Gardeners Corner Participants
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Proprietor Description ”I'm a backyard gardener on a cul-de-sac lot in Spring. I grow year-around, whatever will grow in season. I practice organic gardening using organic fertilizers and organically derived pesticides when necessary. My dirt crops in the spring are Green Beans and Yellow Beans, both Bush and Pole varieties, Peppers mild, medium and hot, Eggplant from traditional purple to decorative varieties, Sweet Corn and Tomatoes - usually heirlooms but occasionally some Celebrities when I want a big crop in a short time. Summer crops are Eggplants as above and Peppers as above, but add Indian Corn and Broom Corn and Fall gardening sets of tomatoes. Fall crops are Broccoli, Cauliflower, I grew up in New York State, 80 miles NW of New York City, in what was then Dairy Country in Orange County. My father was a carpenter and a gardener to supplement his income. We had a large garden and I did not like it because I had to weed it and help pick and can and freeze and etc. I went to college at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan and met my future wife there. She is from Byron Center, Michigan about 30 miles south of Grand Rapids. Her father was a chemistry teacher and then worked for the city of Grand Rapids and then for the State Department of Natural Resources. He was also a hobby farmer with 120 acres, 2 farms and 4 tractors. After graduation in 1979, the Michigan economy rapidly went south and jobs became very scarce so we moved to Houston in March of 1981. We bought our present house in October of 1981 and the next year I tried planting a small garden. It was a disaster, but I learned something about the soil so the next year I tried again using composted Pine straw and sawdust and horse manure. Another disaster, but this time I learned about nitrogen and composting. The following year I purchased 18 yards of garden soil and was off and running. There have been many failures and many funny stories, but I have always enjoyed gardening, once I tried it for myself. The greenhouse arose out of a desire to be able to extend the growing season. I built it myself, in 1989, from PVC, greenhouse plastic, landscape timbers and some misc. other pieces of wood and a screen door. I read several books about hydroponics and decided to give it a try. Except for about 4 years when I was completely occupied with Boy scouts and being a Scoutmaster, I have grown vegetables in it during the fall, winter and spring and given away the excess. This is the first year I have tried to sell the excess. My first visit was a total success and I am completely hooked. Not only can I buy things at the Farmers Market that are difficult or impossible to locate at the local Kroger's but I can sell produce items there that other people can't get at their local stores either, like vine ripened tomatoes in February. Look for me to have off-season items every winter. I plan to be at the market when I have enough to justify the trip.” Contact
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