There's a range of offerings at San Antonio's premier farmers market at Pearl: homemade salsa and bread, beeswax soap, tamales, rice pudding and plants. You can get farm-fresh honey, eggs, meat and cheese. But there's only a handful of produce vendors.

Why it matters: The shift is happening as the number of overall farms in the San Antonio area is declining and their operators face numerous challenges.

• There's a shrinking pool of farm workers, land is expensive in a fast-growing region where development continues to sprawl outward, and the area has grown hotter and faced drought in recent years.

Zoom in: The Seguin-based Braune Farms is one of a handful of produce vendors at Pearl on Saturdays. It's run by Julie Braune, her husband, Jeffrey Braune (a fifth-generation farmer), and their children.

• They've been at the Pearl Farmers Market since it launched in 2009. But Julie Braune has seen other local farmers around her close up shop.

Threat level: "If people don't start supporting farms like ours, they eventually will just go away," Julie Braune tells Axios.

By the numbers: The number of farms in Bexar County dropped 16% from 2017 to 2022, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

• In Guadalupe County, home to Braune Farms, the number of farms fell from 2,543 in 2017 to 2,369 in 2022 — a nearly 7% drop.
• Over the same time, the region's population grew 7.4%, Census Bureau data shows.

State of play: There are currently up to 59 vendors at the Pearl Farmers Market, per an updated list shared with Axios.

• Of those, at least 10 (or 17%) sell produce, per an Axios review. That doesn't include vendors that sell only meat, eggs or dairy products.
• In 2009, 11 of 27 vendors, about 41%, sold produce.

What they're saying: "Over the years, we have worked with our vendor partners as they have faced a pandemic, unpredictable weather and changes in consumer behavior," Pearl CEO Mesha Millsap tells Axios in a statement.

• "We have evolved our offerings to speak to the changing needs of the providers and our community."

The intrigue: Even as traditional family farms are shuttering, more people appear to be gaining interest in at-home gardening and urban farms since the pandemic.

Case in point: The Garcia Street Urban Farm on the East Side had its first harvest in 2020. It's a partnership between Opportunity Home San Antonio and the William R. Sinkin Eco Centro at San Antonio College.

• Housed on about 4 acres that formerly held public housing, it serves an area long known as a food desert.
• "Right now there's this kind of renaissance of small farmers and gardeners," Rose Flores, who oversees farm operations, tells Axios.

How it works: The Garcia Street team distributes produce through its monthly, low-cost markets at its farm in the spring and fall.

• The farm has seen increased interest in its food since it launched, Flores tells Axios.

Reality check: Even so, Garcia Street still faces challenges — turning a strong profit is hard, even more so in extreme weather.

Still, Flores remains committed to proving the worth of a produce-focused market to San Antonio.

What's next: Garcia Street will begin its monthly farmers markets again in September.

The bottom line: "I think farmers markets are a way for us to build community," Flores says.

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⚖️ Nephtalí De León is suing the city of San Antonio, alleging officials violated his free speech rights when they fired him from his post of poet laureate last year. (SA Report)

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The Paris Olympics are in full swing, with a cool new addition in the breaking competition. We can't help but wonder — what San Antonio activities could be considered an Olympic sport?

Zoom in: We're thinking barrel racing — who doesn't love that rodeo classic? But San Antonians have more niche abilities, such as:

• Navigating Fiesta crowds with a bulky stroller.
• Making a Sunday night H-E-B run in under 10 minutes.
• Catching a T-shirt from the Spurs Coyote's launcher from the balcony seats while holding a beer in the other hand.

📬 Tell us: Which local activities would you like to see featured if San Antonio had its own version of the Olympics?

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Texas is now the only state outside of Montana where Lazy K Bar Bourbon is sold, which is big news for fans of "Yellowstone" actor Cole Hauser.

The latest: Hauser partnered with beverage industry veteran Britt West and Lazy K Bar Ranch owner David Leuschen on the 8-year-old bourbon.

• The bourbon launched in December in Big Sky Country but is now officially on Texas shelves.

What they're saying: Texas was an easy choice for an expansion, considering the enthusiasm from friends and fans, Hauser tells Axios.

• "I look at the great state of Texas and I think 'Why not?' Just like Montana, they appreciate great bourbon," he says.

Zoom in: The bourbon is sold at Spec's Wine, Spirits and Foods plus Cowboy Liquors.

• Sippers can also find it at the bars of Battalion, Double Standard, Bohanan's Prime Steak and Seafood plus Zocca Cuisine D'Italia.

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