Houston—On Saturday, September 13, 2014, members of the All African People's Development and Empowerment Project (AAPDEP) Houston branch followed up with the next steps of gardening tasks.
Seed planting and of course more beautification to achieve the soon-to-be award winning AAPDEP Houston Branch 5th Ward Community Garden.
After the vigorous work of tilling the land on last weekend in the Houston heat, Mother Nature saluted us with weather quite comfortable for our planned garden projects.
With early morning storm clouds hovering, Omowale Kefing, Jodie Burnett, Aja Zola, Larry Carter, Jessie, Pluchie and I were not dismayed and enthusiastically began with our gardening tasks.
After the fertilizer was applied to the rows and raised beds, we each grabbed a bag of seeds and began planting fall crops.
I recall the old time farmers saying that you should be able to make a meal from your backyard.
The seeds were watered down the following day with water from the 3000 gallon Rainwater Harvesting Tank that was erected to irrigate the garden in late spring this year.
The crops will soon produce not only a meal, without a doubt, the seeds will produce a robust harvest of vegetables that are good for the soul and this garden will inspire more people to grow their own food.
Soon we will yield beets, cabbage, lettuce, collard, mustard and turnip greens, onions, spinach and Swiss chard. Sounds like dinner to me.
The food revolution
Being in our natural habitat of planting our own food as we did before being colonized, awakens the body as your hands touch and connect with the soil.
Holding the seeds as you safely tuck the seeds into the earth gives you the sense of being one with nature –sowing and growing.
Beautification project
As a part of the ongoing beautification project, noticeable upgrades continue adding to the curb appeal of the garden’s entrance.
Aja repainted the AAPDEP sign visible at the front entrance which will surely attract the eye of passersby. An essential element of the beautification project includes designing an ‘eye-catching’ curb appeal for the garden.
This design includes various palm and banana trees, marigolds, lavender, agave and aloe plants with splashes of color peeking from the palms.
After planting the fall crops, we planted a newly purchased Sago Palm, two Mexican Palms, 2 Spider web Crotons and replanted our rosemary and marigolds.
Three cinder blocks now being used as gate entrance planters for the rosemary and marigolds were painted Red, Black & Green—the liberation colors of Marcus Garvey.
Alongside the gate, we used more cinder blocks to plant tulips donated by a supporter of the garden.
After a field trip we arranged to inspect a neighboring community garden equipped with multiple stone raised beds and hanging garden arrangements.
Growth and development of the AAPDEP 5th Ward Community Garden is a number one priority.
We concluded the night with political education over dinner. Eggplant from the garden was used to make one of the appetizers.
While reaping from the garden we sowed, we viewed a youtube video of Chairman Omali Yeshitela speaking on December 2002 as he addressed the Eighth Congress of the Pan Africanist Congress of Azania where he was well received.
Chairman Yeshitela lays out the brutal truth regarding imperialism and the importance of having an organization based on the principles of African Internationalism.
The AAPDEP Houston Branch 5th Ward Community Garden is increasingly becoming a staple in the community, capable of eliminating food desserts and providing food for the community just as the Black Panthers initiated in Oakland California.
We are providing food for ourselves and the community as we did in our homeland – Africa.
Stay tuned for more updates on the progress of the fall crops and the beautification project.
Check out the video AZANIA! The People, the Land and the Revolution
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsKP1myi8bM
