| June 18, 2026 Just southwest of Fort Worth, tucked among the remaining stretches of North Texas prairie, sits Conundrum Farms, a place where fresh produce, conservation, and community come together. At the heart of the operation is Cort DeHart, owner of Conundrum Farms and Vice-Chairman of the Dalworth Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD), whose vision for the farm extends far beyond growing food. For DeHart, Conundrum Farms was born during a period of personal reflection and transition. About five years ago, after a successful career as an attorney and technology executive, DeHart found himself reevaluating what he wanted from the next chapter of his life. At the same time, he was increasingly troubled by issues he saw affecting society: environmental challenges, political division, and a growing sense of disconnection among people. “I wanted to do something that aligned more closely with my values,” DeHart said. “Something that could make a living, but also make a difference.”
The inspiration came from an essay by renowned farmer and writer Wendell Berry titled Think Little. In the essay, Berry encourages individuals to focus on improving what is within their reach rather than becoming overwhelmed by the world’s larger problems. That message resonated deeply. “I had this property, and I started asking myself, ‘What can I do with what I’ve got, where I am, right now?'” DeHart said. The answer became Conundrum Farms. The farm’s unusual name reflects the crossroads DeHart found himself facing. “I think of a conundrum as a difficult decision with moral implications,” he explained. “I was trying to balance financial responsibility with the things I believed were important. The farm grew out of those conundrums.” While friends initially questioned the name, DeHart stuck with it. Over time, he realized it perfectly captured not only his own journey, but also what visitors experience when they come to the farm. People from all walks of life gather at Conundrum Farms for classes, events, volunteer opportunities, and the farm’s popular Sunday gatherings. DeHart has watched countless visitors find a sense of peace and connection while spending time on the property. “People often tell us the farm reminds them of their grandparents or a simpler time in their lives,” he said. “It gives them a sense of calm when they’re dealing with their own conundrums.” Cort believes that conservation begins with recognizing that land ownership comes with responsibility. “Good stewardship means understanding that we’re only here for a short time,” he said. “Other people are going to live on this land after us. We have a responsibility to leave it as good, or better, than we found it.” That philosophy guides every aspect of the farm’s operation. Located on rocky, limestone-rich soils near Benbrook Lake, Conundrum Farms faced significant challenges when development began. Rather than rushing into production, DeHart and his team spent three years focused solely on improving the soil. They broke up compaction, incorporated cover crops, and brought in truckloads of organic materials, including wood chips and composted barn manure, to build topsoil from the ground up. “We were three years into the project before we planted a crop,” DeHart said. “Soil health has always been the foundation of what we’re doing.” Today, the farm follows regenerative and low-input growing practices designed to improve soil function while producing healthy food for the local community. Conundrum Farms also serves as a home base for the Great Plains Restoration Council, an organization dedicated to restoring native prairie ecosystems around Benbrook Lake and throughout North Texas. The partnership has allowed restoration efforts to expand while providing a venue where supporters, landowners, and community members can see conservation work firsthand. “There are some exciting conversations happening right now about protecting some of the last remaining prairie land in North Texas,” DeHart said. “If we can play a small role in that, then that’s meaningful.” DeHart became involved with the Dalworth SWCD after working with the United States Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA-NRCS) on conservation projects at the farm. His local NRCS District Conservationist encouraged him to fill an open position on the district board. While he admits he knew little about SWCDs at the time, the experience has broadened his understanding of conservation and connected him with producers and landowners across the region. “Being involved has exposed me to people who are doing things differently than I am,” DeHart said. “It’s made me more open-minded and more interested in learning from others.” He believes conservation leadership is critical because no one understands the land better than those who work it every day. “If landowners don’t take responsibility for stewardship, who will?” he said. “The people working the land know what it needs and what it takes to care for it.” Perhaps the most unique aspect of Conundrum Farms is its role as a gathering place. Every Sunday, the farm opens its gates for “Sunday Funday,” a weekly community event featuring local musicians, food, flowers, and educational opportunities. The goal is simple: create a space where people can slow down, connect, and experience agriculture firsthand. DeHart remembers similar gatherings at his grandfather’s farm when he was a child. “I wanted to create a place where people from different backgrounds could come together and just spend time with one another,” he said. The impact has been profound. Visitors frequently share stories about memories the farm brings back or how spending time there helps them decompress from the stresses of daily life. “We’re only one or two generations away from people having no connection to agriculture,” DeHart said. “If we don’t keep those experiences alive, they’ll disappear.” One of DeHart’s proudest accomplishments is the Funkytown Food Project, a youth development program based at the farm. Modeled after a successful program in Boston, the six-week summer initiative brings together teenagers from diverse backgrounds to learn about agriculture, leadership, teamwork, and community engagement.Participants spend mornings working on the farm and afternoons learning life skills, conflict resolution, leadership development, and civic engagement. Students are paid for their participation, making the program accessible to youth from all backgrounds. The response has been overwhelming. What began with just over a dozen applicants now receives more than 100 applications annually. “We try to bring together kids who would never normally cross paths,” DeHart said. “By the end of six weeks, they’re a tribe.” The program has also created some of the most memorable moments of DeHart’s farming journey. During one visit, a young girl from a homeless services program stepped onto the farm and remarked, “It’s so quiet out here.” Another child simply said, “I feel safe.” “Those moments stick with you,” DeHart said. As Conundrum Farms continues to grow, DeHart hopes to strengthen its role as both a working farm and a community resource. He also sees tremendous potential for urban agriculture in Texas and hopes universities and agricultural programs will place greater emphasis on teaching small-scale, diversified farming systems. “I’d love to see more young people understand that this can be a viable career path,” he said. To DeHart, the future of conservation depends on helping people reconnect with the land, their food, and each other. Quoting Wendell Berry, he often reminds visitors that “eating is the last act of agriculture.” By supporting local producers, learning where food comes from, and participating in their communities, consumers become part of the conservation story themselves. At Conundrum Farms, that story continues to grow, one crop, one conversation, and one connection at a time. ###
You can find the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board at www.tsswcb.texas.gov, on Facebook, and on Twitter @TSSWCB. The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board, established in 1939, administers Texas’ soil and water conservation law and delivers coordinated natural resource conservation programs to agricultural producers through the State’s 216 Soil and Water Conservation Districts. The Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board is the lead agency for planning, implementing, and managing programs for preventing and abating agricultural and silvicultural nonpoint sources of water pollution.
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