Eight decades of supper, shade, and peacocks

Martha “Mattie” Faulk and her husband, Henry Faulk, moved to this old south Austin Farmhouse in 1916. Henry was in love with the 23 acre property along with the gardens and pastures it accommodated. The house soon became a beloved home as the family enjoyed the bountiful gardens and spacious porch. Evenings were spent shucking corn and snap beans while enjoying the cool twilight. During the Depression, the small farm provided enough dairy and produce that the Faulks were able to share food with many of their neighbors.

The children contributed to society in their own way, including son, John “Henry” Faulk, the renowned American story teller, humorist, and radio show host; and daughter, Texana “Faulk” Conn, particularly for her years of public service advocating for the civil rights of Texas’ deaf and hard of hearing citizens. Mattie’s daughter, Mary, especially enjoyed inviting guests over and making fancy dishes to share. She had a natural gift for entertaining and making all feel welcome. Mary and Chester Koock married in 1934 and moved back into the Faulk farmhouse in 1939.

After Chester returned to Mary from the war, Martha gifted the Faulk farmhouse to them and Mary remodeled the home serving customers that same year. Thus, the transition commenced from the sturdy old farmhouse into a restaurant known as Green Pastures. Mary created and hosted lavish parties, wedding receptions, and grand occasions for Governors, celebrities, and dignitaries, eventually writing “The Texas Cookbook” with the help of James Beard. Though Austin restaurants would not desegregate until after the Civil Rights Act became law some 18 years later, Green Pastures was open to people of all races and religions from the moment it first opened its doors to the public in 1946.

After 24 years in the restaurant business, Mary and Chester Koock retired in 1970, leaving Green Pastures in the capable hands of their eldest son, Ken, and his business partner, Lee Buslett, an executive of the famed Night Hawk restaurant chain. They carried on the Green Pastures reputation for excellent food and hospitality ultimately being succeeded by Lee’s son Bob Buslett who started working at Green Pastures as a teenager. The farmhouse was added to the National Register of Historic places in 1980.

To ensure the legacy of Green Pastures after his retirement, Bob sought others who shared his passion for gracious hospitality. More than 100 local investors purchased the estate with the same vision, with the intention to add a boutique hotel. Bob remains an investor and an inspiration to the group’s membership board. The original farmhouse was fully restored and renamed Mattie’s in 2017. The Inn at Green Pastures opened in 2025. Today, Green Pastures remains a landmark rooted in family history, hospitality and a tradition of inclusivity that stretches back more than a century.