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The Dogs are Packing – Summer’s Slow Surrender
Here in North Texas, we are certainly living in the dog days of summer! Ozone alerts are part of the daily forecast. The kids are back in school, and that seems fine since it is too hot to play outside all day anyway. But there is light at the end of the blazing tunnel. North
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Okra: Weird Name, Fantastic Flavor
Lady’s Fingers, Devil’s Candy, Bhindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Okro, Ochro, Gumbo, Quingombo, Goo Pickles, Beelzubub’s Bog, Bamia, or Slime Pod. Whatever you call this delicious Southern vegetable, you will recognize its most common, and weird, name – Okra! Here in North Texas, okra thrives in our black clay soil and warm temperatures. We love to grow
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Heartstead Farms and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program
The Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) is defined as the flagship conservation program of the Natural Resources Conservation Service to help farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners integrate conservation into working lands. Heartstead Farms received an EQIP grant to build our hoop house through their high tunnel initiative. Learn about our entire grant process from our
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Seeds in the Wind: A Lesson in Wonder and Growth
It was a bright, sunny day with a light breeze. We were taking a little ride on the gator, when the most amazing little ball of fuzz floated right before our eyes. It’s a Seed! And the start of an impromptu science lesson. Another opportunity to respond with wonder and awe. Addilyn captured it, and
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Hoop House How-To: Our First Build from the Ground Up
Literally – from the ground up. Before there’s a meal. Before there’s a harvest. Before there’s a blossom. Before there’s a sprout. Before there’s even a seed. There’s preparation. And lots of it! Something our followers should know about us – Jeff is the meticulous one. And by meticulous, I mean conscientiously, fastidiously, painstakingly so.
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How We Grow Year-Round: Look Inside Our Hoop House
Step inside our high tunnel greenhouse and take a peek at where the magic happens year-round! From seedlings to red ripe tomatoes, this protected space allows us to extend the growing season, nurture tender crops, and survive the unpredictable Texas weather. In this photo gallery, we’re sharing our favorite initial hoop house images — inside
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Catching Crawdads – The Southern Art of Muddy Fun and Great Big Pinchers
There’s no better way to entertain a kid (or a kid-at-heart) on a warm summer day than to grab a line and pole and head down to the crawdad hole!
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From Play Store to Produce Stand: Finding Joy in the Farmers’ Market Life
Come to My Sto! We Got Mato Shings! A grown-up love letter to childhood play, family memories, and the unexpected joy of the farmers’ market. Who Didn’t Play Store as a Kid? Those long, screen-free summer days were filled with imaginary play — and for me, “store” was always a favorite. I can still picture
