Jennifer Navarrette (@epodcaster) and me at the Texas Social Media Awards
Okay, I’ve blabbed all over the Internet about my Texas Social Media Award, but this morning RW&G gets a nod from WOAI’s San Antonio Living, too. So, I’m putting up a little note and pic to remind myself of all the fun I’ve had this week!
Holly Hirshberg
Editor’s Note: I’ve asked Holly to fill us all in on her non-profit which provides free seeds to individuals who want to raise veggies. Note that you can follow Holly on Twitter (@dinnergarden).
When I started The Dinner Garden a year and a half ago, my vision was of a hunger fighting non-profit that would give people hope in the midst of a desperate situation. When the economy tanked, people who had never needed help before didn’t know where to turn. Organizations that had offered help for years were suffering from a lack of funding at the exact time when their services were needed the most. Everyone was feeling the pressure from the troubled economy and felt like they had run out of options. Keep reading →
We’re bringing back the snappiest garden-y Twitter hashtag (#twitter4vg) for another year!
To get Tweeple fired up about the idea of talking veggie gardening–and to hopefully recruit new gardeners, we’re giving away a free pair of Womanswork high-performance work gloves (pale lime, size Medium) on Tuesday, March 16 at 5pm CST. To be eligible to win, you just have to declare your interest in participating in this year’s weekly chats on this page by 5pm.
As for the first topic of the year, it’s “Getting Started in the Garden.” The March 16 #twitter4vg Tuesday is a free-range chat day, which means we’ll be talking all day long.
So be sure to tweet out relevant links and advice when you can–and be sure to include the #twitter4vg hashtag so we can find one another!
P.S. Got ideas or suggestions for topics, guest hosts or giveaways? Tell us in comments!
Will this book, by Scott Calhoun, feed my maverickiness?
Part 1 of this extended review can be found here.
To be clear, The Hot Garden’s author, Scott Calhoun, didn’t set out to offer landscape design advice for my area of Texas. Nope, he intended to focus more on the areas within and adjacent to the three hottest American desserts: the Chihuahuan, the Mojave and the Sonoran–all West of here.
Still, the extremes of heat and cold coupled with Calhoun’s point that he “knew that the focus of this book would be the areas of the Southwest where the primary mulch used between plants in composed of plants.” While that isn’t especially common here due, in my opinion, to local convention–and the fact that buffalo and other native grasses will invade rocky mulch and paths, it is true, as Calhoun asserts, that the limiting factor on plant survival here is the cold, not the heat. Out here in NW Bexar County, we’re guaranteed at least two good, solid cold snaps–and some ice and flurries–each year. This is the reason why I chuckle at folks who insist upon planting palm trees out here. (It happens more often than you’d expect–and usually ends badly.) Keep reading →
Stacy Walters
Editor’s Note: This week, I’ve invited guest blogger Stacy Walters (@fittogarden) to discuss gardening and childhood wellness in light of the new Let’s Move initiative. Walters’ complete bio follows the post. Enjoy and feel welcome to add your comments!
It’s official; a staggering one out of three children in America is identified as obese or overweight. For the first time in American history, children may be facing a shorter lifespan expectancy than their parents. Our nation’s culture of convenience has plagued the adult population with unhealthy habits, and is now infecting our children. The Rx? Nutrient-dense fresh food + exercise and outdoor recreation = medicine. Let’s figure out how to get there.
The first obstacle is nutrient deficiencies.
Families are busy, kids are overscheduled, and parents are constantly on the go. There is no time to plan meals, scurry to the grocery store, and prepare fresh food. Eating is just another item on the checklist. It is more convenient to hit the drive-through or reach for readily available processed foods. Urban communities often face an even bigger challenge due to a rise in food deserts. Grocery stores cannot survive in urban neighborhoods. Backyard vegetable gardening has vanished and our children cannot even identify common fruits and vegetables. Keep reading →
Each Saturday this spring, I’m spotlighting a different blog on my Facebook page. Wonder who gets the RW&G luv this week? Hint: yardshare. Wanna know the answer? Come take a look!
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Red, White & Grew
