HOUSTON—After weeks of preparation, on March 4, a major planting of seeds and transplant vegetables went under way at the AAPDEP 5th Ward Community Garden. This marked the 8th consecutive year since the garden here in Houston’s Fifth Ward was planted.
Led by its new local Chair, Adeyemi Molende, workers spend most of Saturday morning with their backs bent over, planting the new spring crop, which promises to be exceptional.
The work leading up to the planting included clearing out the old winter crop, constructing new raised beds, ordering and spreading a dump truck load of new compost and dirt, weeding out the raised beds and rows and tilling all of the garden, in order to mix the compost and healthy dirt.
We want to salute local InPDUM Houston President, Teila R., for InPDUM’s hands-on work in the garden. We also want to give a special shout out to InPDUM members Nyabingi, Hashim and Nuru, and AAPDEP members Johannes, Larry Carter, Danny Russo, Jesse Cardwell and Omowale Kefing.
Thanks also to Bunchy Crear, Bobby Reed, Sandra Netter, James Aaron and others of the Black Panther Party Alumni who helped with the construction of the Five Raised Martyr’s Beds.
We were stopped by the rain on Saturday after about ¾ of the planting was done. We, however, completed the planting on March 15th during another rigorous garden session.
Thus far, we have kale, collard greens, purple hull peas, okra, squash/zucchini, herbs, egg plant, sugar cane, watermelon, cantaloupe and more.
We are still calling on the community to come out and help with the garden work and to donate financially, as we are in dire needs of funds.
For more information come by the Garden at 3711 Brill Street in Houston or call
254.979-8133. Our annual Juneteenth celebration on June 17, 2017 will also be held at the Garden.
