The Field Library

Field notes from Edible Wildscapes, part of Blackwood's Food as Medicine Series with the Nature Discovery Center. Seven edible native plants, how to use them, and how to forage safely.

Blackwood Nature Camp is transforming – changing perceptions, heightening awareness, changing lives through thoughtful programming, adventure, and environmental education.

Cath Conlon has created a magical oasis a mere hour’s drive from the third largest city in the country. Carved out of the land, yet intrinsically a part of it, Blackwood Educational Land Institute offers its Houston-area visitors a sense of peace and tranquility rarely found in daily life.

I’ve been asked this question at least 5 times in the last year so I figured it was time for a bit of due diligence, to bring myself up to date. The last review I did on mushroom compost, over 10 years ago, left me with a with a “I’ll definitely pass” answer.

Starting seeds in an un-cooled greenhouse or shade house during July and August, in Texas, is one of the most challenging things a gardener can do. Looking at the chart germination temperatures of veggies we want to enjoy October onward are not exactly a match to the temperatures we have in the greenhouse right now, or for awhile but with a little coaxing, maybe a few tricks, you can get them started.

We are so fortunate to know Heath Brodie, who is coming to Blackwood to create a special exhibit for our enjoyment. Camper parents, you may recognize this artist because Heath is the Kiwi artist that created natural mandala art with Blackwood Nature campers two years in a row.

Temperatures finally slipped into a cool glide this week, along with a soaking rain that brought a vibrant green to pastures and landscapes, perhaps one last time. Cruising the country roads of Montgomery, Waller, Washington and Austin Counties, I couldn’t help but note the native bounty (food, fiber, medicinal plants) of the season was at or near harvest stage.

As an organic grower for nearly 3 decades, if I had to point to one topic of knowledge where organics started to work for me in a practical way it’s when I began to fully grasp the nature and power of soil.