Up before dawn and out the door! Thanks to Zimmerer Kubota for the tractor! We’re busy plowing over the rest of Opal’s Farm and building beds. Things are rolling along.
It’s going to be some extremely long days this week so updates on the farm and “Thoughts From the Porch” may be a bit slow in coming. Thanks to all of our supporters, volunteers, and donors. We love you all!
: This morning can be retitled āThoughts From the Farmā. No matter how hard I try to āstay where my feet areā my mind keeps running ahead to Opalās Farm. Itās another big day for the farm. Thanks to Brandon Hendrickson, the Rental Manager at Zimmerer Kubota, a tractor with a chain harrow/disc combination is to be delivered today.
This morning should be retitled āThoughts From the Farmā. No matter how hard I try to āstay where my feet areā my mind keeps running ahead to Opalās Farm. Itās another big day for the farm. Thanks to Brandon Hendrickson, the Rental Manager at Zimmerer Kubota, a tractor with a chain harrow/disc combination is to be delivered today.
Some of you are scratching your heads thinking, āWhat did he just say?ā. To put in in āurbanā farming language, we got a big plow. It will give us the depth we need to produce a more vigorous, healthy farm. Although we are a “no plow” farm, the field has to be turned the first time around so this is a big deal! Thank you, Brandon and Zimmerer Kubota here in Fort Worth. Iām excited that youāre a part of Opalās Farm. Another hometown business making Fort Worth a better place!
This whole week has been a fantastic week for the farm. The White Settlement Home Depot (Store 8521) finalized their plans to become a partner with Opalās Farm. I love Home Depot and the White Settlement store has always been my favorite; even before Margaret and I moved to White Settlement. Iām not putting down other locations, but the White Settlement store has always had a āFort Worth, small townā feel to it. I couldnāt have been happier when they partnered with us! Watch for their work days with us. A very special āshout outā to Store Manager, Natasha Neidhart and all of Team Depot for their support.
Things have started steamrolling toward our first harvest. We are so grateful for all of supporters and volunteers. Please know how important you are in making Opalās Farm a success. My wife, borrowing from the book title, always says āit takes a villageā to create success. Here at the farm, we want you to be a part of our village, to work and partner with us in serving the city we love ā Fort Worth!
You can become a farmer too! Click on contact us or go to http://www.unityunlimited.org/opals-farm to donate today.
Iām not sure what the temperature was outside this morning, but the house was cold enough to keep me hitting the snooze alarm repeatedly and jumping back under the covers. It took a bit to brave the chill and get up and hurriedly get jeans and a hoodie on. A couple of cups of coffee later and the cold is dispelled. Life is fine again.
Yesterday was another momentous occasion at Opalās Farm. We received delivery of a BCS Tractor and the container to lock it up in. If one has never worked the North Texas soil, they might not appreciate why these deliveries were such a big deal. If they witnessed the demonstration and training yesterday, they might begin to get a clue. The time saved and the ease by which a bed is prepared for planting is amazing, especially with the amount of clay it pulverizes. Iām headed out in a bit to go play in the dirt!
Iād like to offer a very special thank you to Linda Fulmer and Healthy Tarrant County Collaboration for providing the tractor, tiller, and rotary plow for us. Healthy Tarrant County Collaboration brings together hospitals, public health, universities, and other community partners to work together to improve the health of our community.Ā They are also the umbrella organization for Grow Southeast, our group of urban farmers seeking to address food access and scarcity in Southeast Fort Worth. The BCS tractor they provided will be shared among the growers in Grow Southeast. You can learn more about HTCC at http://healthytarrant.org/ .
Now that we have a tractor, we need something to store it in, right? Paula Pacanins, the President of Container King contributed an 8āx40ā container to store our tools, equipment, and desk in. We canāt thank Paula and Container King enough. She even had them place hooks for our banners on both sides so that everyone can see Opalās Farm! Paulaās website is at http://containerking.com and they can meet more than simply your storage needs.
We wouldnāt be where we are nor could we do what we do without our partners. Weād love to partner with you as well. Click on the contact us or donate buttons for your safe, secure donation to Opalās Farm or go to www.unityunlimted.org
Thoughts From the Porch: I had a big day planned. The operative word being āhadā. One of the frustrations in farming can be the dependence on the weather, the one thing that cannot be controlled. Thereās either too much rain or not enough, either an early or late frost, a brutally hot summer or a brutally cold winter. Farming is always dependent on the weather. So, it is this morningā¦
Still, even a day of rain can be a blessing. This week has been a bit hectic. Keyboard time has been limited to thank you notes for our ribbon cutting attendees and constant appeals for donations and sponsors. Thatās the perpetual chore for most non-profit organizations. However, since I had to rearrange the schedule to fit the weather, I found the time to share some thoughts from the porch.
The morning started with threatening skies. I greeted the day with mixed emotions. Part of me wanted it to rain. Itād be a great excuse for staying home and this has been a busy week. When the clouds finally let go of their watery loads with a resounding bang, I felt a twinge of relief. Jameson, on the other hand, did not.
For those of you who donāt know, Jameson is the official Farm Dog for Opalās Farm. Iām not sure his title ever went to a board vote, but I made an executive decision as Farm Manager that he would be our official mascot. Besides, Iām not sure I would even know how to farm without a Farm Dog.
Jameson came to join our little family almost three years ago. Missy, my Sheltie companion of ten years, had passed away in March of that year and, to be honest, I wasnāt sure I was ready to adopt a new dog (another story for another time). She was more than simply my best friend. She was special. I canāt explain it any better than that. Pet parents will know exactly what Iām talking about.
One day, almost a month after Missy died, I was at the feed store up the street from the Humane Society of North Texas animal shelter. I was finished early for the day and I could just stop in to look, right? I stopped in and wandered through the kennels. I was rather proud of myself that I didnāt make an impulsive decision, but when I got home, I had to confess to Margaret Iād opened a door that maybe I shouldnāt have.
To my surprise, Margaret said, āIf you want to adopt a dog, then maybe you should. Our home seems a little empty nowā.
I said, āthank you but maybe Iāll think about it some moreā. I started on some chores, but an hour later I was headed back to the shelter. I wanted to get there before they closed. So much for taking time to think about it.
To make a long story short, in the very last kennel I inspected my heart simply melted. I left the shelter with Jameson (although we hadnāt decided on a name yet). The incredible folks at North Texas Humane Society were happy to share some of his background. He was nineteen months old and had been born at the shelter. Heād been adopted twice before and returned because of ābehavior problemsā. Most of his life had been spent in the shelter and the employees loved him. He had a bit of a reputation there and I took him around to say goodbye before heading home. The last thing they told me was that āheās not a ācuddlerā.ā
Fast forward to today and I can tell you he doesnāt know he doesnāt like to cuddle. In fact, he obviously isnāt aware heās not a lap dog (a 100+pound lapdog, mind you!). He got his name because from day one heās been a licker. I don’t need a shower after a few minutes with him. Why not name him after my favorite liquor, Jamesonās? Licker, liquor, get it?
As I sit here writing this, Jameson is right by my side. Heās really a āMommaās boyā, but when it thundered, Jameson found his place by my side. You see, heās terrified of thunder. I canāt say for sure what the root of his phobia is, but I think it has to do with being in the shelter those many months. Living in North Texas is pretty scary during the Spring thunderstorm season. I imagine itās even scarier for a young dog in a kennel by himself with a cacophony of other dogs barking around himā¦
As for behavior problems I still havenāt figured that one out. Jameson is a typical Catahoula ā fierce enough to take down a wild boar or a bear and gentle enough to love on our grandkids. The only thing I can figure is he was waiting on us to be his family.
Thatās Jamesonās story. Weāve since been blessed with Maggie (a Catahoula-Coyote mix, or as Margaret says, a Coyotahoula) and Sadie (our pretty mixed breed ā part Rottweiler andā¦?). They love the farm as well, but there can only be one official Farm Dog and Jameson earned that titleā¦
One may wonder why an official Farm Dog is such a big deal. Only those who have known the love of a canine companion really āget itā. To say that dogs are āmanās best friendā is a gross understatement. Besides, Iām sure his spirit will make the produce grow bigger. It’s made my heart grow bigger…
The day I brought Jameson home he ventured out into the backyard for the first time. At once, he went straight to where Missy was buried and sat reverently as if to pay his respects to my beloved friend. He sat there for quite a while, then went to the other end of the yard to take care of dog business. One canāt tell me that dogs lack the same spirit we all share. I want that kind of spirit around our farm as well as our home.
So, hereās to Jameson the Farm Dog. Feel free to stop by and visit anytime but be prepared to cuddle!
For those of you who donāt know, Jameson is the official Farm Dog for Opalās Farm. Iām not sure his title ever went to a board vote, but I made an executive decision as Farm Manager that he would be our official mascot. Besides, Iām not sure I would even know how to farm without a Farm Dog.
One day, almost a month after Missy died, I was at the feed store up the street from the Humane Society of North Texas animal shelter. I was finished early for the day and I could just stop in to look, right? I stopped in and wandered through the kennels. I was rather proud of myself that I didnāt make an impulsive decision, but when I got home, I had to confess to Margaret Iād opened a door thaThatās Jamesonās story. Weāve since been blessed with Maggie (a Catahoula-Coyote mix, or as Margaret says, a Coyotahoula) and Sadie (our pretty mixed breed ā part Rottweiler andā¦?). They love the farm as well, but there can only be one official Farm Dog and Jameson earned that titleā¦
Thoughts From the Porch: The last few days have been a preview of Spring in North Texas. It was shorts and tee-shirt weather and even hit the eighty-degree mark. Yesterday morning was a reminder that Winter wonāt be leaving for a while yet. Today was the coldest day of winter so far: a mere 25 degrees. I know my friends in Chicago and the Midwest are saying, āwhat a wimpā, but it drove me to the desk in rapid time so here I sit, coffee at hand and Stevie Wonder on the stereo.
February is the shortest month of the year as far as the number of days goes, but it seems like itās unending. Regardless of what a large furry rodent says about Springās timing, February will last for months. Thatās what February does.
The good news about this February is that the ribbon cutting for Opalās Farm is going well. Invitations are being sent and weāve had a great response given those who have sent their RSVP. We secured tents in the event of inclement weather (it is Texasā¦). Thank goodness it fell in an interminably long month. Maybe weāll get everything doneā¦
As I write this itās mid-morning here in Fort Worth. I rarely sleep in and never on a work day. However, I feel into bed quite exhausted last night. Apparently, I never set the alarm. Even without the alarm Iām usually up and about by 7 AM at the latest. Today it was well after 8:00. My body said āstopā and I must have listened, at least subconsciously. Itās taken several cups of coffee to clear the fog hanging around my head, but here I sit.
Yesterday, Ms. Opal and I had the opportunity to speak to a Food Justice class at Texas Christian University. Thank you, Dr. David Aftandilian, for asking us to make a presentation about Opalās Farm. He also works with the Tarrant County Food Policy Council and I canāt begin to tell you how much that work is appreciated. My work with Opalās Farm has brought me in contact with so many people who work diligently to improve food justice and access for the residents of Tarrant County and North Texas.
The greatest difficulty I face when speaking about food scarcity and access is the time limits imposed by everyone elseās schedule. I easily go on for hours about these issues for hours. Thatās why Iām so passionate about Opalās Farm. I have no doubt that everybody would love to resolve hunger and food injustices, not just in Tarrant County, but everywhere. Unfortunately, that problems so big that it often seems too abstract to solve. Iām under no illusions. Opalās Farm wonāt settle the entire problem, but it will make a dent in it. Itās something tangible. It puts the face of our neighbors, people who live right here in Tarrant County. It addresses their needs one person at a time.
I have a friend whoās been in the substance abuse and recovery field for over twenty years how she managed to stay so positive when the problem can be so difficult and frustrating. She said her focus was on the one, not the many, that made her work so important. Like her, I know I canāt āfix it allā, but I can do something. Farming is the first step.
“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.” ā Mother Teresa
Ultimately, Opalās Farm isnāt about the food it produces nor the access it provides. Those are the means to an end. The end is serving people, of transforming lives by being of service, by offering opportunity, education, and simple human dignity, but it begins with a farmā¦
Thank you again to TCU for inviting Ms. Opal and I to speak. Thank you to the college students eager to learn and seek solutions. Thank you to all the folks who are working to find and create solutions to food injustices, poor nutrition, and hunger for all our neighbors. Thank you to all our fellow urban farmers who work diligently to ward the solution. Thanks to all of you who jump in and donate to become āfarmersā along side all of us at Opalās Farm!
āAs we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people
the permission to do the same.ā
— Nelson Mandela
gregoryjoel.com 