Urban farming in Houston's Inner city. Abundance is everywhere. After years of costly expenses. Purchasing soil from many sources. Mushroom compost from Madisonville. Sand from Cowboys. Rice Hulls from Texas Compost. Natural fertilizer from a host of retail stores. Wabash mainly. In March of 2013 after several folks had been introduced to wood chips from a documentary called Back to Eden. Mark Holt called CenterPoint tree services who cleared the trees from power lines. This began the experience … [Read more...] about Abundance
First Volunteer group for the Summer of 2016
The summer's first volunteer group out this day. Handled the nearly hot temperatures to address the weeds in the herb gardens. Volunteers from Cypress weeded and feed the horses. Worked on several projects to provide the needed help to push the summer growing effort forward. Christ Cathedral church downtown provided the student volunteers and pledged further support in coming weeks. The experience started with a tour of the wheel of Sustainability. Viewing the aquaponics. Vermaculture. … [Read more...] about First Volunteer group for the Summer of 2016
The Fertile worlds of Our Belonging
The first time I imagined myself as a farmer was my senior year in High school talking to my girlfriend. Years passed and in the late 80's I was injured in a auto accident and was on disability for over two years. I had gone to Lake Canyon with my wife at the time and met a guy named Don Raimy. He introduced us to the Hotspot of permaculture at the Dubose farm in Blanco Texas. I learned a friend of mine Jac was starting a premaculture group in Houston. The first event we ended up having was Bill … [Read more...] about The Fertile worlds of Our Belonging
Vermaculture Composting
Lessons are learned. The great teacher is the consistency of staying with a project. Farmer Gerald Slocum has worked his red wriggle herd for nearly 5 years are even more. Starting out years ago in the pickup truck with a hand full of worms. Several years back a group of volunteers built the worm runs using recycled materials. The hot summer weighted heavy on the herd growth. Shade cloth was added to the project and it served to cool down the boxes. Gerald notice a increase in the … [Read more...] about Vermaculture Composting
Composting has many options
There are several components to soil fertility that the farm has developed. The point is not to be prefect but to work with resources. Farmer Gerald Slocum showed me his Vermaculture project today. It was outstanding and adundant. The system was to wet today to harvest. I'll pick up some plastic to cover the worm bins. Heavy rains tend to leak into the boxes. I am planning on using the casting for a planting mix for trays I'm about to plant Also I plan to use the casing to add to the compost … [Read more...] about Composting has many options
Urban Pioneer Collective
There exist a culture of Doership in Houston's Inner City. Folks that live outside most all the time working the trade of land stewardship. Earth is a massive resource. Here in Houston with near prefect weather for year round growing and land everywhere a truly amazing opportunity is presenting itself. The Emile Street Community Educational Farm has the ability to host a wide range of experiences working sustainable systems. The use of water and soil are key assets to food production. From one … [Read more...] about Urban Pioneer Collective
A Measurement of Value
A measurement of real value. It comes from hard work. Everyday making the lift no matter how small. A continous effort that strengthen the cause. It's bigger that anything imagined. Bigger than life itself. It lies beyond the veil in the area of the mystery. Where all things go when in service to the good that was intended. Today's work was working the gate. Telling stories. Leading the tour. Tomorrow Houston TV coming out for a interview. Billy Lawton with Prairie View A&M came by and … [Read more...] about A Measurement of Value
Staging neighborhood food security
A staging area has been added to the farm's infrastructure. Previously seed trays were located throughout the farm. With the new station all seeding is centralized creating a opportunity to plant lots of seed. Recently watering has come from the clarifier where the zeolite filter is back flushed daily. The heavy dense waste from the pond settles in bottle of the tote and is used for watering. Presently a 5 gallon bucket is used to transport the nutrient rich resource. Plans are being made to … [Read more...] about Staging neighborhood food security