Don’t you think it’s time we do things differently when it comes to managing and growing our local economy?  I do and I’ve purchased the following book in hopes that it will provide the innovative guidelines it promises.  I'll let you know what I think about it after I read it.

THE LOCAL ECONOMY SOLUTION – How Innovative, Self-Financing Pollinator Enterprises can Grow Jobs and Prosperity – Michael Shuman

Some books I choose because I think the author will validate beliefs that I have long held, beliefs that went against current wisdom and accepted (often mindless) ways of doing things.  For example, all through the 1980’s and 1990’s and even into the early 21^st century, USA economic development meant local government leaders licked the boots of multinational corporations in order to attract them into their communities.  They literally gave away the store so to speak by providing tax incentives and even outright cash bonuses, free land on which to build their plants. Many communities even lowered environmental standards to the point of allowing these giants to pollute with impunity. With the greener grass in China in the late 1990s they left anyway like so many rats deserting the ship.  

It still goes on, even today in the 21^st Century. In 2010 for example, according to BaxStarr Consulting Group, Louisiana spent $196.8 million on film tax credits but only generated $27 million in tax receipts for the state and $17.3 million for local governments.  Film subsidies, in other words, are financial losers for taxpayers who foot the bill.

I have ordered the book.  The preface promises to be about how economic development can and should be done differently.  It also promises to provide 24 models for economic development that could be done by the private sector at virtually zero cost to the public.  I look forward to learning about these pollinator enterprises in addition to basking in my own smug self-satisfaction.  I already like the idea of the embedded organic metaphor the author has used to label these business models as "pollinator enterprises."  This metaphor mirrors the connectedness nurtured by permaculture design amongst the countless elements found in the natural and unnatural worlds we live in.

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ADDENDUM:

Another book with great potential for reshaping your local economy:

The SMARTEST places on earth - Why Rustbelts are Emerging Hotspots of Global Innovation

by Antoine Van Agtmael and Fred Bakker

David Swensen, Chief Investment Officer, Yale University had this to say about this book:  "Can Agtmael and Bakker paint an exciting picture of the future made possible by cooperative processes they call "brainsharing."  Citing unheralded developments in specific places and industries, this extraordinarily well-researched book challenges the conventional view of a developed world in decline. The authors make a compelling case for connectors, who bring together a diverse collection of players required for collaborative success.  This compellingly argued and lucidly written book is a must read for anyone who cares about the planet."

What a Difference a Day Makes!

              Flowers in my yard December 6 and December 7 

Those of us who live in the DFW area live in Hardiness Zone 8a, which means that we can expect temperatures here to plunge to 10 to 15 degrees at least once each winter.  Thus, by the end of the first week in December we have had our first killing frost and most of the plants in our gardens are looking sad.

Still like other aspects of our lives, we are left with the memories of what once was and the dreams and hopes of what is to come in the new year. For the gardener this means remembering what grew well last year and dreaming about where you will grow those plants the coming year in your garden.  Of course, it is also in December when all the beautiful seed catalogs begin to arrive to cheer us up.

Citizen Science Report from North Garland High School's Experimental Garden Plot

In 2017 Jane Stroud, President of Loving Garland Green, did a fabulous job of keeping records of our harvest from the Garland Community Garden—especially records of our joint Citizen Science project with students from North Garland High School Environmental Club.  The student’s experimental bed was a space of approximately 100 square feet—about the size of a family garden in the back or front yard of the average Garland home.  The students tended the bed from April to the end of May and Loving Garland Green (mostly Jane) took over from June through September.  The experiment for 2017 officially ended the last Saturday in October with the harvesting of sweet potatoes. [Even though vegetables such as turnips, kale, and broccoli are still producing in the plot.]  We wanted to see how much produce it was possible to grow in one average-sized Garland vegetable garden.  The vegetables grown included, several varieties of peppers, okra, turnips, squash, pole beans, tomatoes, parsley, oregano, two varieties of eggplant, radishes, sweet potatoes, mustard greens, kale and collard greens.

According to Jane’s careful records, the student’s bed produced 143 pounds of produce at a total estimated savings after expenses of  $276.26.  Loving Garland Green donated 95 pounds of the produce from this bed to the Garland Good Samaritans.  In the rest of our garden at large, we estimate that we raised over 600 pounds of produce at an estimated dollar value of approximately $2,000 or more. Over 50% of this produce was also donated to charity.  All of the food grown at the garden is organically grown which increases market value 2 to 4 times. 

Food is expensive. We weighed 70 pounds of blackberries from the garden this year.  However additional poundage was picked and eaten by visitors.  We have 32 blackberry plants in our garden. The four in my yard, which I do keep close records on, produce 80 pounds a year. At an annual average of $3 for six ounces of organic blackberries, the value for just the 70 pounds from this one crop alone at the Garland Community Garden for 2017 is $558.00.  Next year I promise to keep closer and more accurate records of our blackberry harvest.  I estimate that harvest to be close to 200 pounds.

Based on four years experience:  here are my choices for what grows well in Garland

FOR EDIBLES

1. Pole beans – Even if you don’t have a lot of space you can easily grow pole beans in a large pot with a trellis.  Pole beans are prolific producers—from mid June to the first frost.  The organic varieties we chose included Kentucky Wonder and Italian flat green beans.

2. Blackberries – We prefer the thornless variety, as they are not as invasive as those with thorns.  You can pull up and pot replant those errant plants, or you can also sell them.  Nurseries charge $7 to $10 for a 12-inch bare root stick.  Average yearly price for blackberries is $3 for six ounces and they freeze well.  I especially like blackberries because they are drought tolerant perennials that produce year after year.  I have four vines in my yard that faithfully produce 80 pounds of blackberries each year.  This amounts to an average annual value of $639. Blackberries (if you like them) are the best garden investment for those living in the DFW area.

3. Kale, once established (if you can keep the tender seedlings away from the squirrels) will produce and produce.

4. Sweet Potatoes—particularly if you harvest and eat the leaves throughout the summer are a good investment.  Because of our heavy clay soil, I recommend you grow them in large pots filled with amended loose soil.  In addition to being an edible, they will look pretty on a patio or deck from June to the end of October when they are harvested.  Unlike the white or red potatoes, sweet potatoes do not belong to the nightshade family. Thus their leaves are edible and delicious in salads and stir-fries.

FOR POLLINATORS

1. Lantana is great.  It is a hardy drought tolerant perennial that blooms from June  to December.  Stick it in the ground and it grows.

2. Zinnias are my favorite flower for a pollinator garden. They start blooming in late June and bloom up through the first frost.  They come in all sizes.  I prefer the giant ones.  Zinnias are heat and drought tolerant.

3. Wild Senna- This herb is not often mentioned for pollinator gardens but it is great.  The large yellow blooms begin in late July and last through the middle of October.  In fact, I like this plant so much I harvested seed from the one we have growing at the Garland Community Garden that I plan to give to friends as a Christmas present.

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GETTING READY FOR CHRISTMAS

Among my stocking stuffers this year will be seed packets from plants that I’ve successfully grown in Garland.  Nothing says dependability quite like locally sourced seeds.  I’m making my own seed packets.  Below is one for Wild Senna—a great plant for pollinator gardens!

Cornish hens, hasselback potatoes and apple pie--Charlie did make the pie.  I knew he couldn't stay out of the kitchen!
Thanksgiving 2017

If Thanksgiving is any kind of reliable harbinger, the Holiday Season 2017 is indeed promising.  Thanksgiving 2017 will be marked in my diary as the Thanksgiving I discovered Kabocha squash and even made the entire Thanksgiving meal for Charlie and me--an unusual occurrence as I'm more or less the dishwasher and not the cook.  When I do cook, it has to be special and an adventure bordering on scientific experiment and so it was this Thanksgiving.     

Jane gave me a Kabocha squash Halloween week, just before she and Bob went off to Michigan for a holiday.  She told me that Kabocha squash is delicious.  I really didn't listen as I don't hold a lot of fondness for squash.  I find it bland and with a texture that leaves much to be desired as it is either mushy or stringy or both.  That squash, a little larger than an acorn squash, set on the kitchen counter for just about a month.

Then on Thanksgiving morning I impulsively decided to cook the squash instead of throwing it away.  Part of the skin looked as if it might be developing some mold, but it was still firm so I moved forward.  It's not the best of timing but tonight I read my October issue of Martha Stewart Living Magazine and discovered that she had devoted two pages to Kabocha!  Martha says:  "Don't be intimidated by the thick green skins (somewhat similar to the challenges presented by cutting an acorn squash)--a heavy chefs knife will to the trick."  She is right.  The most difficult thing about preparing Kabocha is cutting it and removing the seeds--which I saved.  I don't know if the squash I had was a hybrid or not, still I'll try a few of the seeds and order more for next spring from a reliable heirloom seed company.

I cut the Kabocha up, scraped the seeds off, and peeled the skin with a potato peeler.  It was not fun.  Then I put it in a steamer and cooked until it was done.  When I put it in the serving dish I put a little butter over it and that was it--not salt and no pepper.  The squash was a wonderful delicious surprise--Its texture is velvety smooth with a rich flavor that is a cross between pumpkin and sweet potato.  It was so good that I've giving it as a present to friends for Christmas.

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As for the cornish hens, I have always associated them with pretentious wealthy British people. Don't ask me why--perhaps the name "Cornish".  Perhaps it's because I was raised in West Texas and don't know any better.  Although I grew up eating quail now and again as a kid in the late 1950's and early 1960's, I never thought of that as being fancy because my mom prepared them.  I never cooked a Cornish hen, but seeing them on display at the grocery store a few days before Thanksgiving I decided to purchase two of them.  They are reasonably priced at $2.99 each and we found that one was enough for two meals.  I followed instructions found online for cooking them: Chop up fresh rosemary, coarse pepper and salt.  Melt butter.  Squeeze a lemon over the hens.  Put a slice of lemon in  each cavity.  Pour the melted rosemary seasoned butter over the hens.  Put in oven at 450 for 20 minutes to brown along with Hasselback potatoes.  Then turn heat down to 350 and cook for 40 minutes.  Check with thermometer to ensure 165 degrees at the end. 

We had fresh cranberry sauce, gravy and green beans with pumpkin and apple pie for dessert.  A wonderful meal.  I've had all kinds of Thanksgivings in my life, but this was one of the best.  By the way Cornish hens are great!  Better than chicken and better than turkey.  But perhaps not better than quail.  

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SO WHAT'S NEXT?

This year I think I'll wrap my plum tree in Christmas lights--something else I've never done--had outside Christmas decorations.

SPEAKING OF LIGHTS IN GARLAND

This Thursday is a special night in Garland.  It's the night we turn on our holiday lights around the downtown square. If you didn't see them last year, you absolutely must this year.  Downton Garland has the BEST the very BEST Christmas light display in all of the DFW area.  Come and see for yourself!  I know you will agree.

Christmas on the Square—Dec. 7

5:30 p.m., Downtown Square, Sixth and Main streets. Enjoy snow hills, photos with Santa, holiday foods, children’s crafts, pet adoptions and much more. As always, the attractions are free! Santa Claus will assist with the tree lighting at 7 p.m. and then spend the evening visiting with children about their holiday wishes. Garland ISD choirs will entertain the crowd with holiday classics beginning at 7:30 p.m.

Members of the Garland Fire Department will be stationed at the corner of Sixth and Main streets to collect new, unwrapped toys to be given to local children. After donating your gift, be sure to pick up some festival food and check out live ice carvings by James Pappas.

Parking for the event is free and will be available at the following locations: Central Library, Senior Center, First Baptist Church on Glenbrook and DART on Walnut St. For full event details including parking map, stage schedule and event map visit ChristmasOnTheSquare.com