"Super Dirt", is a quarterly/monthly newsletter, that offers a glimpse into the latest and greatest in worm farming activity, here at North Texas Organics. The articles are often written about our involvement in various seminars and other community outreach programs intended to inform and enlighten the farming and gardening community here in North Central Texas. Presently, operations are housed in a single open air barn, with 8- 4 X 8 ft bins of red wigglers, munching and multiplying, as they churn out nature's best black gold soil sub-strate. Two brothers handle the day to day operations of sifting compost, feeding worms, separating castings, and then bagging various blends thereof. The minimalist structure has already been visited by a Texas Master Gardeners Association representative, with visitation requests pouring in.  All of our products are on their way to being certified organic. Sustainability, renewable production methodology and other conservational directives lay at our core values. The upcoming issues plan to keep you informed about all of our activities, and to provide any interested- detailed instructions for handling worms, castings, teas, and other fertilizers.  

Please do not forget to review our Calender of Events 

Enjoy the website and please feel free to give us any ideas and/ or suggestions (northtexasorganics.net), as we navigate to keep it updated in order to inform and educate our past guests and also spark interest in those who plan to visit or make a purchase.

Lavender Ridge Farm Festival

Well, recent rains weren't enough to keep anyone home, including our earthworm brethren.  *Ever wonder why heavy rains "bring out the earthworms?"  They simply need to breathe.  They actually begin the migration to  the surface well before the rains actually begin.  Our worms are under cover, and yet before a rainfall we'll see them climbing up the sides on the bins.  So, start your worm bin today, and see how much more accurate they are compared to your local weather man.

The recent heavy rains however, were no match for the free admission, free parking, and even door prizes as the over 1000 visitors proved by meandering among more than a score of vendors offering a wide range of antiques, Lavender Ridge Farm's own selection of plants, and for the first time ever our very own, "North Texas Organics" booth, where we offered our selection of vermicomposting supplies and other organic fertilizers.  A sincere Thank You to all of you off-seasoned gardeners that stopped by.  We hope to see you again for early Spring garden prep.

4/22/10 Spring is here!

And as of May 1st, we are now 16 bins heavy with our Red Wiggling Worm Brethren.  Things have been growing exponentially in other areas as well, with the purchase of an additional 34 acres to the immediate South, and a tractor along with an assortment of implements.  With these tools, trees have been cleared, grasses mowed, and an acre of land turned and plowed into a loose rich black blend of our Organic Compost, Castings, and North Texas Black Loam. 

Our garden, now the most visible fixture on the farm, is only partially planted.  So far, it's all peppers and tomatoes, as we've planted a total of 1,000 seedlings.   Our rows include Jalapeno, Habanero, Cayenne, and Banana Peppers, all along side our selection of Sweet 100 Cherry, Better Boy, and Early Girl Tomato Plants.  The rest of the garden will be sown with corn, okra, green beans, and a special sectioned off, reserved for the Pumpkin Patch. 

A trip to Brushy Creek Vineyards and an extended tour from Les Constable yielded what is to be the beginning "Bruce Juice", in the way of over a dozen cuttings of Les's best producers.  After time in both the tasting room and in the vineyard, it was clear that the first two varieties we'll grow will be the Spanish Red- "Tempranillo" and the Eastern European White- "Rkatsiteli".  Both have done exceedingly well here in the Texhoma Wine Region, as witnessed on the tour.  Plans are to reserve 10 acres with a south facing hillside to vine propagation and hopefully wine production.

Off-site endeavors are also keeping everyone busy.  Our own "Kevin Bruce" has recently been selected to head a committee to oversee renovations to the local farmer's market.  The city of Gainesville now promises to provide new paint to the facility, electricity to each stall, and even a promotional campaign closer to harvest season.   

In Internet affairs, North Texas Organics tied its hitch to a local grower's coop, that offers Red River farmers access to Metroplex shoppers with the "green and or organic" lifestyle in mind.  The Cross Timbers Coop, provides an online opportunity to join consumers in Dallas and Ft. Worth with producers in the general North Texas area via a timely distribution at a local in Denton Texas.  Items available include grass raised beef, baked goods, soaps, candles, teas, and now North Texas Organics Vermi-composting Supplies.

April showers are now over earth-workers, planting season is here, we hope that you'll make North Texas Organics a part of it.  If you have any questions feel free to post them in our questions and answers forum.

5/21/10 School Trip Testimonial

Recently, Sacred Heart Elementary treated their 2nd and 3rd graders to a field trip out to our worm farm.  The children were treated to worm basics as to what they eat and what they do for plants, and were given the opportunity to hunt and handle some worms for themselves.  Here's their e-mail of appreciation: