Gardening - grace grits and gardening

The true story of my garden in May.

May 26, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

This is a true story. Non-fiction. My garden in May is growing exactly like the seed packages promised. This truth shocks me each day. Always before, the idea of a garden filled with a bounty of vegetables, growing according to the seed package instructions, was purely fictional.

Mythical even.

My Serrano, jalapeño and bell peppers all seem to be thriving. Look at this bell pepper. It’s the size of my fist. It will be roasting on John’s Big Green Egg today.

My cucumbers are coming on! I plan to try my hand at canning these.

My first tomato harvest. These are Romas.

And check out my celery. It really looks like celery.

Last week I harvested the last of my onions, a few more radishes, added fertilizer and I’ve been topping off my Ollas every two-three days.

I planted okra seeds and they sprouted in three days. Wow. True story.

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

Musical Pairing:

When You’re Smiling – Doris Day

Luci and Ian Family Garden

May 22, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

(I was provided free admission to the Luci and Ian Family Garden. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own, but you knew that, right?.)

A few weeks ago I was invited to the grand opening of the Luci and Ian Family Garden, the only Central Texas native plant garden devoted to families and children. Located within the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center in Southwest Austin, the garden is interactive and educational, one of those places where kids soak up new things while playing.

Yep, they won’t realize they are learning about water conservation and patterns in nature.

I considered snagging a couple of neighbor kids for the trip to Austin, but took my husband instead. And really, we are both like big kids when it comes to exploring a garden. Having grown up in the 1970s, we were those kids who played outside all summer, rain or shine, mosquitoes or not. With only three television channels and no video games, we read books (printed on paper) and used our imaginations to escape into a virtual world.

I know. I sound old. But the Luci and Ian Family Garden provides nature play for today’s children who likely don’t spend as much time exploring and creating. And that’s a much needed thing.

Check out these ginormous bird nests.

Giant Bird Nests - Luci and Ian Family Garden, Austin

Wow!

Climb this impressive tower for a bird’s-eye view of the entire garden. (No worries—there’s a spiral staircase not visible in this picture.)

Rapunzel?

Binoculars are provided to make sure you don’t miss a leaf or critter.

One of the most popular places in the Family Garden is the grotto. Play a game of hide and seek behind the waterfall. Feel free to splash and cool off too, it’s allowed and expected.

Young guests have their own Little House—a special place for reading, crafting, and digging in the dirt. Other hands-on garden activities include a maze, dinosaur creek, hopscotch, wildlife blind, stumps and sticks for building and playing.

There’s an expansive lawn for kite flying. Remember lying on the grass naming the shape of clouds? You can do that in the garden too.

Be sure to put the Luci and Ian Family Garden on your summer list of places to visit. Not only will your children enjoy the activities and sites, you’ll remember what it was like to be a kid again.

Butterfly Class

Grace Grits and Gardening

Farm. Food. Garden. Life.

P.S. If you live in the area, take a look at the Nature Nights Summer Schedule beginning June 12, 2014. Fossils. Snakes. Birds of Prey. Oh yeah…

Spiceman’s FM 1410

May 16, 2014 By Talya Tate Boerner

See this storefront covered in bars? Follow me inside and feast your eyes on Spiceman’s FM 1410, a wonderland of exotic produce, herbs, micro-greens, fungi, and yes, spices.

Proprietor Tom Spicer sells to all the hippest Dallas restaurants, and he’ll sell directly to you and me too.

Spiceman’s FM 1410 is located in East Dallas, next door to Urbano Cafe and behind Jimmy’s Food Store. His market is urban, his food seductive.

Depending upon what’s growing out back, his offerings may include Dragon tongue beans, Indian desert celery, fresh green coriander berries, fiddle heads, wild miners lettuce, black garlic and more.

And the ‘shrooms? A dime bag will change your dinner.

No matter what you buy, the Spiceman (as he’s known around town) will send you off with a few of his own favorite recipes. If you have time to spare (and you will), he’ll sit and gab. He’s a storyteller too.

One more thing—I highly suggest you LIKE his Facebook page. His posts are downright literary.