Category: Food Insecurity

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There’s a Shadow Here

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Happy Groundhog Day! I’m not sure about that furry little creature in Pennsylvania but a groundhog would see his shadow here in Fort Worth. We’re having a false Spring with sunny weather and Spring-like temperatures approaching eighty degrees for the first week of February. Don’t be deceived though. It is a false Spring. February and early March lie ahead and this is Texas. Need I say more.

We’ll be planting onions and potatoes this week but little else despite the warm weather. Bed preparation moves full steam ahead. Our “Taste the C.U.R.E.” students are making amazing progress on their plots. Seeing their diligence and desire reinvigorates us the have the best Spring yet!

The Texas Organic Famers and Gardeners Association 2025 conference is completed. It was great to see folks from all around the state I only get to see once or twice a year. I would like to say a huge thank you to the TOFGA Board for inviting me to speak at one of the workshops this year. I appreciate everyone who attended and look forward to seeing you again soon.

I haven’t posted much for the last month. My wife, Margaret, has been in the hospital for two weeks and only came home a week and a half ago. Thank you for your prayers and phone calls. It’s been hectic with Margaret, work travel, and all that comes with a home, four dogs, and grandkids. Going to work is like a vacation!

I also said goodbye to Joey Hughes, my Assistant Manager. Joey is going to be managing and expanding the educational opportunities at the Ridglea Giving Garden, as well as working with the North Texas School Garden Network and Hollow Trace Farm part-time. I appreciate all the work Joey put into growing our biointensive learning garden and kids’ educational curriculum for the field trips we host.

Speaking of which, Spring is the perfect time to bring kids of all ages (and as Ms. Opal likes to remind me, “You’re all kids if you’re not ninety-eight years old”) to the farm for a tour or field trip. You can book your tour or field trip at Delve Experiences, but hurry as Spring dates will be filling up fast.

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Happy Thanksgiving! Let’s Make Thanks a Verb!

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I would love to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at Opal’s Farm. We are so grateful for our friends and family. We’ve been blessed with so many wonderful donors, volunteers, and supporters from all over Fort Worth and beyond that fill our days with joy and purpose. We love you all and hope that you are enjoying a day filled with family, friends, and food.

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

Please remember your neighbors that aren’t able to have the same blessings. Reach out and call someone who may be spending Thanksgiving alone. Offer your homes and offer your companionship. Offer your table. We know for a fact that food brings everyone together in love and unity.

Please remember that not everyone will be enjoying a Thanksgiving meal today. Opal’s Farm wants to help end food insecurity in Fort Worth and insure that each of our neighbors can share a Thanksgiving meal. Please consider helping us help others through a donation today or on World Giving Day this Tuesday, December 3rd. Come be a part and share your blessing with everyone!

“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seed you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson

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Spring Visitors

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Our tomatoes are in! They loved all the rain this Spring and the May sun was the perfect topper for a great first week of tomatoes. We’ll have big harvests over the next few weeks so come out and see us at Cowtown Farmers Market and Opal’s Farm Stand.

I had company at the farm this week. We think she’s one of the coyote pups from last Spring. (Sorry I’m such a lousy photographer but I was on a running and vibrating tractor!) This young lady came and spent most of the day with me as I made way for the last succession planting of watermelon and cantaloupe. She stayed about ten feet away all day but was fascinated by the tractor. She kept a sharp eye out for any field mice that ran out as I prepared the beds.

I’m so glad we have a symbiotic relationship with the wild animals that come to the farm. Moreover, I’m really happy they feel safe enough to be there. It speaks to me of the peaceful spirit that exists there. Have a great week!

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Rain, Rain, Don’t Go Away – Just Come Less Frequently

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It’s raining once again so that means it must be Sunday. I am so grateful for the rain – the plants at the farm love it – but it can be a mixed blessing. I have the rest of the Spring planting to do before it gets too hot! Then again, I got to take a nap this afternoon…

This has been another great week at Opal’s Farm. We’d love to thank the Bank of America volunteers that came out Wednesday. I was in Fayetteville, Arkansas for the Growing Hope conference and was amazed when I came home to see the work that had been done. Thanks to Stacey and Joey for all their hard work and making the volunteer event a great day.

As I mentioned, I was at the Growing Hope conference hosted by the National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT) in Fayetteville this week. It was an excellent conference reminding (and teaching) us of the importance of what we do as farmers and folks trying to change our local food systems.

I toured two different non-profit farms, Cobblestone Farms and Apple Seeds, and learned of our common mission to fight food insecurity and educate others – especially our kids – about healthy growing and real nutrition.

I also spoke with an amazing group of farmers and activists about the fight for food justice – not just food access and food security – but the justice that gives everyone a seat at the table (both literally and figuratively) to create safe, equitable local food systems. I’d love to give a shout out to all the folks at NCAT who put the conference together. It was one of the best conferences I’ve had the privilege of attending – full of new ideas and re-energizing me for the fight for food justice and equity.

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Spring Has Sprung – Maybe…

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A huge thank you needs to go out to all the folks that came out to Cowtown Farmers Market yesterday. The weather was outstanding and it was so good to see so many of our old friends who stayed home over the winter. We had new vendors and some returning old ones. The Black Rooster Bakery sat up right next to us after their winter leave. I’m not sure it was such a great thing on my budget though. Joey and I certainly didn’t go hungry yesterday…

Speaking of not going hungry – Brushy Creek Farms has returned to Cowtown after a winter break and more of our produce vendors will be coming back as Spring moves forward. If we don’t have what you’re looking for then one of our other farms should be able to help you out.

We’ve had an exciting week at Opal’s Farm. Our BCS tractor is back from its Spring servicing at Homestead Equipment down by Waco. They are the only BCS dealership in Texas but well worth any drive you may have if you’re purchasing new equipment or servicing old ones. We’d love to say a heartfelt thank you as we were able to finish our tomato beds and start on the rest of the Spring crop beds.

We also had a special visitor this week. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen a Bald Eagle at the farm. When he first flew by, I thought it was one of the Turkey Vultures we see daily. When he got closer, I realized what I was seeing. He was a majestic sight as he flew to perch on the giant utility pole at the south end of the farm.  I tried to get a good picture but honestly, I’m not much of a photographer and I couldn’t get the light right. What you see is what you get unfortunately. I tried later when he was by the river, but he took off before I could capture a good image. I hope he finds us a good space to hunt at Opal’s Farm. We’d love to have him back.

We’d also love to give a shout out to all our volunteers returning after a long winter! The warm days we’ve experienced have brought some our old friends out and more are coming. We hope you can come enjoy Spring planting with us.

I get to see the gorgeous weather outside my office window, but I’m reminded that it’s only March 3rd. North Texas weather has a way of fooling everyone into a false sense of “Spring Fever”. The last frost date is supposed to be March 18th so maybe, just maybe, Spring is setting in…