year's robust display. A dry fall and warm winter reduced germination, and drought-affected areas including the Hill Country will see patchier blooms. Peak timing is early April, with later-blooming species potentially filling gaps if rain arrives. Willow City Loop between Fredericksburg and Llano is starting up — expect localized patches rather than blanket displays. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center's Andrea DeLong-Amaya offered some comfort: "I've never seen a year where nothing is blooming. That just doesn't happen." The 2026 Wildflower of the Year, Carolina jessamine, is already putting on a spectacular yellow show. Despite the lighter forecast, Fredericksburg was named #3 Best Small Town in the South by Southern Living — with $175 million in visitor spending, 1,200 tourism jobs, and $17 million in tax revenue in 2024 alone. Gillespie County's tax base has tripled in ten years: $3.5 billion in 2015 to $10.4 billion in 2025. The wine tourism scene ranks #2 nationally behind Napa Valley with 60+ wineries in the Fredericksburg area. Two new American Viticultural Areas have been proposed — the Hickory Sands District AVA and Llano Uplift AVA — and Mason's town square now boasts seven wine-tasting venues. Major hotel developments are reshaping the landscape: a Waldorf Astoria (2027) with 60 rooms and 37 villas near downtown Fredericksburg, and the 210-room Kimpton anchoring The Meuse, a 22-acre mixed-use development. Dark sky tourism continues to grow — the Hill Country has more dark sky activity than any similar-sized region in the world, with 13 International Dark Sky Places across 17 counties. Spring's cool, clear nights are ideal for Milky Way viewing. One important note for visitors: Enchanted Rock has a burn ban in effect since February 2 and reservations are required on weekends, holidays, and spring break. Book "Save the Day" passes 30+ days in advance.

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📖 FEATURED STORY

You Don't Have to Be Ready for Everything

This is the part of spring that nobody talks about — the part where you're supposed to be ready, and you're not quite. Where the season moves faster than your preparation. Where the gap between what you planned and what's actually happening starts to show, and instead of feeling behind, you have to decide to start anyway.

It happens in the garden, and it happens everywhere.

The business owner who's been meaning to update her website since January, but the spring rush is here and the old site is still live. She could wait until she gets it right. Or she could post the new hours, fix the broken contact form, and call it done for now. Not perfect. Functional. Alive.

The rancher who wanted to have the fencing finished before he moved cattle to the south pasture, but the grass is coming in and the water's running and the animals need to eat now. He patches the gap he knows about, moves the herd, and keeps an eye on the rest. It's not the plan he drew up in February. It's the plan that works in March.

The parent who promised herself she'd have the college research done before her kid's spring break, but the applications aren't due until fall and the kid is standing in the kitchen asking to go fishing instead. She closes the laptop. They go fishing. The research will be there Monday.

Ready enough is a real place. Most of us live there more often than we admit.

There's a particular kind of paralysis that comes from wanting to do things well. It disguises itself as responsibility. As thoroughness. As respect for the process. And it is all of those things — until it becomes the reason nothing gets done.

In a small town, you see it everywhere. The committee that can't finalize the event date because they're waiting for one more confirmation. The shop owner who won't launch the new product line until the packaging is exactly right. The family that keeps saying they'll plant the garden next weekend, when they'll have more time, when the weather is more settled, when the beds are truly ready.

And sometimes that patience is wisdom. Sometimes the right move is to wait for the freeze to pass, to let the soil warm another week, to hold off until the information is clearer. Restraint is a skill — we talked about that earlier this year, and it's still true.

But there's a difference between restraint and stalling. Between patience and avoidance. Between waiting for the right moment and waiting for a moment that will never come.

The garden knows the difference. Watch how spring arrives in the Hill Country: not all at once, not perfectly, not according to anyone's schedule. The mesquite trees leaf out when they're ready, not when the calendar says they should. The wildflowers bloom where the conditions allow — sparse in the dry spots, thick in the low places where water collected, absent entirely from the patches of bare limestone. None of it is uniform. None of it is finished. All of it is beautiful.

Spring doesn't wait to be ready. It starts, and then it figures it out.

I think about this every year around this time — the last week of March, when winter is nearly over but not gone, when the season is turning but hasn't fully committed, when everything feels like it's about to happen but hasn't yet. It's a liminal space, and it makes people anxious.

We want to be ahead of it. We want the beds prepped, the plans finalized, the business ready, the family calendar locked. We want to walk into April with everything in place.

But the truth is, April doesn't care about your plan. April comes with its own weather, its own surprises, its own demands. The festivals will happen whether your spreadsheet is done. The tourists will arrive whether your website is updated. The calves will come whether the pasture looks the way you wanted. And the tomato plants on your porch will either get planted or they won't — but they're growing either way.

The question isn't whether you're ready for everything. Nobody is. The question is whether you're ready for something — ready enough to begin, to plant, to open the door, to say yes to the next step without needing to see the whole staircase.

In the Hill Country, we have a phrase for it. We say someone is "getting after it." Not perfectly. Not with a polished plan. Just doing the thing — with calloused hands and honest effort and the understanding that you'll figure out the rest as you go.

That's not a failure of preparation. That's the most Texas form of readiness there is.

So here's what I want you to hear this week, as March gives way to April and the season picks up speed:

You don't have to be ready for everything. You just have to be willing to start.

Plant the tomatoes. Patch the fence. Post the hours. Send the email. Sign up for the thing. Say yes to the invitation. Don't wait until the soil is perfect or the timing is right or the plan is airtight. The soil will tell you what it needs once you're in it. The timing will sort itself out once you're moving. The plan will become clearer once you've taken the first step.

Ready enough is ready.

🌱 Dear Hazel Mae & Fern

I've got a yard that's half winter and half spring right now, and I don't know what to do with it. Some of the beds are still brown and matted from the cold, but there are new shoots coming up in places I didn't expect. I bought some transplants at the nursery last week — tomatoes, peppers, a couple of herbs — but now I'm second-guessing myself. Should I wait for the soil to warm up more? Should I pull out the dead stuff first? Every time I think I have a plan, the forecast changes or someone tells me something different. I just want to get my hands in the dirt, but I'm afraid I'll mess it up.

— Standing in My Garden With a Shovel and No Confidence

Hazel Mae says:

Well now, sugar, put down the weather app and pick up that shovel.

Here's the plain truth: your garden is not going to wait for you to feel confident. It never has. And those transplants sitting in their little pots on your porch? They're already growing roots in circles, looking for somewhere to go. They don't care about your plan. They care about dirt.

Now, I'm not saying throw caution to the wind. I'm saying throw it to the breeze — a lighter version. Here's what actually matters right now in late March:

• Tomatoes and peppers can go in the ground if your overnight lows are staying above 45°F, which they are (we're seeing upper 40s to mid-50s at night). If a rogue cold snap shows up, throw an old bedsheet over them and call it done.

• Pull the dead stuff, yes — but don't excavate. Clear the brown, matted tops. Leave the roots to break down in the soil. They're feeding what comes next.

• Don't over-prep the beds. A little compost worked into the top few inches is plenty. Your Hill Country limestone soil has been doing this longer than you have.

• Plant in the evening, not the morning. Gives the roots a cool night to settle in before the sun hits.

Perfection is the enemy of tomatoes. Get them in the ground, give them water, and let them do what they know how to do.

Fern says:

Spring is the season of imperfect beginnings — and your garden already knows this.

Look at those new shoots pushing up where you didn't expect them. They didn't consult the forecast. They didn't wait for the beds to be cleared or the soil to reach a precise temperature. They responded to light and moisture and the deep memory of roots that have been here longer than you've been watching.

Your garden is trying to teach you something right now: that readiness isn't about having everything figured out. It's about being present enough to notice what's already happening and responsive enough to work with it.

The dead growth from winter isn't failure — it's compost in waiting. The uncertainty in the forecast isn't a reason to stop — it's a reminder that all growing is an act of faith. And the fact that you're standing in your yard with a shovel and a desire to begin? That is, itself, a form of readiness.

In the garden, as in life, the ones who wait for certainty often miss the season entirely. Trust what your hands want to do. The soil will meet you halfway.

Hazel Mae (one last word):

Alright, here's your Saturday morning to-do list — keep it simple:

• 8 a.m.: Coffee on the porch. Look at the yard. Just look.

• 8:30 a.m.: Clear the dead stuff from one bed. Just one.

• 9 a.m.: Work a bag of compost into the top 3-4 inches.

• 9:30 a.m.: Plant your transplants. Water them in slow.

• 10 a.m.: Step back. Breathe. You just started spring.

Nobody's garden was ever ruined by planting a week early. But plenty of gardens never happened because somebody stood on the porch too long, waiting for perfect.

Get after it.

Got a question for Hazel Mae & Fern? Send it in. We'll put the kettle on, pull on our boots, and walk it out with you. [email protected]

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What Happened on Socials This Week

The best of your Hill Country feeds — so you don't have to scroll through 200 posts about someone's cousin's dog.

1. The hummingbirds are back. Don Gray posted a video in the Mason community group and the whole town lit up. Fifty reactions, feeders getting scrubbed, and Patty Avery spotted her first one Saturday. If you haven’t cleaned your feeders yet, consider this your sign — they’re here and they’re hungry.

2. Someone’s little one lost their boots at Heritage Park in Mason. Kristie Murr posted a photo of a tiny pair just sitting there on the path, waiting. Half the comments were trying to find the owner. The other half were laughing about what kind of evening ends with a toddler leaving bootless. Peak small-town Facebook.

3. The Mason Cowgirls are still basking in the glow of their first-ever UIL State Championship appearance — 40-2 record, a 32-game winning streak, and Anna Marie Whitworth crossing 2,000 career points. Coach Alicia Cummings hit her 400th career win along the way. The whole county felt that run.

4. Fredericksburg earned #3 Best Small Town in the South from Southern Living’s 2026 South’s Best Awards. Cue the pride, the “we already knew that” energy, and at least twelve people claiming they discovered Fredericksburg before it was cool.

5. Lower Willow Creek Road in Mason County is officially reopened — cattle guard replaced, road back in service. Mason County OEM posted the update and the collective sigh of relief was audible. Flood recovery, one cattle guard at a time.

Aries (Mar 21 – Apr 19) Something in you has been coiled tight all winter — not wound up with worry, exactly, but with waiting. This is the week it springs. The urge to leap won't come with a map or a guarantee, just a gut-level certainty that standing still has stopped serving you. Trust the impulse that feels more like necessity than ambition. The backroads ahead aren't paved, but your headlights work fine. Don't plan the whole trip. Just turn the key.

Taurus (Apr 20 – May 20) You've been tending something quietly — a project, a relationship, a corner of your life that needed slow, steady care. This week, you'll start to see the green of it. Not full bloom, not yet, but the unmistakable evidence that your patience has been doing its work underground. Let that be enough for now. Spring doesn't need you to rush it. It needs you to notice it arriving. Make something with your hands this weekend. It'll ground you more than thinking ever could.

Gemini (May 21 – Jun 20) Your mind has been running two conversations at once — the one about what you want and the one about what's practical. This week, those threads start to braid together. An idea you've been circling will suddenly feel less like a daydream and more like an actual possibility. Write it down. Say it out loud to someone who won't talk you out of it. The forward motion you're looking for isn't out there somewhere. It's in the moment you stop debating and start describing.

Cancer (Jun 21 – Jul 22) Home has been asking for your attention in a way that goes deeper than cleaning or fixing. It's asking you to decide how you want to feel when you walk through the door. This week is for small, intentional shifts — moving a chair closer to the window, finally hanging the thing that's been leaning against the wall since January. You're not redecorating. You're reclaiming. Let your space reflect where you're headed, not where you've been.

Leo (Jul 23 – Aug 22) You've been generous — with your time, your energy, your enthusiasm for other people's projects. And it's been good. But this week, the spotlight turns inward, and the question is simple: what have you been putting off that's yours? Not the favor, not the committee, not the thing someone asked you to lead. The thing you want. Spring is asking you to be as bold about your own dreams as you are about everyone else's. That fire in your chest isn't restlessness. It's readiness.

Virgo (Aug 23 – Sep 22) You've been making lists. Of course you have. The spring to-do column is long, and every item feels equally urgent. But this week asks you to do something uncomfortable: pick three. Just three. The ones that matter most, not the ones that are easiest to cross off. Discipline isn't doing everything — it's knowing what to leave undone without guilt. Your garden doesn't need all the beds prepped today. It needs the one you'll actually plant.

Libra (Sep 23 – Oct 22) There's a decision you've been balancing on the tip of your tongue — not because you don't know the answer, but because saying it out loud makes it real. This week, the scales stop swaying. Not because the choice becomes easier, but because you realize that waiting is its own decision, and it's not the one you want. The beauty you're looking for isn't in perfect balance. It's in the courage of choosing a direction and walking it gracefully. Even if the path is unfinished.

Scorpio (Oct 23 – Nov 21) Something old is composting. A belief, a grudge, a version of yourself that served you once but has been taking up space. This week, you'll feel the shift — not dramatic, not a bonfire, but a quiet release. Like setting down a tool you've been gripping too hard. What grows in that newly opened space will surprise you, but only if you resist the urge to fill it immediately. Let the empty be empty. Spring knows what to do with bare ground.

Sagittarius (Nov 22 – Dec 21) The horizon line is calling, and you're answering — even if the trip is just to the next town over or the backroad you haven't driven in months. Your forward momentum this week is physical, not just mental. Move your body. Drive somewhere without a destination. Let the road do the thinking for a while. The clarity you've been looking for isn't in a plan or a decision. It's in the feeling of wind and wheels and the specific freedom of not knowing what's around the next bend.

Capricorn (Dec 22 – Jan 19) You've been building steadily, and the structure is solid. But this week invites you to look at what you're building for, not just what you're building. The work matters — it always will, for you — but the purpose behind it is what gives it warmth. Check in with the people who'll live in what you're creating. A quick conversation, an honest question, a shared meal. The best foundations aren't just strong. They're connected to something worth standing on.

Aquarius (Jan 20 – Feb 18) An unexpected idea is going to land this week — sideways, the way your best ideas always do. Don't dismiss it because it doesn't fit the framework. The forward-looking thing you've been craving isn't more structure. It's more space for the unplanned. Invite a conversation you haven't scripted. Read something outside your usual orbit. The future you're imagining needs the input of something you haven't met yet. Stay open. This week rewards curiosity over control.

Pisces (Feb 19 – Mar 20) The season is changing, and so are you — quietly, in ways that might not show up in the mirror yet but are real all the same. This week is for honoring the transition without rushing it. You don't have to know where the current is taking you to trust that it's moving. Sit by water if you can. Let the sound of it remind you that forward motion doesn't always look like effort. Sometimes it looks like surrender to something larger. Your spring is coming. It's already here, actually. You just haven't named it yet.

💫 You don't have to see the whole season to step into it. The next step is the only one that needs to be ready.

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