Lemon Thyme growing on my kitchen windowsill.

Herb Pots

The smallest urban garden of all might be an herb grown in a pot on a sunny windowsill.  The proper fresh herbs added to just about any vegetable or meat dish heighten flavor of the food—yet most folks cook with just salt and pepper.  Fresh herbs are an expensive addition to our grocery list that is often skipped for the sake of frugality.  Growing herbs on a sunny windowsill is an inexpensive option that is open to all residents.

Members of the NGHS Environmental Club look at the plants in their experimental garden.  Charlene, on the right, will take over leadership of the club in the fall.

First Preliminary Report from NGHS Environmental Club’s Experimental Garden

I was thinking about herbs this morning after getting an email from Jane, President of Loving Garland Green, regarding the first preliminary report on their experimental garden from the North Garland High School (NGHS) Environmental Club.  Shannon Lawless, president of the NGHS Environmental Club reported that she was surprised at how great food tastes with the addition of herbs.

Since the end of March the students have harvested 18 pounds of food from the small (125 square foot) garden plot they are stewarding down at the Garland Community Garden.  Eighteen pounds of food in two months is great in my opinion, but in reality it is likely typical of what one might expect to produce from a similar space in their own yard here in Garland, Texas. 

The benefits derived from growing 18 pounds of food far exceed the dollar value of that food.  Good things happen to people who grow some of the food they eat.  Perhaps the most important change in the gardener is a deepening appreciation and love of nature and an increased awareness of nature’s processes and the parts and responsibilities we have in protecting theses processes.

Salad served up made from lettuce, other greens, carrots and radishes from their garden

NGHS Environmental Club Memorial Day Picnic

To end the 2016-2017 stewardship of their garden plot down at the Garland Community Garden, student members held a picnic.  Some of the food served included produce from their garden plot:

1. A salad of greens, carrots and radishes from the garden.
2. Cucumber and goat cheese sandwiches—make from garden cucumbers enhanced by herbs grown in the garden.
3. Braised turnip greens served with caramelized turnips from the garden.

Shannon Lawless (outgoing President of the NGHS Environmental Club) and Megan May enjoy the picnic food.  Both girls are graduating on Thursday and with scholarships, Shannon is headed for Tarleton and Megan is going to Texas A&M.

In addition to the food, the students chatted about their future. Many of them are graduating and going off to college in August.  Their experimental garden plot, however, will continue.   Over the summer months members of Loving Garland Green will take over the responsibility of stewardship of this 125 square foot garden plot.  We will harvest and maintain careful records.  Then in September, the NGHS Environmental Club will take over their plot again. 

After we harvest the sweet potatoes in November, the two groups will jointly prepare a report that will be released to the public regarding just how much fun (and fun) one can expect from a 125 square foot garden in Garland, Texas.

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The Garland Community Garden is an excellent place for the youth of our community to learn all kinds of important things—from sharing with others to living sustainable lifestyles.