Responsibility – Page 11 – gregoryjoel.com

Activism, Belief, Citizenship, Community, Connection, Creation, Donations, Down On the Farm, Environment, Faith, Family, Fighting Poverty, Food Deserts, Food Equality, Food Insecurity, Food Justice, Friendship, Gratitude, Health, Hope, News, Non-Profits, Nutrition, Opal's Farm, Persistence, Plowing, Preparation, Quotes, Regeneration, Relationships, Responsibility, Service Organizations, Service to Others, Simplicity, Social Justice, Transformation, Trinity River, Uncategorized, Unity Unlimited, Inc., Urban Farming, Volunteers, What Can I Do

Fighting Hunger One Meal at a Time

January 17, 2020 gregoryjoel

We are incredibly grateful for Noelle Walker at NBC 5 DFW for her series on “Fighting Hunger” and for the segment on our work at Opal’s Farm. The story aired yesterday on NBC 5: First at Four. The link to the story is at https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/fighting-hunger-urban-farming-in-fort-worths-food-desert/2292808/

I love the opportunity to tell a wider audience about Opal’s Farm. The farm is my personal passion. Ending food insecurity is my reason for getting up in the morning. I know what it’s like to be hungry. No one, especially a child, should have to go to bed hungry.

While I’m well aware of the statistics: one in seven children in Tarrant County face food insecurity. There are over forty food deserts in Tarrant County. Neighborhoods that rely on dollar stores or convenience marts for their groceries often face higher rates of obesity, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, high blood pressure, and a myriad of other health problems. I know those statistics, but I learned a new one from Ms. Walker’s news story today: Tarrant County is one of the top ten most food insecure counties in America.

Let that sink in for a moment…

Tarrant Country is in the top ten most food insecure counties in the country. Not in the state, not in the region. In the country!

I’m angry about that. Fort Worth is my home. I grew up here and fell in love with the history and the culture of Cowtown. Whether it’s the 136th edition of the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo or an art exhibit at the Kimball my hometown has something to offer to everyone. Well, almost everyone…

I’m angry because, quite frankly, we’re better than that. I’m upset and maybe you are, too…

Since the NBC 5 story ran I’ve received dozens of emails and social media messages from people who believe in the mission of Opal’s Farm; who believe that an urban farm is just what is needed today. I’ve heard from older folks who remember the old “Greek” farm that was where Opal’s Farm is today. I’ve heard from young folks that want to be a part of a food “revolution” right here in Cowtown.

Opal’s Farm is a hands on way to address the needs of our neighbors. Not only those who struggle with poverty but those families that often work multiple jobs and still face hunger. That’s the reality many of our neighbors live with.

This first year has been tremendously exciting and, to be honest, a little scary. I remember the first time I walked around the levee after the Tarrant Regional Water District had disked and cleared the entire acreage for us. I couldn’t help but feel like I was wa-a-a-y in over my head. It was so big; much bigger than the community gardens I’d built before. What had I committed to?

According to the ancient Taoist proverb, “A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step”, so that’s just what we did. We took it one step at a time. There were many missteps along the way. The learning curve was steep and the work overwhelming at times. Still, step by step, bed by bed, seed by seed, Opal’s Farm began to take shape and seeds turned into a harvest that surprised all of us. Talk about starting on a wing and a prayer…

Our second year promises an even more bountiful harvest than our first. We will feed more people than last year, but we need your help. Opal’s Farm is in desperate need of donations to fund the coming year. We are expanding into our second acre. This will allow us to offer a wider variety of produce to the neighborhoods we serve.

The thing I love the most about Fort Worth is the people. We’re a big city (16th largest in the country!) but we haven’t lost that “small town” feel. We’re neighbors here. Neighbors help each other out. Help us help your neighbors with a donation to Opal’s Farm today.

Go to www.unityunlimited.org right now! Click on Opal’s Farm and you’ll find a “donate now” button to make your safe and secure donation to Opal’s Farm. You’ll also find a “Sign Up” button if you’d like to be a farmer right along beside us. We love working beside our volunteers!

Mother Teresa said, “If you can’t feed a hundred people, then just feed one”. Your donation today will ensure that one person, one child goes to be with a full tummy because your dollar went to the produce we grew and brought to their neighborhood. That’s not just neighborly, it’s the right thing to do.

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“The one thing we need more than hope is action. Once we start to act, hope is everywhere. So instead of looking for hope, look for action. Then, and only then, hope will come.” – Greta Thunberg

December 10, 2019 gregoryjoel

#GivingTuesday, Activism, Community, Connection, Creation, Down On the Farm, Environment, Faith, Fighting Poverty, Food Deserts, Food Equality, Food Insecurity, Food Justice, God's Economics, Neighbors, Non-Profits, Nutrition, Opal's Farm, Regeneration, Relationships, Responsibility, Service Organizations, Service to Others, Social Justice, Transformation, Trinity River, Uncategorized, Unity Unlimited, Inc., Urban Farming, Volunteers, What Can I Do

This Just In…

December 3, 2019 gregoryjoel

Several weeks ago we were privileged to be a part of the Blue Zones Project Fort Worth’s “TransFORTmation” campaign. The first You Tube video became available this morning. We couldn’t wait the share it with you. It was perfect timing as always – #GivingTuesday!

Opal’s Farm is proud to be part of helping Fort Worth become a healthier city!

#bzpfw

#opalsfarm http://www.unityunlimited.org

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It’s Giving Tuesday!

December 3, 2019March 21, 2020 gregoryjoel

Down on the Farm

I sat down to check emails before I wrote this. I was astounded by the volume of emails I received about Giving Tuesday. I sat down to write this and, if I’m honest, I wondered if Opal’s Farm email or post would even be read today. We’d be just another one of many organizations working to make our world just a bit better. So many options…

We can’t compete with the big NGOs or service organizations. We are a small but growing (no pun intended) urban farm seeking to bring fresh, healthy food to folks that often don’t have it available. We simply believe that an urban farm can change lives and build community. Our five-acre farm makes a difference!

I could give you all the reasons you need to choose Unity Unlimited, Inc. and Opal’s Farm on this special day of giving. I won’t bore you with all the statistics and needs. I’ll just let you know that every dollar you give today is doubled, matched dollar for dollar. We need your help more than ever as we expand our growing area to reach more of your neighbors.

So please push the donate button right now or go the www.unityunlimited.org/opalsfarm to make your secure Giving Tuesday contribution. When you’ve done that come out and join us at Opal’s Farm and see how your contribution is making Fort Worth a better place – one neighborhood at a time.

Activism, Choices, Community, Creation, Down On the Farm, Environment, Litter, Non-Profits, Opal's Farm, Responsibility, Service Organizations, Service to Others, Tarrant Regional Water District, Trinity River, Unity Unlimited, Inc., Urban Farming, Volunteers, What Can I Do

It’s Our River

November 23, 2019 gregoryjoel

Down On the Farm: Fall is a busy time at Opal’s Farm. There is winter produce such as Kohlrabi, cabbage, and spinach and cover crops to be planted. There’s rebuilding beds and design changes to be made for Spring, irrigation infrastructure to be built, and the ever-persistent weeds and grasses to be dealt with. I only wish the Bermuda grass did as well at my house!

Most of you know that September brought record-breaking heat and only a trace of rain. We had to irrigate more than usual, and the carrots had to be replanted in October, but we still had radishes, turnips, greens, beets, and Butternut squash to take to market. Unfortunately, above average temperatures were followed by an unexpected early freeze. We are probably winding down our market stand for the rest of 2019.

When we finally had some rain, it lasted for a few days. We love rain though and, as for me, I had the first day off in three months! “Make hay while the sun shines”, my Dad used to say so I did so. When the sun and warm Fall weather returned, I looked at the spot on the Trinity River where we set up our pump. I soon found out the negative consequences of the welcomed rain…

It was obvious that I had some cleaning up to do before I could use the pump again. You see, when it rained the river rose a bit. As it receded, all the trash that washed downstream came to rest on the banks of Opal’s Farm. Plastic bottles and straws, Styrofoam cups, and an odd assortment of empty chewing tobacco tins, single gloves and plain old litter were strewn about the bank and floating nearby. The place where our suction hose usually sits and where we get our water to prime the pump was thick with flotsam. Everything had to be scooped up before we could irrigate.

I mention this not only because it causes a lot of work better spent on the farm itself, but because everyone needs to know that litter on our streets has a way of ending up in the Trinity. Storm drains and precipitation runoff means that the plastic bags blowing down your street will likely end up along our banks or worse yet, much farther downstream.

In October, we had the privilege of being an exhibitor at the Tarrant Regional Water District’s Trinity Trash Bash. Nearly 4,000 volunteers spent Saturday collecting over 28,000 pounds of trash. Let that one sink in – 28,000 pounds! Unfortunately, it’s only a fraction of the litter and illegal dumping that goes on all along the watershed.

I appreciate all the volunteers who take it on themselves to address the debris in the river. It’s such a vital part of Fort Worth. Whether it’s biking or running along the Trinity Trails, rowing or boating, or catching a concert at Panther Island Pavilion the river is something we all enjoy. Here at Opal’s Farm it’s part of our life blood, whether it’s for irrigation or just taking a moment to enjoy a little bit of peace and beauty after a long day of work.

Before you throw that candy wrapper down think about where it ends up. Solving our litter problem is something everyone has a part in, not just 4,000 volunteers on a Saturday. Who knows, if each of us took a moment to clean up our little part of the world maybe those volunteers could spend their time on other ways of making Fort Worth and the Trinity River a better place!