Cultivate San Antonio Winter 2021

Forage, grow, and cook mushrooms!

Honor The Season Reflections and Rituals for the Winter Solstice

Get the low down on teacup pigs!

Need to winterize your garden?

Learn best practices with our resident garden expert

Edge your garden!

Sowing Seeds of Food & Medicine: exclusive interview with GREENIES

URBAN FARM

featuring Comissioner Calvert

WINTER 2021

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Essence Prep Public School believes that rigorous academics, intentional character development, and cultivating student knowledge of self prepares all students to excel in high school, college, and beyond as leading agents of change in their communities.

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Table of Contents Cultivate Local 5 Directory 17

Local Garden Spotlight Greenies Urban Farm

Cultivate Seasons 20

Crop Focus

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Winter Planting Guide

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How to Winterize Your Central Texas Garden

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Rituals and Reflections for the Winter Solstice

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Seasonal Poetry

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Planting New Years Resolutions with Seed Paper

Cultivate History & Awareness 40

Food Insecurity: Its Promises & Problems

Cultivate Health and Wellness 46 Mental Health Chat: Healing

Through Social Connection in the Garden

Cultivate Tips & Tricks 48 What’s the Deal With Teacup PIgs? 51

Creating a Garden Edge

54 Foraging, Growing, and Cooking Mushrooms

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Cultivate Local

DIRECTORY

Farms Farmers Markets

GSA Gardens Products & Services Cultivate SA | 5

2022 FOOD & NATURE EDUCATION CONFERENCE EVENT PURPOSE The 2022 Food & Nature Education Conference is a virtual event focusing on the actions being taken by local organizations in San Antonio, Texas to address food insecurity and climate change.

The conference's goal is to raise awareness of those goals and demonstrate simple solutions that can be implemented right now to ensure that future generations are able to lead happy and healthy lives.

EVENT DETAILS When: January 15, 2022 from 10a - 4p CST Where: In-Person and Virtual (Zoom) Attendance Speaker & Event Registration: www.gardopiagardens.org/foodnatureconference Sponsorship Opportunities are available for the conference and ranges from $500 - $10,000. Each tier entails various sponsorship benefits. A sponsorship grid can be found on www.gardopiagardens.org/foodnatureconference for more details. For future processing, please email info@gardopiagardens.org.

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Growing healthy communities through garden-based learning.

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Greenies Urban Farm interview by Amanda Micek

LOCAL GARDEN FEATURE

The Greenies Urban Farm, located on the East Side of San Antonio, aims to educate t h e co m m u n i t y a b o u t gardening and fill gaps in the food system. On a once vacant lot locally known as the “goonies,” the urban farm was situated in this particular locale to lower criminal activity and address a lack of access to affordable produce.

This ten acre space is already providing fresh vegetables for an area heavily affected by food insecurity.

On a cold November morning, I was able to visit the Greenies Urban Farm to hear about their efforts during the first phase of this project and see what crops are currently growing.

First, I talked to a frequent volunteer, Ray Montez.

Amanda: So, can you tell me what you’re growing out here?

Ray: Well, basically we started in late August. And we’ve planted watermelons, cantaloupes, tomatoes, three different kinds of zucchini and two squashes. Right now we just picked the green beans and we have a lot of cucumbers still left. And of course, we have broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage. And there’s all kinds of produce that we’ve already harvested. And that’s not even including what we’ve already sent out. I think we have a total of 5,000 pounds of fruits and vegetables that we have harvested here.

A: What are you going to do with all of the produce you have harvested?

R: Well, in the beginning, we started giving to Catholic Charities. And then through Bexar County Commission-

ers, everything’s been donated to the University Health System. They distribute it amongst the people. So we just plant, grow, and give it to them.

To learn more about the operations taking place, I also spoke with Larry Stein, an associate department head, professor, and extension horticulturist with the Texas A&M Agrilife extension program.

Larry: We’re trying to show people that you can grow vegetables in a small area of land. And that’s basically what we are doing here. We started in the spring, and we grew cold crops.

Then we planted warm season crops in August. Since we waited so late, we were able to direct seed those instead of using transplants. . So squash, beans, cantaloupe, watermelons, cucumbers, we just direct seeded it, which is a lot cheaper and easier to do than using transplants. And so basically [this is] just an experiment to see if we can grow produce in the city.

From here Larry walked me to a small shed with pallets of recently harvested produce. There were signifCultivate SA | 17

icant amounts of green beans, watermelon, cantaloupe, and tomatoes.

Despite the amazing harvest, Larry mentioned that producing food at the Greenies hasn’t always been easy. He took me alongside the rows of crops.

L: You see this dirt right here? It’s not really soil. It’s pretty rocky. So that soil out there had to be amended. We actually brought in organic matter and mulch and things like that to get it to where we could have a bed to grow on.. And so the challenge that you have in some of these urban areas is that you don’t have the best soil. And so we had to build it up. But once we did, you can see it grew a lot of stuff.

The other challenge we’ve had is that they haven’t put water in the place yet. We have irrigation, but we have to run it off a fire hydrant.

A: Can you talk about why you chose this area to have the urban farm?

Tommy: Well, it was really the community who asked the county judge to do something about it. Back in 2013, he was running against my predecessor, Commissioner Atkinson. And this was an overgrown area, they were concerned about the kids at Wheatley potentially getting in trouble back here between the tracks, and it was called The Goonies because of how overgrown it was. And now it’s been named the greenies. So we purchased it from Union Pacific and began to do soil tests. We did about $50,000 in environmental remediation and then began to put together the funds to expedite the actual planting of vegetables in the pandemic.

While the urban farm faced a few delays because of COVID-19, there are plans in Phase Two to address the lack of on site water. Yet, despite There has been a lot of partnerthe pandemic, the urban farm has not ship to make this happen. We had a problem getting volunteers to aid them in their mission. Larry mentioned that they have about 53 people associated with the Ma s te r G a rd e n e r ’s program alone. I also got to see five different individuals, Ray included, receive a certificate for recognition of their service hours. Everyone I interacted with was very optimistic about the future of the Greenies Urban Farm.

Before wrapping up for the day I was able to interview Precinct 4 Commissioner Tommy Calvert. Commissioner Calvert has been instrumental in the creation and implementation of the Greenies Urban Farm and addressing the food desert in his precinct.

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wouldn’t have been able to do it with just the county itself. So we felt it was very important with supply chains being interfered with during the pandemic and holidays that we have our own source of food locally.

And that we empower people about how food is medicine. If you understand the health benefits of what food can do for you, you can have, you know, much greater health. So we know people are struggling with the cost of food. It’s very expensive in the stores. So we’re kind of alleviating those financial pressures of inflation on a lot of families, and that lack of stress is also a health care benefit.

So we’ll end up having all kinds of classes taught by the ag extension service. And we’re just excited about people being able to literally have prescriptions from our University Health System, which we have I think 22. Plus clinics, where they literally will prescribe you to go down to the urban farm and get you some vegetables that are good for that particular

T: Yeah, absolutely.

ailment. I mean, that’s really the vision long term, that people don’t just get a pill, they actually get something to eat that will help them heal.

A: How are you ensuring that what’s grown here is going to families in need that are affected by food insecurity?

T: A couple different ways. We partner with some of the nonprofits and churches that serve those families.

We also partner with the food bank.

We know the income level of a lot of our families through the University Health Systems Carelink.

A: And now that you’re actually here and in the community, are you still seeing that positive reception that they had before you were here?

T: I think so. I mean, we’re out here on a cold day, and everybody’s here happy. I’m surprised by the great turnout. So I think we have a lot of support. And we need it because, you know, doing all these vegetables is a lot of work, it’s a day to day thing, and it’s going to grow.

Commissioner Calvert and I were also able to talk about what’s coming in the future for the G re e n i e s U r b a n Farm. Most notably, there will be an $11 million investment during Phase Two of the plan which will allow for a 300 person event center, an outdoor pavilion, and an outdoor classroom to be built on site. When I asked Commissioner Calvert what sorts of things people could learn from their educational programs, the options were many.

From growing and cooking vegetables, to accounting or falconry, and leadership classes, the opportunities at Greenies Urban Farm are endless. Furthermore, Calvert hopes for students to be able to earn scholarships in the future to further promote education.

The Greenies Urban Farm is up and running. The produce grown on site has already contributed to 415 bags of food that have gone to families affected by food insecurity. In addition, due to established connections with local public schools and the University Health System, the Greenies Urban Farm stands to bring positive systemic change to the health care sector and education in San Antonio, as well as addressing the limits of the food system and its associated supply chains. If you are interested in contributing to the amazing work done at the Greenies Urban Farm, get out there and start volunteering!

A: Have you seen members from the local community come out to volunteer?

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Cultivate Seasons

Crop Focus Food for thought with an up-close look at four seasonal veggies

Kale History Humans have been eating and growing kale since 600 BC thanks to the Greeks and Romans. At the time, kale was called brassica. Kale spread from its native home, Asia minor and the Mediterranean, throughout Europe during the Middle Ages.

Kale was first written about in the Americas in 1669. It is believed the British introduced the crop to the New World. Now, kale is mostly grown in Texas, California, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Georgia.

Growing tips Kale is a strong plant that is largely frost resistant. Kale does best in sunlight, but it can handle partial shade as well. Make sure the soil is well drained. It will be ready to harvest when the leaves grow to be the size of your hand.

Health Benefits Kale is a good source of vitamins A, C, and K. It also has iron, calcium, and antioxidants.

Baked Kale Chips Ingredients Bunch of kale Olive oil Desired seasonings Preparation

Fun fact Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Kale used to be called peasant’s cabbage!

Destem your kale and tear or chop into bite sized pieces.

Drizzle the kale leaves with olive oil and add whatever seasonings you would like. Some op-

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Sugar Snap Peas History We are not 100% sure where sugar snap peas originate from. Nevertheless, they are one of the oldest crops as scientists have found peas dating back to 9750 BC in Thailand. To show how fast the crop traveled, archaeologists unearthed a Swiss Bronze Age site that dated the peas back to 3,000 BC. The Greeks and Romans are largely credited for the crops’ early spread in Europe.

Sugar snap peas were especially popular in the Middle Ages because they were cheap and easy to dry and store. While they eventually lost popularity, one of Louis XIV’s gardeners planted the crop and restored its favor in the eyes of the broader public. Columbus eventually brought the crop to the Americas, planting it in 1492. The Native Americans continued to grow sugar snap peas afterwards. The sugar snap pea variety we have today is thanks to Calvin Lamborn, who crossed a garden pea with a snow pea in 1979.

Growing tips Plant seeds about one inch deep and two inches apart.You should see sprouts within one to two weeks. Keep the soil moist, but well-drained. If you have a climbing—rather than a bush—variety, make sure you have a trellis to help the plant grow and climb.

Health Benefits Sugar snap peas have high amounts of protein, fiber, vitamin K, and vitamin C.

Fun fact Only about 5% of the nation’s pea crop is sold as fresh produce! The rest are sold canned or, more commonly, frozen.

Soy Sauce Snap Peas Ingredients 1 lb sugar snap peas 1 tbsp of butter 1 tbsp of soy sauce Salt & pepper to taste Optional: sesame seed oil for drizzling Preparation Cut the peas in half Heat a pan on the stove over medium to mediumhigh heat Add the butter to the pan until melted and then add the peas and minced garlic clove Stir-fry for about two minutes Add the soy sauce and stir until the liquid turns into a glaze. The peas will be tender but still crisp Season with salt and pepper and add a bit of sesame seed oil if desired Makes a great side dish or add to ramen or rice for a more filling dish

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Carrots History Carrots are native to the Mediterranean region including southern Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia. Wild carrots have been a meal for thousands of years, but the first domesticated carrots are said to have arisen in central Asia (possibly Iran or Afghanistan) in 900-1100 CE. These first carrots were purple. The first orange roots are said to have grown in Western Europe, perhaps Germany or the Netherlands, in the 15th or early 16th century. European explorers brought carrots to the Americas.

Growing tips Carrots do best when the temperature is in the low 70s. Make sure your plants get 6-8 hours of sun and are in well drained soil. You can cover the soil near the plants with a burlap sack or similar material to keep the soil moist.

Health Benefits Carrots have calcium and vitamin K for bone health, as well as vitamin A to improve your eye health

Fun fact Baby carrots aren’t a type of carrot! They are either immature carrots or, more likely, a larger carrot cut up.

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Carrot Soup Ingredients 2 tbsp butter 1 chopped yellow onion 1 minced garlic clove 1 chopped celery stalk 5 cups vegetable broth 4 cups chopped carrots 1 tsp fresh chopped parsley Black pepper and salt Preparation Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.

Add the onion and celery and cook for about 5 minute, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and parsley and stir.

Next, add carrots and broth with a dash of salt.

Stir until combined and bring to a boil over high heat. Once bubbling, reduce heat to low and simmer for about 25 minutes.

Once the mixture is tender, add to a blender and puree in batches until the mixture reaches a smooth consistency. If desired, add heavy cream for a thicker soup.

Serve with salt and pepper to taste.

Broccoli Broccoli Mac n’ Cheese

History Broccoli did not originally grow on its own in the wild. Rather, wild cabbage—native to the Mediterranean—was picked by the Etruscans and bred to become the broccoli we know today. Broccoli became a central facet in Italy. We have writings from Pliny the Elder and other Romans describing what we believe to be broccoli. Despite its popularity in Italy, broccoli spread fairly slowly throughout the rest of the world. It reached France in the 1500s and was still largely unknown in England in the 1700s. It is about this time broccoli was introduced to the Americas as well. Thomas Jefferson planted broccoli in his Monticello garden in 1776. Yet, broccoli was not widely grown in the United States until the 1920s.

Growing tips Broccoli prefers full sun and slightly acidic soil.

Keep the soil moist, watering at least an inch every week. Make sure you don’t plant your seeds or seedlings too close together; broccoli branches out and needs room to grow.

Ingredients 2-3 cups of broccoli florets 8 oz of elbow pasta 3-4 tbsp butter ¼ cup flour 2 ½ cups milk 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, Garlic powder, salt, pepper

Preparation Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package and set aside.

While the pasta is cooking, steam broccoli for 5-6 minutes in a steamer basket over saucepan with boiling water.

In a pan over medium heat melt the butter. Add the garlic powder, salt, pepper, and flour and stir for 1-2 minutes. Then add the milk and stir until it thickens into a sauce.

Health Benefits

Next, add the cheese in batches and stir until melted.

Broccoli contains vitamin C, vitamin A, potassium, fiber, and antioxidants that can reduce the risk of certain cancers.

Add additional salt and pepper to taste more.

Add the pasta and broccoli to your cheese mixture and stir to combine. Enjoy!

Fun fact In the 1700s broccoli was called “Italian asparagus.”

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How to Winterize Your Central Texas Garden

by Georgiana Wells

When planning a garden in Texas, most people have traditionally focused on native plants that can withstand the brutal summers. But as climate change worsens, more gardeners are realizing the importance of planning for cold temperatures. Anyone who lived in the San Antonio area and survived February’s snow storms knows just how bad winter can get. As the cold weather approaches, it is time to prepare the garden for winter. Deciding what to save, what to let go, and what to leave alone can be daunting. You don’t have to stress, though. This guide will help you with the decision making process so you can be more prepared for a productive spring.

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example, Great Grandma’s heirloom roses cannot be replaced by a new plant from the nursery, so it and other significant plants should be prioritized for safe keeping through the winter. The next category would be your most valuable plants such as citrus trees, exotic flowers, or one-of-a-kind plants. Value may be determined by replacement cost or how hard it is to find a particular specimen. After you’ve taken care of sentimental and valuable plants, if it is still possible to save more of your garden, focus on older, established plants or natives. These will have a higher survival rate than younger, non-natives that are not adapted to the potential temperature extremes.

If there is still space or time, protect tender perennials and cool weather plants that will survive the rest of the season.

How to save Wrapping in place versus bringing plants inside is a personal decision based on a number of factors. Not everyone has the space to bring their entire garden inside their home. If the area inside is not heated, care should be taken that temperatures will remain in the upper 30s at least. If this is not possible, then keeping the plants outside may be more practical.

Longer, colder temperatures will be more damaging than a few hours at 30 degrees, so duration of freezing temperatures should be considered.

If the forecast predicts only a short period of time at or just below freezing, protect the most delicate and prized plants. After the freeze, the others may show signs of distress, but they should recover as temperatures warm up.

Small fruit trees that are potted may be difficult to move. Some plants, such as sago palms or lilies, are toxic to pets, so caution must be taken.

Planning ahead for longer, harder freezes will make the process easier.

Bring inside whatever is feasible.

For those plants that must remain outside, have supplies ready. You’ll need blankets, cardboard boxes, and LED or holiday lights, which can all be recycled or repurposed after using. Before wrapping, water each plant heavily. Try to avoid putting blankets directly on plants, especially if precipitation is expected.

The weight of a frozen blanket can snap branches or trunks and the ice will cause more damage if directly touching leaves or stems. Instead, try to put a box over the plant to trap warmer air and then cover the box with a blanket. If possible, put a strand of holiday lights or a shop light inside the box to add warmth.

Once temperatures are closer to 40 degrees, bring potted plants back outside and uncover wrapped items.

If possible, avoid trimming back any damaged areas until springtime.

Many years have multiple freezes, so it is best to wait until the full extent of the damage is known.

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What to let go If it is not possible to protect the entire garden, then you will have some difficult choices ahead. Letting go can be hard. Because much effort and care goes into the wellbeing of our plants, seeing one die can be heartbreaking.

During a freeze, not everything can or should be saved. Annuals, which survive only one season, should be allowed to go through their natural life cycle. This includes vegetables such as peppers, tomatoes and eggplant, summer herbs like basil and lemongrass, and warm weather flowers like zinnias. If you have not already pulled them, do so before a freeze or compost them afterward. Cool weather vegetables like broccoli, kale, or beets will tolerate a light freeze.

If a hard, extended cold period is predicted, harvest as much as possible and cover the rest. Vegetable varieties are chosen to withstand warmer winters and even cold hardy vegetables like kale may not make it through a deep cold period.

Heat loving perennials should be allowed to die back during a freeze.

Routine fall garden maintenance should include trimming away the green stems and spent flowers so they can regrow in spring. If this hasn’t been done yet, then let the plant go through the freeze as is. After all danger of frost has passed, cut back any damaged areas and allow them to reboot. It may also be a good time to think about long term landscape design. If you were going to make major changes in your yard’s layout, then a freeze may be a great time to allow nature to wipe the slate clean.

In this case, no preparation is needed.

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What to leave alone Some plants will be able to withstand a hard freeze without any intervention or will simply fare better left in place. Healthy, established trees and shrubs are resilient. Plants that are normally dormant in winter such as Esperanza or Pride of Barbados can be left uncovered and cut back to rebloom in spring. Natives are also more adapted to temperature variations than exotics and require limited attention.

Hopefully, San Antonio will never experience another February freeze like 2021, but climate change means more extreme storms and temperature variations. While plants should be selected more for their heat tolerance, cold hardiness should also be considered. Winter is a key part of the garden’s life cycle. Preparations can be made to soften the harshest cold so your garden will survive the winter and thrive again in spring.

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Rituals and Reflections for the Winter Solstice

by Victoria Houser

Many ancient pagan traditions consider the winter solstice to be the most profound, spiritual event of the year. It is the start of the new astronomical year when the dark of winter reaches its peak and the days slowly begin to shift into light. In the Northern Hemisphere’s deep heart of winter, the earth’s axis comes into perfect balance as the North Pole points directly away from the sun. In a moment of balance between light and dark, the earth rests in perfect equilibrium. In the stillness and quiet of winter, the solstice beckons us to mindfully align our bodies with the spirit of change and new beginnings. The winter solstice is a time to open our hands and release the weight of darkness.

What new life waits for us as sunlight thickens?

While the advent of longer, brighter days inspires hope for the horizons of a new year, the work of inviting this hope into our bodies, our homes, and our communities is a process that requires no small amount of endurance on our part. Hope is a precarious feeling and an even more precarious practice. To create room for hope in the darkest days we must pay attention to the things we’re carrying that keep hope at arm’s length. At the time of the solstice, I invite you to breathe in the rich, deep beauty of the calm hours of the earth. Slowly release feelings of doubt, anxiety, and fear. The days will start to gradually grow brighter as new life forms on the horizon. Plants and trees will begin new cycles, and our bodies will start to turn toward the chilly touches of winter’s sun. The world will transform.

The transformation out of darkness and into light happens at an almost imperceptible rate. We will start to see minutes of daylight creeping back into the world day by day, like the slow and steady movement of the tide changing. For now, though, our bodies are still in the deepest part of winter. Much like the trees and plants around us, growth slowly occurs under the surface of our daily lives as we breathe in and out each moment. The winter solstice highlights turning points in our external cycles of darkness and light, showing us the capacious nature of life. Nothing lasts forever, which is the blessing of seasons. This is an invitation to listen to the movement happening within ourselves. For the briefest moment, the world is suspended in a perfect balance of light and dark.

Our bodies hang in the delicate suspension of the ever

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turning, ever changing earth cycles. Since most of our lives are organized around the busyness of our daily tasks and moments of introspection can be difficult to find, it is crucial to take the quiet space of earth’s transformation to center yourself in the equilibrium of the winter solstice.

As you read this, listen to what your body feels right now.

Breathe in deeply and then release the breath in your lungs slowly. Take a moment to be still. What have you learned this year about your body? What is your body holding for you while you move through your life, taking in the events of the world and navigating the on-going pandemic? Where does your body feel tense? These are all pieces of you. These are the fragments of many seasons full of sadness, joy, contentment, and longing. You’ve carried the configuration and fractures of the year with your body all this time. Take a moment to rest with these pieces. Suspend judgment as you observe the thoughts that arise. As we move through the following reflections, lore, and rituals for the winter solstice, let the soft animal of your body rest in a balance of feelings and thoughts.

Beiwe: Scandinavian Goddess of the Winter Solstice Indigenous people of Finland, Sweden, and Norway,

known as the Saami, traditionally worshiped the sun goddess Beiwe. She is a goddess of light, fertility, and sanity, thus celebrated at the winter solstice to honor the season’s shift from deep darkness into increased light. Traditionally, Beiwe is celebrated at both the winter and the summer solstice in unique ways. During the winter celebrations, Beiwe is entreated to renew life and oversee the growth of plants by increasing fertility in the soil through the process of returning dead plants to the earth. She is also known for her ability to ease mental anguish and depression in the long winter months. As a goddess of light, Beiwe promises future life and renewal for plants, humans, and animals.

The rituals and beliefs of northern people groups are incredibly important for promoting peace and well-being during the year’s darkest time periods. These practices are especially important in places where the winter season lasts for several months and temperatures regularly drop below zero—places where movement, life, and warmth are deeply bound up with survival methods. I grew up in Southeast Alaska, and I am intimately familiar with the toll that winter’s prevailing frigidity and blank skies enacts on the psyche and body. On some days it seemed impossible to believe that the world was once warm and light. Time stretched out across tapestries of leafless trees and snow-covered mountain ranges. In December, it was difficult to tell where the pale, cloudy sky ended, and the white peaks of the mountains began.

As I watched the winter deepen, my life would settle into a blurred, greyish haze of monotony. The days felt heavy with the immense darkness and relentless cold that covered the world. During these days, it was crucial for the members of our community to find connections that sustain life while we waded through the thickness of winter. In that thickness, Beiwe continues to encourage us to seek the light within other forms of life, such as plants and animals, that also need a tenacious tenderness to protect against the harsh breath of winter.

practices can draw us into closer relationships with the earth and all its inhabitants. Our social structures feel tense and stretched to the breaking point across political and cultural discord. What would it look like to pull ourselves outside the barriers of our social constructs? We have so many practices to keep our bodies moving through our social climate, but in slowing down we can see places for deeper growth and connection. Just for a moment, pause in your reading. Search in your memories for a place that beckoned to you in your past, a place of comfort and peace. This could be a garden, or a mountain, a pond, or even a single flower. Let the flower be a refuge for you.

For now, you may need to take refuge alone, letting your body rest in solitude. Eventually, you can slowly begin to invite others into your place of refuge, practicing vulnerability with those you trust.

In practicing deep introspection, Beiwe invites us to think about our relationships with plants, animals, others, and how these networks interact and breathe together. Where has harm been done? Where can healing begin? As we find ourselves in the heart of winter’s coldest months, allow yourself time to slow down. Consider how the vulnerabilities of your body to the cold, harsh winter weather connect you to the cycles of earth. What would it mean to embrace moments of pain, joy, beauty, and even death as interconnected forces? In her essay, “An Ecology of the Body,” Celeste Snowber writes: “To begin letting this glorious sensuous earth into [our] bodies is a place to shift the tides. We are living from skin to sky. It is all one. What if we could look at the marks and scars on our aging bodies or young bodies and see the wonder of the canyonlands? Treasuring the fragility and strength as complementary pairs of being human” (78). What does it mean to be living from skin to sky in the depth of winter? At this moment of solstice, look over your body’s memories and embrace the wonder of your changing universe.

The Quiet Life of Winter

The connections between humans, animals, and plants underpin many of the beliefs shared among northern indigenous people. Beiwe unites nature, drawing all life into an ecology where we nurture and respond to the sacred beings of plants and animals as they do the same for our human bodies. Animals and plants are believed to share sacred spiritual connections to humans, and at the time of the winter solstice, Beiwe encourages us to tend to these connections as a method for alleviating the stress placed on all life forms during the winter. Today, we see ourselves as increasingly separate from plants and animals, and many of our practices have alienated us from the symbiotic relationship shared across nature. At this moment of solstice, it is important to reflect on and create spaces in our homes and communities to nurture our connections to the earth and to all its life.

As I prepared to write this, I remembered a drive frequently made to the Spokane, Washington airport. The road from my home to the airport was about 80 miles, and it stretched through breathtaking landscapes of snow-covered wheat fields and forests full of pine trees. One year, I drove the whole way in a blizzard to make it home to Alaska for Christmas. My body felt like it was in an intense fight with external elements that would have been welcome if I were indoors, safely sipping hot tea. There’s something about that drive that made me feel at odds with my own skin. I love the snow, but that day my body raged against the beautiful, crystalized flakes as they slowed me down.

Entering the deepest part of winter this year, I feel drawn to reflections on how my body, and all bodies, are connected to earth’s cycles and elemental changes. What does the darkness have to teach us about ourselves and about our connections to the earth?

As we reflect on the changes in light that are on our horizon, let us consider how our bodies and our daily

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around us. In the winter, especially as roads become treacherous and freezing temperatures threaten the lives of our plants, there is nowhere to hide from our vulnerabilities. There is a long history of writing about nature that demonstrates the ways humans position the earth as oppositional to our bodies. For example, by describing harsh terrain or inclement weather as elements in need of conquering, humans assign values and motives to nature that render the earth as separate from bodily life.

Yet, our bodies belong to the earth’s wilderness just as much as a tree or a houseplant or a river also belongs to the earth. We are nature. Somewhere along the line, though, we began to see ourselves as stewards of and even owners and conquerors of the natural world. In setting ourselves in opposition to nature, though, we lose both deep connection to the earth and to ourselves.

The winter solstice encourages us to work toward healing these connections between our bodies and all other natural elements of the earth. As I reflect on what Beiwe teaches us about our connection to plants and animals, I am struck with how vulnerable our fleshly bodies are in the vast expanse of the earth’s organisms. In the darkest, stillest moments of winter, I am humbled by the beautiful fortitude of the plant life that surrounds me, by the water that continues to flow under frozen surfaces, by bears that make homes within the earth to ward off the cold. This type of reflection on nature can open paths for connection, but it is certainly not the full process. Stories of how animals, plants, mountains, and rivers inspire humans still positions nature as something outside our own bodily existence, which makes this type of reflection hollow.

To see ourselves as truly connected to nature, we must first welcome deeper levels of vulnerability and humility regarding our bodily existence. When we understand our bodies as vulnerable life forms, we invite a more symbiotic 34 | Winter 2021

relationship between earth’s cycles of life and death and our own daily, lived reality.

Vulnerability in the face of all life’s untamed, unruly wilderness does not come easily. One summer, while hiking through a mountain pass, I lost my footing in a river and was trapped under a log, certain I would drown there. I wrapped my arms around the log, knowing that if I let go, I would be swept under the current that was raging against my body. I felt every second pound against my weakening muscles as I summoned every ounce of energy in my system to stay alive. My body hovered in a suspension of life and death, and I felt the terrifying uncertainty of every moment. After a few minutes (that felt more like hours) had passed, I was pulled out by two hikers who happened to be passing me. In that moment, my body was not outside of or separate from the life of the forest and river. I learned about the fragile vulnerability of my body within a system of life much larger than it.

The vulnerability of my body doesn’t cling to me, it doesn’t haunt me, it doesn’t come to me in flashes. It sits inside every tendon, every muscle, maybe even every cell. It knows me. It does not inspire or scare or teach me. It simply lives, breathes. Much like the winter solstice’s quiet equilibrium of light and dark, the moment of suspension between life and death is fraught with desperate unknowns. In our exposure to the unknown, Beiwe offers protection—not necessarily a guarantee of life, but a knowledge that in accepting our vulnerability, we find connection to the continuous, expansive pulse of all life.

As we’ve moved into winter, our plants (especially any annuals planted in spring) have been struggling for life in the waning light. Over the past month, I have watched my beautiful monstera plant’s leaves start to turn yellow and brown around the edges. A new leaf started to grow into

the plant, and that, too, browned before it even unfurled into full life. In caring for my cherished plant, I have done much research, tried different treatments for the soil, tried different variants of light exposure (including a growth light), and nothing has worked. I feel the life force of this tender plant ebb in and out as the sun rises later and sets sooner. My connection to and care for my plant may not be enough to keep her alive.

As a way of honoring the monstera’s life and all the warmth she has brought to my home, I have spent significant time grieving her wilting leaves. Every morning, I stand next to her. I feel the soil softly. I touch the edges of her leaves that are still green, letting myself observe her life. I listen to what happens in my body, asking where I feel tension, noticing where any pain resides, and often quietly releasing tears as my body softens next to her.

Grieving these losses may seem silly, but by investing in our relationship with the life of our plants we experience a profound connectivity to the cycles of growth and decline they experience. As light wanes in the winter, the winter solstice provides a moment of relief as life hovers over the threshold of darkness, and then shifts toward the light. The solstice brings us the promise that life will return in the midst of the pain that colors the darkest days.

Allowing ourselves to freely feel joy and sorrow about our gardens and our house plants plays a significant role in shifting our social attitudes and relationships with each other and with the world.

elements of mistletoe stem from the belief that it lives between worlds, never touching the earth, suspended between realms.

Holly Another evergreen of protection, holly’s spiky bristles are believed to repel unwanted spirits. Holly is sacred to Holle, the Germanic underworld goddess, and symbolizes everlasting life, goodwill, and potent life energy. Its red berries represent feminine blood. Together, mistletoe and holly represent the Sacred Marriage at the winter solstice with the rebirth of the Sun. Ivy Ivy is an evergreen symbol of immortality and resurrection, growing in a spiral to remind us of reincarnation and rebirth. Sacred to Osiris, because his death and resurrection were a central theme in Egyptian religion. Sacred also to Dionysys, god of vegetation, blossoming and the Return of Spring.

Sources Snowber, Celeste. “An Ecology of the Body” in Embodied Inquiry: Writing, Living, and Being Through the Body.

Sense Publishers, 2016.

The winter months are certainly not all doom and gloom for our beloved plants, though. One way to preserve the life of your plants in winter is to take a small clipping of the plant and place it in a glass of water. Then, be sure to put the clipping in a place where it will receive significant daylight (or you can use a grow light to provide even more light in the winter months). In a few days or a week, you will start to see roots emerge in the water. Once a substantial root system has formed, you can transfer the plant into new soil. Make sure you research which soil will be best for the baby plant that you are propagating before you perform the transplant.

If you are hesitant to perform the precarious act of propagating plants, you can also invite the inclusion of winter plants into your home. There are, in fact, many wondrous plants that thrive in colder seasons, most of which you will recognize in festive settings. Mistletoe, Ivy, and Holly are a few such plants, and below you will find descriptions of the mystical characteristics of these beauties.

Mistletoe Most of us recognize mistletoe as a plant that symbolizes passion and its invitation to bestow affection. Mistletoe is also a healer and protector, though, offering courage and endurance. In ancient lore, the plant was always delicately cut to make sure it never touched earth. The magical

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36 | Winter 2021

Seasonal Poetry

c

hilly evenings

announce the season’s cold edge out just north of town

by Patrick Harvey the starlight appears sharper bits of ice and diamond

e

under a blanket arly winter sunset

after a clear blue day violet horizon broken by a skyline sparkling with office lights quickstep of holidays marching out of darkness into a new year promising something more chilly evenings

made of the remains of fall life slows to nothing winter mushrooms take refuge waiting for just their moment steel gray afternoon brittle grass under cold feet challenging this wind season of simplicity nothing extra meets the eye black and white landscape bare trees casting long shadows pointing to my door

n

ew growth spring and summer

rewards of the harvest each have their own moments then circle out of view in winter the earth rests harvesting the fallen to make new beginnings feeding winter mushrooms and hoarding hope for spring

back turned to a cold north wind hurrying home to supper kitchen in winter rich scent of mushrooms and herbs fogging the windows a frozen afternoon with warm stew and a crust of bread this day is for cold spring barely a rumor spread by the old folks today we warm ourselves with the plain pleasures of winter under our blankets winter drifts slowly away into dreams of spring

Images created by Irani and Daouma Jeong from the Noun Project

planting in the ground renewed by all we lost in the fall Cultivate SA | 37

Planting New Year Resolutions with Seed Paper

by Victoria Hill As we wrap up 2021 and look forward to 2022, there are many New Year’s Eve traditions celebrated by those that follow the Gregorian calendar. Many New Year’s Eve traditions focus on family, friends and food.

Some notable food-focused traditions include eating beans for money, pork for luck, or grapes for prosperity. We plan parties or get-togethers that are small and intimate or large and include our communities.

Making New Year’s resolutions is also a well-known tradition. We set goals, make promises, and write down our hopes and dreams for the coming year. This year, you could begin a new tradition by planting your New Year’s resolutions using seed paper.

What exactly is seed paper? It is paper and note cards with flower, vegetable, or herb seeds blended into the paper. Seed paper is created by adding seeds to paper pulp and then spreading the pulp onto a screen to get rid of the moisture and let it dry.

You can purchase the paper online or from a local nursery if available.

Using seed paper is a way to grow a beautiful garden and to improve our environment. Once planted, the paper

38 | Winter 2021

breaks down, and as your plants grow it becomes compost in your planter or garden. You are also growing plants that provide food for the bees and butterflies or for you and your family.

This new tradition could be something the whole family participates in, from school-age children to adults. While there are prepared seed paper options available, getting creative gives you even more opportunity to involve the whole family. For example, small children can glue seeds to wrapping paper and you could use that as your seed paper. You could write a word or draw a shape on the paper and let the children use the writing as their guide to glue seeds to the paper.

Using larger seeds for little fingers to work with, such as sunflower seeds, is recommended. For very small seeds,

you tend to your garden and watch your plants grow, you are reminded of your resolutions. This is a great way to stay mindful about our goals and hopes and dreams for the New Year.

you could cut little squares and glue the seeds to them for easier handling.

You are recycling the wrapping paper and planting if you go this route.

Whether you choose to purchase or make seed paper, this is a purposeful and exciting way to begin a new tradition that both helps our environment by recycling, improving the soil, providing food sources to bees and butterflies, and gives us a visual reminder of our resolutions as we watch our plants grow.

If you are interested in making your own seed paper, there are many videos and blogs that can help you through the process. You could also buy the seed paper and plant with your family or friends when the weather permits after the New Year.

Should you decide to begin this new tradition, you will need a few items to get started. You will need to purchase or make your seed paper. You will need a planter or prepared spot in your yard to plant the paper once you have written down all of your resolutions. If you use a planter, you will need soil for the container as well.

You can write your list of resolutions on one piece of paper or if you have more than one resolution, split your resolutions up on multiple pieces of paper. Once planted, you will need to water the area well to ensure you have saturated the soil but that there is no standing water. You will need to make sure the area stays damp but not soaked until your seeds sprout. As

Cultivate SA | 39

Food Insecurity: Its Promises and Problems* What is it and what does it mean?

Food Insecurity is a concept developed and measured by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). It is “the condition assessed in the food security survey and represented in USDA food security reports” of having “limited or uncertain access to adequate food.” Four categories measure food security: high and marginal food security and low and very low food security.

“We were worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more.”

Once each year, about 50,000 households and individuals are presented with a series of statements about food security, food expenditures, and use of food and nutrition assistance programs. Respondents are asked to rate if a statement is often true, never true, or sometimes true for them. Those reporting three or more conditions indicating food insecurity are classified as “food insecure.” That

13%

10%

OF

SAN ANTONIO, OR

375 THOUSAND

OF AMERICANS, OR

35 MILLION

people

people

14%

25%

4.1 MILLION

2 BILLION

OF THE WORLD, OR

OF TEXANS, OR

people

people

“The food we bought just didn’t last, and we didn’t have money to buy more.”

is, over the surveyed year, they were at times unable to acquire adequate food for one or more household members because they had insufficient money or resources for food.

The USDA measures food security in the United States and globally.

In the United States, the USDA has several programs that help people access food insecurity. These

programs include Child Nutrition Programs, Food and Nutrition Assistance Programs, the WIC Program, and the SNAP Program. Globally, the US responds to food insecurity through international food aid programs that support agricultural programs in over 80 countries.

*This graphic article was written as a collaboration by Clemson University’s Visual Information Design interns and Cultivate San Antonio staff. See pg. 34 for more details.

40 | Winter 2021

Who Does It Affect?

Cultivate History & Awareness

In the United States, food insecurity mostly affects Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), who lack access to calorie dense and nutritious food. Outside the U.S., people in developing countries in Sub-saharan Africa, North Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia also experience food insecurity.

While BIPOC experiences the highest rates of food insecurity, they are also affected by global food policy and practices in the United States and abroad. In the United States and Texas, underpaid immigrants make up a majority of farmworkers who are paid low wages under harsh and unsafe working conditions. The 2019 report “Sowing Justice, Harvesting Despair” describes the exploitation of migrant workers in France, Spain, Italy and Morroco.

Number of additional food-insecure people due to COVID-19 GDP shock < 250 thousand 251-500 thousand 501 thousand-1 million 1.01-5 million > 5 million Other countries

What are its problems?

Prevalence of food insecurity by selected household characteristics 2020

All households Household Composition With Children <18 With Children <6 No Children <18 Married couple with children Single women with children Single men with children Household with elderly Elderly living alone Race/ethnicity of household White non-Hispanic Black non-Hispanic Hispanic Other non-Hispanic

0

10

20

30

Percent of households

40

Food sovereignty movements critique the global industrial system of mass food production, which is controlled by powerful corporations and government entities, including the USDA and its global programs. These entities encourage the industrial production of crops that are manufactured into unhealthy and processed foods.

Further, the industrial food system relies on fossil fuels, devastates local ecosystems, and contributes to greenhouse gases. Alternatively, food systems in other continents still value small farmers. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, 33% of global food is produced by small farmers who use only 12% of agricultural land. The International Peasants Movement (La Via Campesina) advocates for peasant farmers and agroecology, which puts sustainable farming into the hands of local farmers.

Cultivate SA | 41

Long-Term Effects of Food Insecurity Possible complications from food insecurity in both children and adults can include

Poor Sleep

Mental Stress

Decreased Nutrients

Heart Problems

Diabetes

Obesity

FOOD JUSTICE IN NUMBERS

Effects on the Environment

42 | Winter 2021

15,500 10,525 IN THE STATE OF TEXAS

The long-term effects of global food policy are also devastating for the environment. The USDA attempts to mitigate the effects of food insecurity by providing subsidies to farmers and installing farms in other countries, but the consequences of these farms can exacerbate the problem by focusing on single-type crops such as soy and wheat which disrupt habitats and deplete land that could be used for more nutritious plants.

Food sovereignty movements such as the International Peasant movement demonstrate that the global food system contributes to 44-57 percent of greenhouse gas emissions from deforestation, agriculture, processing, packaging, retail, transportation, refrigeration, and waste.

Fast and processed food is cheaper and easier to access and consume than cooking from scratch, and people in food deserts have little access to fresh and nutritious food due to a lack of grocery stores with fresh produce. Food swamps contribute to the problem in impoverished populations in historically underserved neighborhoods by continuing to concentrate unhealthy fast food options in these communities. District 3, in the Southside of San Antonio, for example, lacks grocery stores with fresh fruits and vegetables, has a high concentration of fast food chains, and has some of the highest diabetes rates in the city.

VS PEOPLE PER GROCERY STORE

195

PEOPLE PER LIQUOR STORE

16,667

VS FARMERS MARKETS

FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS

Low Access Areas and How to Help

Eat less meat!

Support BIPOC Businesses!

Census tracts with low income and low access to food by census tract, 2016

Volunteer at your local food banks and/or your local community garden!

Write to or call your elected officials about food policies!

$

Donate to Feeding America or your local food bank!

What is being done?

In response to the limitations of food security policy and global initiatives, local food justice and sovereignty movements seek to grow local and seasonal produce using sustainable methods. They also work to educate about nutrition and serve historically underserved populations.

Did you know?

A single arable acre of land can produce 165 lbs of meat. That same acre of land could also produce 20,000 lbs. of potatoes. 40 percent of grain crops all over the world go into feeding livestock and fish. If those grains were used to feed humans instead, we could relieve chronic hunger from 925 million people! By eating less meat, in just 15 years, it could make grains more affordable for the most marginalized people in the developing world and enable a more sustainable cycle of food production.

Cultivate SA | 43

Sources Bird, Eleanor. “Food Insecurity in the US increasingly linked to obesity.”

Medical News Today. 2020.

“Food Security in the U.S.” Economic Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture.”

“City Council is Tackling Food Deserts

by Increasing Access to Fresh Fruit, Vegetables.” KSAT News. 2020.

“Grocery Store Density.” Healthy North Texas. 2021.

“Cutting Back on Meat Consumption Could Help End Hunger by 2030: Experts.” Huff Post. 2015.

Household Food Security in the United States in 2020.” Economic Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture.”

D. Fang et. al. “The Association Between Food Insecurity and Mental Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” BMC Public Health. 2021

“International Food Security Assessment.” United States Department of Agriculture: Economic Research Service. 2020.

Draftz, Lauren. “Food Insecurity and Poverty Rates Improve to Pre-Recession Levels in 2018, but 1 in 9 People are Still at Risk of Hunger.” 2019.

Feeding America.

Lakhani, Nina. “Meet the Workers who Put Food on America’s Tables - but Can’t Afford Groceries.” The Guardian. 2021.

“Farmers Market List.” Texas A&M Agrilife Extension. 2021.

“La Via Campesina in Action for Climate Justice.” 2018. La Via Campesina.

“Food Security.” Food and Nutrition, Topics, United States Department of Agriculture.

Le, Thi. “Fast Food Restaurants in the US.” IBIS World. 2021.

“Liquor Store Density by State.”

Marathon Strategies. 2014.

“Small Family Farmers Produce a Third of the World’s Food.” Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 2021.

Smith, Jake. “8 Best Ways to Combat Food Insecurity in your Community.”

2020.

“Sowing Injustice, Harvesting Despair: Abuse and Exploitation of Foreign Agricultural Workers.”

European Coordination Via Campesina.

“Understanding the Connections: Food Insecurity and Obesity.” Food Research and Action Center. 2015.

Williams, Nikesha Elise. “8 Ways We Can Actually Increase Food Access Nationwide.” Self. 2021.

The Food Insecurity graphic article reflects the collaboration between Clemson University’s Visual Information Design interns and Cultivate San Antonio staff.

The interns met with staff, conceived of an article layout, and did research to create the graphics. They also met with Cultivate staff to ensure the graphics fit the research of the body text which was written collaboratively by Cultivate Staff.

A special thanks to the Visual Information Design interns, who took the lead on this project and includes: •

Lily Bui

•

Morgan Schumaker

Thank you to the supporting interns: •

Allison Sudlow

•

Salvatore Costanzo

All four interns also helped develop the magazine design. Together, they picked our new colors, designed logos, and created our new Brand Guidelines. We look forward to continued collaboration with the interns. Thank you, interns! We appreciate you!

44 | Winter 2021

2022 FOOD & NATURE EDUCATION CONFERENCE

FOOD SYSTEMS SOCIAL PRE-CONFERENCE EVENT AIMED AT COALESCING AND POLLINATING WITHIN THE FOOD SYSTEM! PANEL ON COLLECTIVE IMPACT W/ UP PARTNERSHIP UPDATES ON FOOD POLICY IN SAN ANTONO When: January 13, 2022 from 5p - 7p CST Where: Pharm Table - 611 S Presa St Suite 106, SA, TX 78205 Event Registration: www.gardopiagardens.org

SPONSORS

Cultivate SA | 45

Cultivate Wellness

Mental Health Chat Kendalle Wexler, MS, LMFT-Associate, talks healing through social connection in the garden.

46 | Winter 2021

Gardening promotes positive mental health outcomes and aspects of overall well-being. While there are numerous reasons for these healing effects, we’re going to focus on one that has been highlighted in recent research: social connection. Social connection is broadly defined as feelings of closeness with beings other than yourself.

You may still be wondering how social connection and gardening are tied. Think of gardening like networking. If you garden with friends, family, or community members a social connection network is formed from the experience. This is not just exclusive to people though. Plants, animals, and insects in the garden are part of this networking too! Let’s explore the health benefits of social connection networking in the garden through a three part lens: biologically, psychologically, and socially (also known as a biopsychosocial model).

The Biological Lens Biologically, gardening has a healing effect on our brain chemistry. For example, mental health disorders such as depression and dementia are associated with neurological inflammation of certain genetic markers. The more inflamed these markers become, the more severe the symptoms follow. In a 2021 study researching the correlation between social connectedness in gardening and these markers, researchers found that one such marker (known as IL-6) became less inflamed over the course of 6 months when participants had increased levels of social connection through gardening (Ng, et. al, 2021).

These individuals reported experiencing decreased negative health symptoms and increased feelings of overall wellness.

The Psychological Lens Psychologically, gardening increases positive emotions through social interactions. This is supported by another study published in 2021 that analyzed the impact of individuals’ participation in community gardens on their sustained well-being. In interviews

conducted at the end of the study, all participants reported higher levels of positive emotions in comparison to their interview responses at the beginning of the study. Based on these interviews, it appears the boost in positive emotions resulted from garden based learning opportunities, active participation in nurturing life, and connection to others through shared and individual responsibilities in the garden (Suto, Smith, Damiano, & Channe, 2021).

The presence of positive emotions is also biologically tied to the reduction of inflammation in the brain discussed

above. Are you starting to see the ongoing connection between the biological and psychological? Let’s keep going to see how the social lens ties in.

The Social Lens Socially, gardening provides many opportunities for connection. This is especially true in community gardens, which foster a sense of belonging through the social connection network created. In this network, everyone plays a role that holds value in the success of the garden, which increases feelings of belong-

ing. Whether you’re there to water the plants, plant seeds, feed the chickens, or to just be present in the garden, you are connected in the network. As discussed above, this is not limited to connections between people, but to all living creatures in the garden— plants, animals, and insects are all important members of this network.

The great part about this finding is that gardening caters to individuals’ own pacing with the type of connection they feel most comfortable with (Suto, Smith, Damiano, & Channe, 2021).

Some people thrive off talking to other people, while others may experience discomfort with those social interactions and prefer to connect with animals. You get to set your own pace of social engagement. Whichever pace you choose, the healing effects will follow.

Growing Your Social Connection Network From this biopsychosocial lens, we see that social connection is a healing force intrinsically tied to gardening in any setting. Social connection can be hard to come by at times, especially when Covid has a say in matters. If you’re feeling a need to connect or are interested in increasing coping resources to improve your mental health, consider getting to know your local gardens and adding them to your networks of support.

Sources Ng, T. K. S., Gan, D. R. Y., Mahendran, R., Kua, E. H., & Ho, R. C.-M. (2021).

Social connectedness as a mediator for horticultural therapy’s biological effect on community-dwelling older adults: Secondary analyses of a randomized controlled trial. Social Science & Medicine, 284.

Suto, M. J., Smith, S., Damiano, N., & Channel, S. (2021). Participation in community gardening: Sowing the seeds of well-being. Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy / Revue Canadienne D’Ergothérapie, 88(2), 142–152.

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What’s the Deal with Teacup Pigs?

by Allison Harrison

Pigs are having a moment in the spotlight. Instagram accounts like pickle.the.pig and cutest_pigs share images of adorable piglets and interact with thousands of followers a week. Heck—you’ve maybe even seen a pig or two at your local farmer’s market or out on a hiking trail.

There’s no denying these pigs have a certain charm. After all, millions of people around the world love Ms. Piggy and her sassy attitude. As you’ll find below, it turns out that real-life pigs have big attitudes, too.

But before you hoof it to the nearest pig sanctuary, let’s find out the deal with all these pigs and discover the truth about so-called teacup piglets.

Teacup Pigs... Aren’t Really A Thing

Anyone claiming to have a teacup pig doesn’t have a special small breed. The truth is, there is no such thing as a teacup pig. Breeders use this term to drum up interest in piglets under the false pretense that the animals will stay small. Sure, a twenty-pound pig sounds great, but the reality isn’t so adorable. Grown “teacup” pigs are actually malnourished in order to keep them small and marketable.

Mini-pigs are classified as any breed that’s 300 pounds and under. People often think that when they get a mini-pig such as a potbelly pig, their animal will stay piglet-sized.

However, when fed a normal diet, many of these animals grow well 48 | Winter 2021

over 100 pounds. When pigs’ diets are restricted in an unhealthy manner, they may stay small, but they won’t be at a natural, healthy weight. On the other hand, pigs are prone to overeating so it’s important to monitor their diets closely. Overweight pigs can develop arthritis, back issues, and a condition called fat blindness.

If you’re not ready to take care of a large animal, a pig is not for you.

Pigs Require Specific Care (And Are Costly) Choosing to adopt a pig is a huge responsibility. You wouldn’t adopt a new puppy without a plan to care for it properly, and the decision to add a pig to your home is no different. In fact, pigs can be as destructive as a new puppy, and they live for much longer than an average dog. Potbelly pigs can live for up to 18 years, and larger breeds may live for as long as 35 years. If you’re considering getting a house pig, research the animal’s lifespan and plan accordingly.

Feed them too little, and they’ll starve and begin raiding your pantry. Feed them too much and they’ll become obese, leading to the health problems mentioned above. Between the costs of feeding a pig and veterinarian bills, it can be expensive to have a pet pig.

And if you’re thinking you won’t need to spay or neuter your pig because there aren’t any other cuties on the

block, think again. Pigs get territorial and can exhibit unpleasant behavior when they’re looking for a mate.

This can include headbutting and humping other animals or humans.

However, if you’re prepared to take your pig to the vet semi-regularly, you don’t mind a housemate who eats more than a teenager, and you’ve pig-proofed your house, then you can form a special companionship with a pet pig. But don’t put “small” or “teacup” in its Instagram account, because your pig will grow quickly, and that’s sure to confuse and mislead its followers.

Cultivate Tips & Tricks you least expect it.” Pigs are smart, lovable, and great pets for the right people.

There Aren’t Enough Sanctuaries Because pigs aren’t as easy to care for as many people think and because they don’t stay teacup size, many people abandon their pigs within two years. Fortunately, there are kind souls committed to running pig sanctuaries, such as the folks at Central Texas Pig Rescue.

However, due to the cost of feeding abandoned pigs, many of these sanctuaries struggle to keep up with the numbers of animals dropped off at their doors. According to the Central Texas Pig Rescue website, their “vision of rescuing a few pigs was soon overshadowed by an endless flow of owner surrender requests, shelters with pigs dumped, and rescuers all over the country in desperate need to place a pig.”

If you’re thinking about getting a pig because you can dump it at a sanctuary if it turns out to be too much trouble, then you should stop now.

Instead, donate the money you’ve set aside to a pig rescue.

If you do decide to adopt a pig, then by all means start that Instagram account. Just use it to educate others about the realities of caring for pigs, and not to make it look more glamorous than it really is.

Donate to a local sanctuary, foster a pig, or do your research and come to the conclusion that you are ready to take on a new, voracious companion.

As Ms. Piggy once said, “Love is where

What Can You Do? If you’re thinking, yeah no, this sounds like a way bigger responsibility than I’m prepared for, then you can still help in other ways. Tell your friends about the realities of “teacup” pigs, and educate anyone who will listen.

Combat misinformation with facts.

Support your friends who do own pigs by babysitting their companions when they need a break.

If you’re looking to adopt, check out Triple P Sanctuary, Maggy’s Piggy Friends: Adoption and Rehome, or Chicagoland Pig Rescue.

Already Have a Pig? Send us an image at cultivate@cultivate. com and we might include your image in an upcoming issue of Cultivate San Antonio!

Check out my favorite pig on Instagram @scarlett.johamson

Cultivate SA | 49

50 | Winter 2021

Creating a Garden Edge

by Jeremy and Amanda Batsche

@sanantoniogardening

Mulch spilling over the gravel walkway, Bermuda grass creeping into the vegetable bed threatening to choke the tomatoes, and gravel walkways swept away by running water create a feeling of chaos in the garden that is not sustainable.

The overwhelm can quickly set in, leaving one to abandon their project altogether.

Creating order by defining garden spaces and boundaries helps to establish a structure that allows both garden and gardener to thrive. Such structure is often formed by creating garden edges. Edges define space and organize gardens. They create tidy yet cohesive garden spaces that minimize maintenance and make gardening an achievable endeavor.

Most importantly, a thoughtfully integrated and neatly organized space contributes to how a person feels while in their garden. Rather than being a place of stress and work, the garden becomes an inviting and

engaging place of peace with positive energy.

decision to use these edges.

A garden edge does not have to be the edging you find in your local garden and home improvement store. A garden edge can be unique to garden and gardener. There are many different styles, materials, and situations to consider when installing garden edges. The options in creating a garden edge are almost endless and can be a great way to exercise your creativity.

Metal edging is what people traditionally think of when it comes to garden edging, and the first edging I installed in my garden was a metal edge that defined the small chunk of space between the sidewalk and street in front of my house. I used something similar to a prefabricated steel edging you can find at a home improvement and gardening store. My purpose was to create a low maintenance garden the did not require a lot of gardening, so I designed a crushed granite xeriscape with native plants like feather grasses, mountain laurel, lantana, and a few varieties of cactus.

When it came to deciding on a garden edge, I needed something thin that would keep the gravel from washing down the street during heavy rainfall.

I also liked the aesthetic of the sharp and square corners and edges. It may not be the best edging with young

To plan a garden edge, it is helpful to begin with purpose and vision.

This will help to narrow the materials you need to create your garden edge. Factors like budget, safety, and function will also influence your decisions. These factors can inspire rather than limit your creative potential. There are a few different types of edging that I have used in my garden.

Structure and purpose, followed by safety and budget, influenced my

Traditional Metal Edge

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kids running around (as evidenced by my wife’s near heart attacks when the boys are playing near this space), but in spite of its sharp edges, it works well to contain the gravel, and I sure do love the way it looks.

Trenching Edge Another edging method is the trenching method. When you have a space that has some kind of root structure (in my case, my grass lawn) to hold the soil in place, you can create a trench to build an edge. To create a trench, use a spade shovel or step edger to cut into the ground. Then, scoop out the soil on one side to create the separated garden space. I used a step edger to create my trench. A step edger is preferable because it is a perfectly thin flat shovel you step on to get the desired depth in order to place your edging material.

The trenching edge has worked well between my lawn and garden beds.

Although this trench has helped with maintenance by preventing the grass from spreading into my garden beds too quickly, it does not eliminate all maintenance. Keeping the lawn trimmed back is still necessary to keep my lawn from creeping in and taking over the beds, but the edge, along with plenty of mulch, sure does help. It creates a separation that keeps the Bermuda grass from crawling into

my garden beds while also eliminating the hazard of someone (like my kids) stepping on a sharp material, like thin metal or stone. I also love the way it looks; the contrast from the green grass to the mulched bed is striking.

Creative Edge While I am not currently using other types of edging materials outside of wood, stone, and prefabricated metal, there are many more to choose from.

You can get creative by using wine bottles, repurposed plastic made into edging strips, logs, and a limitless amount of other repurposed materials. The options are endless and depend on purpose, budget, personal style, and aesthetic

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Getting Started After deciding on your type of edge, it is time to get started. Some edging shapes can be inspired by simply using the lines and boundaries already provided by sidewalks and curbs. Other edges are not so straightforward. For example, I did not use established or natural boundaries to edge my garden beds and instead created my own edges. To decide on the edge shape, I first traced it out, which helped me to visualize and play with the shape before committing to installing the edge.

You could do this with an extension cord or garden hose or even pen and paper. The idea is to visualize the edge before installing it. Keep in mind that edging style depends on personal taste. For some, long, drawn-out curves are more visually appealing than short, wavy curves.

However, others may find appeal in more textured edges.

Once you have your lines traced, you can begin installing your edge.

As you install, keep in mind your purpose. More often than not, an edge separates materials, such as a gravel walkway and a lawn. In this case, your edging material needs to be three to six inches into the ground to prevent roots from reaching under the gravel, as well as to ensure the edge is high enough above the top of the grade (or top of the soil) to keep gravel out of the grass. What you have above grade depends on the material that needs to be retained, or the visual effect the gardener is trying to achieve. For example, with my gravel walkway, I need the edge to be about an inch above grade to keep the gravel within the edge. Some gardeners may like the aesthetic of a material and place it higher than functionally necessary. That is when design goes beyond function, and is a fun way to get creative.

the case for me, nor is it realistic for most people. I am a busy dad and fortunate to have a job and many responsibilities outside my garden that make it hard to keep things tidy on a daily basis. That said, my garden is a living part of my family. With so many materials to choose from, it is nice to know I can be creative and achieve a garden edge unique to my

family, space, and budget. Putting a bit more thought and effort into installing a garden edge reduces the overwhelm of an overgrown garden and helps to tame aggressive plants.

Thoughtful edges can be fulfilling acts of self expression that not only meet your needs but also enhance your gardening longevity and experience.

If I had my preferred unlimited time in my garden, a garden edge would not be as necessary because I could be there to keep mulch out of the lawn, the lawn out of the beds, and the rocks on the path. But that is not Cultivate SA | 53

Foraging, Growing, & Cooking Mushrooms

by Megan Lowder

M

ushrooms are an excellent source of vitamin D, have wonderful health benefits, a decent shelf life and can be prepared in many ways.

Mushrooms can be purchased from a local mushroom grower, grown with a kit or foraged in natural areas near you. Read on for tips about, foraging, growing and cooking mushrooms.

San Antonio’s natural areas offer a variety of edible mushrooms that can be foraged seasonally. It is important to note that when foraging for mushrooms, a proper identification must be made by an expert and, even then, should still be approached with caution. Facebook groups such as Texas Mushroom Identification are an excellent resource for learning to identify mushrooms. The admins of the group, such as Jared McRae, have years of experience in identifying mushrooms.

field notes and a set of good pictures.

Proper ID requires information on where the mushroom is growing, what it is growing on, and detailed pictures of the mushroom. In order to get a proper identification of a mushroom you must learn to take a good picture of the mushroom.

You will need pictures of the top, the side and most importantly the bottom of the mushroom. The Central Texas Mycology website offers more tips on how to capture the perfect picture to best help with identifying a mushroom.

Mushroom identification

re q u i re s an abundance of knowledge that cannot be accomplished through research alone. It requires field experience as well. Through the mushroom walks held by Central Texas Mycology, participants can gain the knowledge and field experience it takes to learn about sustainable foraging and conservation of natural spaces that grow fungi. Andrew Denny and Jared McRae lead mushroom walks in San Antonio to teach the community how to identify wild mushrooms.

Sam the Fungi and Angel Schatz lead mushroom walks in the San Marcos and Austin area as well. To find out about a mushroom walk near you, follow Central Texas Mycology and South Texas Seasonals on Facebook and Instagram.

To identify mushrooms, you need

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Foraging

instills a curiosity about plant and animal life that can only be tamed with research.

Foragers become citizen scientists that become close observers of the ecosystem. There’s something about eating a plant or a fungus that you didn’t have to tend to that gets you looking at your ecosystem differently. From a forager’s perspective, a patch of weeds turns into an abundance of medicine that, without stewardship, will be suffocated by invasive species. Our natural areas promise a plethora of potential that is being paved over. At the rate of development San Antonio is experiencing, we may never know what native medicinal species

Mixed mushroom box with gold, pink, snow and gold oysters with special foraged chicken of the woods

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were exterminated by strip malls and apartment buildings. Central Texas Mycology aims to bring awareness to these natural spaces by encouraging sustainable foraging of fungi and tackling mycophobia through education.

Foraging is an educational way to get outside and learn about your native ecosystem and the importance of conservation. Though, the safest way to ensure that you have a mushroom that is absolutely safe for consumption is to grow your own.

Growing

mushrooms at home requires you to purchase a kit or mix box. San Antonio’s local source for fresh mushrooms and mushroom kits is South Texas Seasonals in Elmendorf, just thirty minutes south of downtown San Antonio. They offer contactless home delivery and orders can be made through their social media. South Texas Seasonals offers a variety of kits including reishi and lion’s mane as well as gold, pink and Italian oysters. Kits are easy and fun to grow at home. Each kit comes with a specific set of instructions on how to properly fruit your mushroom kit.

However, it is good to know what type of kit you should purchase based on the requirements the kits need to grow.

Some kits require less maintenance than others. Reishi kits grow in the bag so they require little maintenance.

They just need ambient light and to remain at room temperature. Like all mushroom grow kits, reishi kits should not be exposed to any heat. Reishi kits are slow growers, while oysters and lion’s mane kits fruit fast. You can watch them grow bigger every day. The process you witness is fun, simple and educational. For the oyster or lion’s mane kits, simply cut an “x” shaped slip in the side of the bag, release the air and fold the top under

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the block. Place the kit slit side up into a clean plastic tote and mist two to three times daily. Make sure the indoor temperature is consistently at room temperature and you are regularly misting. In a week or two, you’ll be able to harvest and cook mushrooms in your own home. After harvesting, store in a paper bag in the refrigerator for one or two weeks. For best results, plan to prepare a dish after harvesting.

Second fruit can occur after the first harvest if you continue misting the slit regularly. After one or two fruits you can use the block as a spawn or toss it.

To dispose of the block, simply crush the contents and bury the chunks in your garden. Keep an eye on the area where you disposed of the block. The substrate can continuously fruit in the garden, especially if it is buried in mulch or straw. Burying the crushed blocks also adds beneficial mycelium to your garden. The mycelium creates a network in the soil that allows plants to communicate and flourish.

Prepping and cooking

mushrooms can take place in many ways. Joshua Schwencke from Gastronomy Live Events takes pride in preparing artistic dishes with ingredients that were harvested sustainably

From left to right Megan Lowder, Andrew Denny, Jared McRae, Angel Schatz, Sam the Fungi at the Chicken of the Woods walk

Andrew Denny from South Texas Seasonals taking pictures

and cultivated locally. Schwenke’s says, Mushrooms add their own beautiful flavor to cooking while being an amazing vessel to hold onto fats, salts, and sweetness from other ingredients. Cooking mushrooms with a compound butter made from salted, good quality butter mixed with fresh herbs gives any culinary mushroom what it needs to carry that flavor through the rest of the dish. The trick is to not add bold, extremely strong flavors when cooking mushrooms as to not take away from their delicate, sweet and sometimes nutty flavor profile.

The versatility of mushrooms serves many purposes when added to a dish.

It can be marinated to substitute a meat dish or added to any dish to complement flavors. In fact, mushrooms make fantastic meat substitutes because of their dense, meaty texture and their ability to soak up flavor quickly. Many of the meat substitutes available are soy based products that contain a surplus of ingredients. Soy is farmed using unsustainable agriculture methods; it is a monoculture that requires the excessive use of herbicides and pesticides to be produced.

Using mushrooms as a meat substitute is a more sustainable option because it uses waste products as substrate and can be produced locally and organically without the use of chemicals to facilitate growth.

Mushrooms can be prepared in many different ways. Often they are sauted or added to a soup, but they can also be candied, dehydrated, and powdered.

Their versatility adds to their growing popularity in meat substitution culture.

Angel Schatz, an active member of Central Texas Mycology, loves to forage and use mushrooms in her cooking.

Preparing mushrooms and practicing sustainable cooking is about experimenting with local ingredients that are seasonally available. Angel suggests the best way to prepare mushrooms is to first blanch them by adding water to the hot pan. Mushrooms are porous

and will absorb whatever you add first to the pan. Blanching mushrooms before cooking is helpful for all types of mushrooms because it breaks down the sugars. After blanching, the mushroom can be seasoned and marinated for a more intense flavor.

After marinating, the mushroom can be sauted, baked, fried or dehydrated just as meat would. A recipe Angel has experimented with is oyster jerky.

The oyster mushroom is blanched, seasoned and dehydrated to create a texture and taste similar to that of beef jerky. This makes for a wonderful trail snack while foraging.

Mushrooms have the ability to change our culture through the culture of our food. Foraging fuels an interest in mushroom identification that promotes a passion for protection of natural areas in our community.

When awareness is brought to the potential of natural areas, it provokes questions about the sourcing of our food. Central Texas Mycology, South Texas Seasonals, and Gastronomy Live Events work together to educate the community and end mycophobia. Like the mycelium in our soil, mushrooms create a network of people that have found a purpose in advocating for a sustainable future through food. Making mushrooms into a meal that tastes amazing is what fuels the passion behind the purpose.

Growing your own food and seeing weeds as medicine and fungus as food is what contributes to a cultural shift in our food system. What’s good for the planet, is good for the people.

Lion’s Mane mushroom kit from South Texas Season-

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Call The Landscape Cooperative (210) 988-8290 Cultivate SA | Summer 2021 | 19 58 | Winter 2021

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