Garden update

I was looking at my garden the other day thinking how sad it looked but nature was busy at work even without my help. My Zinnia bed was covered with dead plants but to my amazement below all those dead leaves were many small volunteer plants. I removed all the dead material and watered the new plants. Soon I will have new flowers and the garden will look beautiful again. 

In other parts of the garden, the alfalfa hay mulch I used in early spring is all gone. Broken down by microbes and other decomposers in the soil. Evidence that the garden is alive and well just in a state of hibernation during drought conditions and my absence. Of course weeds were invading many beds taking this opportunity to expand their range. Passion Vine which was planted for butterflies was now dominant, smothering everything in its path and even covering the fig tree.

I have several more months of recovery before I can devote more time to my garden but it is alive and well and constantly changing. I hope it provides beauty to the community as it changes as well.

Change is good!

Spring is very near and I believe it is going to be a great one. I know it doesn't feel like it when temperatures are in the 20's and everything is frozen, but it's all a part of the rejuvenation process. My garden is all tucked in and resting under a layer of hay. A couple of months ago I started prepping my beds as they became available, pulling up any weeds and removing plant material after harvesting whatever I had planted there. I lightly turned the top three inches of soil, added a little organic fertilizer and cotton seed meal then covered them with hay.

At home I started some tomato seeds and lettuce seeds. Some of my tomato seeds took almost three weeks to germinate while others were up in about ten days. I have had some of these seeds for several years and was not sure if they were still viable. I will definitely have to purchase new seed for next year. I guess I could save some seed from this year as well.

We have had some extremely cold weather and many plants have not survived. My lettuce and mesclun mix finally froze after several days of lows in the twenties. Cabbage, broccoli, fennel, rue, onions, leeks and strawberries have survived. I used some cabbage in chicken and vegetable soup and it was delicious. This cabbage has to be the best cabbage I have ever had and I wish I could remember what variety it was. I will look for it again where I found it last year.

There are other great things happening in our community that are worth mentioning. On Texas Avenue things are really changing. The street is ripped out in a one block section to make improvements to the utilities and then resurface the street, add decorative pavers and wider sidewalks. I think it is going to look great, can't wait to see the finished product. Other exciting news are the plans for a new community garden. A non profit organization has been formed to start what will hopefully be the first of many gardens in the community. Grow Baytown is the name of the organization and will begin construction of this garden in early spring. I believe Baytown is ready for some change and I'm glad to be a part of it. This new garden will bring people together and may lead to other good things. Perhaps a farmers market could finally be established. At the very least all this work may spark other beautification projects in the community around Texas Avenue.

Great things are happening but they will not succeed without our support. Visit local businesses, there are several restaurants, shops and entertainment venues that need our help. Or maybe you would like to get involved by gardening in the new Grow Baytown garden. Many other opportunities exist for your support, Grow Baytown, Wetlands Center, Nature Center, Off Texas Ave. Garden and the Library are just a few. I hope to see many more people around town and as always, you are welcome in my garden anytime. So stop by and visit.

Local, seasonal, organic (part 3)

What does "organic" mean?

Simply stated, organic produce and other ingredients are grown without the use of pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, sewage sludge, genetically modified organisms, or ionizing radiation. Animals that produce meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products do not take antibiotics or growth hormones.

The USDA National Organic Program (NOP) defines organic as follows:

Organic food is produced by farmers who emphasize the use of renewable resources and the conservation of soil and water to enhance environmental quality for future generations. Organic meat, poultry, eggs, and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation. Before a product can be labeled "organic," a Government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer is following all the rule s necessary to meet USDA organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it gets to your local supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

I believe organic is also a way of living. For many of our parents and grandparents, growing your own food was a way of life. Many times food used to feed the animals was grown right on the farm. The farmer used very few inputs from outside the farm and a cash crop could be grown to pay for those items not produced on the farm. At meal time you knew exactly where your food came from. You knew how it was raised, fed, processed and prepared.

I am not suggesting that everyone move to the country and live on a farm but we can all be more selective about what we eat. Choosing to eat food that has not been fed antibiotics or growth hormones is just part of the process. I believe we are our own worst enemies by over medicating and always searching for that magic pill. Diseases like diabetes, obesity, heart disease and others could be reduced by changing our lifestyle. Instead we take medication and continue eating the same food and living a sedentary life.

My vision is that everyone eat as much fresh food as possible. A small backyard garden can supply a lot of food for anyone willing to put in a little work. Gardening provides healthy food, exercise and sunshine for the body and soul. An hour working in the garden provides many more benefits like a good sweat. I believe a good sweat is essential to healthy living. After a good workout in the garden a cleansing hot shower or bath may help with depression. Feeling good about yourself will change the way you look at life but most importantly how you view your own life. This is what Off Texas Avenue Garden is all about.

I know that not everyone may be able to garden but everyone deserves to eat good food. I believe it is my duty to provide good food for my family but to also help my community. I can educate my neighbors about growing good food and I can share this food with those not able to grow their own. A simple gesture of caring like a bouquet of flowers as a gift can make someone smile just like a puppy or kitten makes a child smile.

I hope your garden is growing well and if you don't have one I hope you start one. Together we can change our community and make it a better place to live in.

Local, seasonal, organic (part 2)

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving Day. What a wonderful holiday to celebrate family, friends, health and food. Thanksgiving is a day of sharing the abundance of food from all our hard work that will feed us through the winter. At least I think that is how it used to be. It is the poster holiday of local, seasonal, organic food.

When I was a child our garden provided many vegetables for us. We always grew onions, tomatoes, peppers and squash. In the field we grew corn, pumpkin and cantaloupe. My parents were not into canning but we would freeze some of our harvest. Most of the time we ate from the garden what was in season. These days you can get pretty much anything, anytime no matter what the season. These products of course have traveled hundreds, sometimes thousands of miles. This food that is not in season will never taste as good as something grown in your garden or a local small farm. The best quality of these vegetables is the ability to ship well. No amount of chemicals, wax or dyes will make it taste better though. That tomato you buy in January will not compare with one picked from your garden in June. That tomato is not in season in January.

At Off Texas Avenue Garden my goal is to change varieties as the seasons change. This past Saturday we had our first light frost and my tomato plants suffered some damage. I decided to remove green tomatoes from the larger varieties and try to ripen them inside. I removed all the plants from this bed and will prepare the soil for the next season. I will plant some other crop in this bed as part of my rotation plan. Crop rotation will lessen the risk of disease by not growing the same crop again. It was not easy pulling up these huge plants or to pick green tomatoes but tomato season is over. I may even sow some lettuce seed in this bed before spring crops and extend my fall season a few more weeks.

I believe that growing seasonal vegetables keeps us connected to nature and the earth. Another good way to stay connected with our food is by cooking these seasonal foods. Learning how to use all this food connects us to our family, our past and ourselves. Eating good food not only nourishes our body but can help us stay healthy. If you don't garden you can visit a farmers market and support small farms. Supporting these small farms means that seasonal foods can be available to everyone. These farmers can then grow more food, more varieties and help preserve a greater plant diversity for future generations. I believe eating good food is good for our family, good for our health, good for our soul. I believe everyone can contribute something positive to the environment. Farmers can grow a wide variety of organic food. Chefs can use the freshest, locally grown food. Schools can teach alternative methods of growing good food. Schools can also provide healthier meals to our children. Parents can set an example and insist that their children explore and try new foods. I will continue to grow good food for my family and I hope others will do the same.

Local, seasonal, organic (part 1)

Trattoria Italia

Trattoria Italia

Donnelly"s

W. Defee Place

West Coast Donut

In my pursuit to provide the freshest food for my family I plan to expand my garden this winter. I could visit the farmers markets in the surrounding area but how fresher can it get than from my own garden. But what about the rest of you?

My idea of eating locally grown food is to grow my own but if you don't grow your own then you should be able to go to a restaurant that uses locally grown, seasonal food. First we would need a business committed to using the best produce possible. Then we would need farmers committed to growing the best possible produce organically and sustainably. Then we would need to support those businesses and visit them often. I have read many success stories of farmers, chefs and farmers markets across this country. I believe we can have that in our community. It will take all of us working together.

Lately I have been reading about urban farming in other cities. We have so much property available in our city. In the surrounding neighborhood of Texas Avenue there are many vacant lots that would look great with a garden on them. Off Texas Avenue Garden is just a small example of that. Some lots I believe may even be owned by the city. What better way to help beautify the area than to plant a garden. This may also help gain support from the community for the revitalization of Texas Avenue. I can envision a downtown area filled with shoppers visiting local businesses, eating in restaurants that use locally sourced produce. Adventurous chefs featuring menus with seasonal dishes with the freshest produce available. A thriving farmers market with local growers providing many good things to eat, grown organically and harvested within hours of us buying them. A neighborhood with vibrant color from flowers and gardens instead of spray paint. The sound of a community in harmony.

I have found a few businesses with their own gardens. These gardens are small but a garden may be as small as a container of herbs or as big as a backyard garden. I would like to thank these business owners for becoming leaders in a huge movement of which we are just a small part of. I challenge other business owners to survey your property and perhaps plant some flowers or start a small garden. And I encourage everyone to support local businesses and eat local.

The little garden

There once was a little garden that was very lonely. Every spring when the grass began to grow, the little garden dreamed of flowers and vegetables growing instead of grass. One time the little garden heard through the grape vine growing along the fence of other gardens in the neighborhood. They were full of flowers and vegetables. Humans tended these gardens, watering and weeding and enjoying the good food. The little garden just dreamed. Humans just drove their cars on the little garden or walked across it as a short cut. Sometimes a dandelion would send it's bright, yellow flower up through the grass and the little garden would smile with joy. The little garden knew that it could do so much more if someone took care of it.

Then one day a farmer thought this would be a great location for a garden. So the farmer began by cleaning the little garden. There were trash and car parts and the grass was covering the side walk from years of no one keeping it in bounds. Then the farmer built some beds and removed the grass and the little garden took a deep breath. The farmer turned and tilled the soil and the little garden smiled. These beds were filled with soil and amended with good things to feed the soil. One day the little garden felt a tickle and it felt good. Earthworms were busy tunneling through the soil, making it easy for plant roots to grow in it. The farmer planted seeds and young plants so that all the people in town could see the little garden. The little garden was very happy. Each day the little garden would wake up and greet the new plants and it helped them grow larger every day.

By the end of spring, the little garden was full of flowers and the people in town were delighted to see all this color. They thanked the farmer for planting this garden and giving them this little treasure in the town. The farmer was very proud of the little garden.

By the end of summer the little garden was tired. It's a lot of work helping so many plants grow. But the farmer knew what to do. The farmer began by clearing the beds of any plants that had finished their show and again turned and tilled the soil. The farmer added more good things to the soil and then planted cool weather plants and seeds.

The little garden had many visitors including Monarch butterfly's on their annual migration to Mexico. Hummingbirds sipped sweet nectar from all the flowers in the little garden and more people visited. Some even asked if they could help take care of the little garden. The farmer showed them what to do and told them the story of how the little garden began.

One day the farmer thought of how he could thank the little garden for all it had given him and his family. The little garden had become a part of the community and the people in town enjoyed it's beauty.

So the farmer planned a celebration in honor of the little garden. All the people in town were invited. Parents brought their children and some people brought their pets. The farmer and his family were there along with many of their friends. The people that helped take care of the little garden were there. There was music and food and face painting for the children and all the people spent the day admiring the little garden. The farmer told all the visitors the story of how the little garden began and he thanked them for attending this great celebration. More people asked if they could help take care of the little garden. Some even said they knew of other little gardens that needed help. The farmer was excited that so many people were there and that the little garden could be an example of how other little gardens could look like.

At the end of the day the farmer looked at the little garden and smiled. The little garden was very happy that so many people had walked across it that day. The little garden looked brighter than ever. The grape vine that grows along the fence brought congratulations from the other gardens in the neighborhood. The little garden was lonely no more.

What do you want to eat?

Last week I harvested some yellow squash and okra fresh from the garden. As I admired these gifts from the garden, I felt very proud of myself. The garden looked very nice, lots of flowers, green tomatoes on the vine, butterflies all around and the sounds of the community. At that very moment, I had a great desire to share this food with people that I love.

My mother will say that she loves to cook for family and friends when they visit. I used to think that she felt that way because that is the way she was raised. It is a mexican custom for women to cook all meals and to learn how to cook at an early age. Men go to work and women stay home and do everything else. I do not believe in that custom. My"guelita" (grandmother), felt the same way. When you went to her house, after hugs, kisses and asking how you are doing, the next question was "what do you want to eat?". She asked that every time, to everyone who came in to her house. I now believe that she really did love to cook and that my mother also loves to cook. I know there are other things at work here but, in a very basic, primal kind of way, food is love. To share that with people that you love is very rewarding. My guelita had me at the hugs and kisses but, the food was great also. We could talk as she cooked or, she would explain how she was cooking the meal. My mother taught me how to cook at a young age. She would tell me that I had to learn how to take care of myself and not depend on someone else to take care of me. Maybe that is why I am not a "typical" mexican male.

That love of cooking good food for friends and family are now a part of my life. I have so much to learn but, I believe that if you begin with fresh ingredients, the cooking part will better. This garden represents this belief and is a symbol of my dedication to provide the best organic, locally grown produce for my family. As my cooking skills improve, I will use seasonal vegetables to create my meals. I want to learn how to cook with my senses and not rely on recipes. My passion to grow good food will make me a better cook. Visit your farmers market to find fresh , locally grown produce. Or better yet, start a garden of your own. Support small farms that are committed to protecting the environment by growing organically. Learn to cook good food and, take time to teach children.

That day I grilled pork chops and, served fresh squash and okra for supper to my family. It was a good meal and, I loved sharing it with people that I love. So if you visit our house, don't be surprised if after a hug and asking how you are doing, I ask, what do you want to eat?