It’s hard to believe that in a few hours 2025 will be behind us. It’s been a long year for so many folks, but we’ve made it to 2026. It’s my prayer that the New Year brings joy and a renewed spirit of hope for everyone. May we come together in that hope and joy!
We’re looking forward to 2026. We’re making some big changes with the farm and Opal’s Farm Stand: one of which is a new location for the farm stand to better serve our neighbors. I’ll be announcing those changes in the coming days.
Happy New Year from all of us at Opal’s Farm and Unity Unlimited!
“No one can celebrate a genuine Christmas without being truly poor. The self-sufficient, the proud, those who, because they have everything, look down on others, those who have no need even of God – for them there will be no Christmas. Only the poor, the hungry, those who need someone to come on their behalf, will have that someone. That someone is God, Emmanuel, God-with-us. Without poverty of spirit there can be no abundance of God.” – St. Óscar Romero
I think it’s safe to say that we won’t be having a white Christmas this year. Not that I’ll miss it, mind you, but it’s unusual to be working in shorts and a T-shirt on Christmas Eve. Tomorrow may well be the warmest Christmas since records have been kept, but it is Texas after all.
I wanted to take a moment before I head off to a family Christmas Eve to say Merry Christmas. I hope that each of you have a day filled with joy and hope for the coming year.
Whether you celebrate Christmas as a religious holiday or simply a festive time for Old St. Nick, it’s a time for giving to others and sharing in the peace and joy of the season. From all of us at Unity Unlimited, Inc. and Opal’s Farm, we wish you all the merriest of holidays.
It’s almost Christmas and I haven’t done well in keeping our friends up to date with Opal’s Farm this December. I guess you could include October and November in that as well. It’s been a hectic Fall! Our unseasonably warm weather and only occasional cold spells have been great for the farm.
Thanks to the Conservation and Environment Fund at North Texas Community Foundation we’re looking forward to a great Winter and an even better Spring. Christmas came early for Opal’s Farm when we were awarded a grant from the Conservation and Environment Fund at North Texas Community Foundation. We’ll be adding new pollinator habitats throughout the farm, improving soil health with better composting, and expanding our production area so that we can feed more of our neighbors while taking care of the land we’ve been so graciously been granted by the Tarrant Regional Water District.
“North Texas Community Foundation drives meaningful change through charitable investment. The Foundation helps donors meet the needs of our community by providing tax-efficient strategies to support the causes they care about most. At the core of everything we do is a network of generous individuals, families and businesses intent on shaping the future of North Texas for good, forever. Learn more at northtexascf.org.
It’s hard to believe that December is already here. This year has flown by! It seems like only yesterday I was planting early Spring crops and now I’m getting beds ready for them again. I keep hearing the old Harry Chapin song over and over in my head as I pull out the old summer crops and prepare for the coming year. “All my life’s a circle, sunrise and sundown. Moon rolls through the nighttime, ‘til the daybreak comes around. All my life’s a circle, but I can’t tell you why. Seasons spinning round again, the years keep rolling by…” I keep thinking that things will slow down at Opal’s Farm, but the circle keeps rolling on.
Opal’s Farm Stand went on the road yesterday with all the greens and root vegetables that’re coming in this time of year. We were at the monthly Funkytown Mindful Market on Wesleyan Street. Attendance was strong despite the chilly overcast December day, and a good time was had by all. I got to spend the morning with our stand next to my friend Steven from Tabor Farms and catch up with one another. He and all the Tabor crew have done an amazing job building the farm up and growing some fantastic winter produce. Please go by and visit Tabor sometime for a real treat. Even better than that – volunteer with them!
My friends at CoAct, Jesse Herrera and Ashley Munoz, saw to it that Market Bucks went to every market visitor and any produce left over was sent to the Funkytown Fridge. Everyone’s so busy this time of years that it’s easy to forget that many of our neighbors go hungry during this hectic holiday season. CoAct, Funkytown Mindful Market, Tabor Farms, and Opal’s Farm hope to make the holidays a bit easier for those going without. Food, and good healthy food, is a basic human right and we want to do what we can to ensure that everyone has access.
Please remember too, that Opal’s has Fresh Bucks available through the end of December to help those who were affected by the government shutdown. The Sustainable Food Center has graciously shared a grant to make sure those affected can purchase up to $30.00 per day on fresh food with the Fresh Bucks available until they’re all gone or the end of December, whichever comes first.
Fall saw above normal temperatures and December’s moved in the opposite direction. It’s the coldest start to December in sixteen years so we’ve been covering crops to make we have plenty of winter produce available. The good Lord willing, we will be open throughout the year both Cowtown Farmers Market and Opal’s Farm Stand.
There are some changes coming to Opal’s Farm Stand in 2026 so we can serve more of our neighbors. We’re finalizing those plans now and we’ll be making an announcement about those changes soon. Meanwhile, the circle keeps rolling on. Happy Holidays everyone!
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