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DFW TRUCK FARM VISITS THE STATE FAIR OF TEXAS

Written by Garden Inspirations

 

The State Fair of Texas is an adventure every year for many North Texans, and while there are many new attractions to see, don’t forget to stop by the Texas Discovery Gardens and visit the DFW Truck Farm!  The DFW Truck Farm program is part of a fleet of 25 truck farms across the United States and each truck is a mobile garden providing gardening education off the bed of the truck. 

The DFW Truck Farm is owned/operated by Garden Inspirations, a mom and daughter duo who have teamed up with Truck Farm to spread the word about gardening in small spaces.  The mission of the DFW Truck Farm program is to educate, encourage, and emphasize the necessity of growing your own food and/or knowing where your food comes from. 

Since the beginning of September the DFW Truck Farm has rolled into a few outdoor classrooms in the local school districts, but now it’s time to shine at the State Fair of Texas.  The DFW Truck Farm recently had a makeover into a 1985 Dodge D150, this classic beauty stands proud in its champagne color with vegetables flourishing in its truck bed. 

The program at the Fair is open from 10: 00 AM – 6:00 PM daily from September 30, 2011 – October 23, 2011.  This is a great event to bring children of any age and adults alike to feel, smell, and see the vegetables growing.  The DFW Truck Farm program has planned activities such as making seed balls, story time, a quick lesson on soil and the vegetables that grow in North Texas, and take a photo in the mini pumpkin patch.  Stop by the booth and visit with us and find out how to bring the DFW Truck Farm to your local event and or school!

Story Time Hours:  12:30 AM & 3:30 PM daily

The DFW Truck Farm does accept donations for the educational program, this is non-profit and you can inquire at the booth or by emailing dfwtruckfarm@gardeninspirations-tx.com

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Garden of Eating

Written by Garden Inspirations 9/29/11

 

In today’s market sourcing out local foods is becoming more and more common.  Between the Farmer’s Markets, grocery stores that have a local section, restaurants that are offering local selections, and many city dweller’s trying their own hand at backyard gardening – the market is beginning to have a more consistent selection of local goods.  Often times what becomes a challenge for many shoppers from local selections is the abundance of the same product for weeks at a time, which becomes an educational experience for both the local food vendor  and consumer.

There are many times in a season of any given harvest that one plant decides to flourish and mass produce that even the local grower is left scratching their head.  The hope of not to discourage newcomers to the local shopping selections , most local vendors try to find ways to keep the local shopper encouraged to try the produce a new way.  Some vendors give new recipes, some prepare the produce and showcase it at the market, and some continue to talk about the benefits of eating what is grown locally and in season. 

There are many events around the metroplex that are occurring from locally sourced food.  These are great events to discover simple ways to continue enjoying the abundance of the harvest.  Some events are referred to as  pop up dinners, sustainable table dinners, and local flavor dinners.  A recent event that occurred this month was the Garden of Eating at Garden Inspirations.  This event was designed for anyone who wanted to participate, the guests stopped by to sample over 32 different recipes.  The menu was selected from a variety of magazines and was chosen to showcase what can be done three or four different ways using the same vegetable.  Examples of the menu, Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos, Sweet Potato & Jalapeno Soup, Spaghetti Squash with Pesto, Eggplant Puree, Watermelon Sorbet, Mint Watermelon, Sweet Potato with orange thyme butter, Swiss Chard Cream Rolls, Swiss Chard Quiche, just to name a few.  Guests were invited to come and go to the event and there was no charge.  The most popular feedback was, “I never would have thought to try peppers this way”  “I didn’t think I  liked swiss chard until I had this recipe”.  The excitement of sampling something new but with a vegetable that grows well in North Texas was the hype of the event.

There are other events in the area that are available, this write up is to encourage you to participant.  Company Café off of lower Greenville in Dallas is a locally sourced restaurant, Potager Café in Arlington, Texas creates a daily menu of the available products, the local Farmer’s Markets are another source of great local food selection and ideas.  The current upcoming event that will showcase a variety flavors and recipes is the Barn Aid event on October 9, 2011.   According to Marie Tedei , who is hosting the event, “The chefs will be preparing heavy hors d'oeuvres "created from featured wines and cheeses and will be  giving guests some recipe ideas for the upcoming holidays." You can attend this event by visiting www.edensorganicgardencenter.com  Another upcoming event is the Local Flavor Dinner hosted by Garden Inspirations and Chef Jeri McGinty.  Together they source local food within a 100 mile radius and prepare a menu from the food that is donated to the event.  It’s an evening under the Texas Sky and an unforgettable meal, so much so that it is hard to believe you are dining on a selection of locally sourced foods.  You can find out more about this event by visiting www.gardeninspirations-tx.com

When the abundance of a seasonal harvest is underway, keep in mind there are many farmers, vendors, and chefs who have found creative and simple ways to enjoy the duration of the harvest.  Hopefully, you will find a new way to prepare a lovely meal for you and your guests as well.

Garden Inspirations is a Garden Education Company who specialize in teaching their clients how to garden and preserve their own food.  For more information email duchess@gardeninspirations-tx.com

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The DFW Truck Farm trimmed the basil, set up the new solar powered drip irrigation system and took off for their first school visit this Fall season.  The little red truck slowly drove down FM 813 hoping the growing vegetables in the bed of the truck would survive the windy ride! 

 

DFW Truck Farm visited a group of children who get together for educational programs within their homeschool community.   Marilyn and Donelle taught the group of 15 about herbs and how to plant using the wet to wet planting method.  The children were able to sniff basil and rosemary plants, plant herbs in the grill on the back of the truck, and pick Malibar Spinach leaves off and sample them as a tasty healthy treat! 

 

When Marilyn teaches the wet to wet planting method, whether it is to adults or children, she teaches everyone to yell, “WATER IN THE HOLE!” This is a way to remember to fill the hole water so when the plant is transplanted the roots stay wet.  All morning long you could hear, “Water in the hole!” from the children.

 

After a lesson on herbs and wet to wet planting,  the children were given “goodie cups” to take home full of chocolate mint and basil, mammoth sunflower seeds, and a recipe for basil pesto.  Before the truck took off in the mid-morning heat, there were murmurs of excitement from the children talking about how “cool” the DFW Truck Farm was and how soon they would plant their sunflower seeds. 

 

The goals of the DFW Truck Farm are to educate, encourage, and emphasize to grow your own food and understand where your food comes from, today’s visit was a success.  If you want to check out what The Huffington Post called “the coolest urban agriculture project around” and have the DFW Truck Farm visit your classroom or event, contact Donelle Simmons at 214-842-2100. 

 

 

DFW Truck Farm is owned and operated by Garden Inspirations, visit www.gardeninspirations-tx.com for more information.