Blanca Martinez is Growing Where She Blooms

BY CHRISTY MARTINEZ-GARCIA FOR LATINO LUBBOCK MAGAZINE

Blanca Martinez, a senior at the Talkington School for Girls has grown through her senior project planting a garden for her childhood elementary school - Harwell Elementary in the neighborhood she was raised. She learned more about gardening after volunteering at the South Plains Food Bank Grub Farm, which produces vegetables and fruit for the clients they serve. Whenever a student puts in enough volunteer hours, they are eligible to apply for a paid summer position. The position entails hoeing, weeding, and harvesting the fruits and vegetables planted earlier in the spring. Blanca managed to work two summers there. That experience prompted her to apply her knowledge and skills to her senior project. She first started at the Grub Farm in 2019 - the summer when COVID-19 mandatedthepublic to stay at home. Volunteering at the farm became her outlet to release anxiety.

“It was something wonderful to do during a stressful time,” said the student.

So, when Blanca was deciding on a senior project, she wanted to do something that would be meaningful as well as offer younger students a chance to also appreciate the gardening experience.

“This senior project has taught me a lot about the subject and has made me appreciative of farming. I’m more eager to take it on as a hobby because it’s relaxing,” she said.

Blanca also shared that she was inspired by her father Raymond Martinez and his enjoyment of gardening. Her dad has a garden at home, and she saw it as an opportunity to bond with him before she goes off to college.

“At first he discouraged me from this type of work because of his experiences as a migrant worker,” she was sad for his experience, but also recognized that it relaxed it and that he enjoyed growing vegetables for their family.

“He encourages me to keep going to school and strive for higher education because he was forced to drop out and work as a migrant under bad conditions,” she explained to him that this was a way to make an impact in the community, as well as decompress and relax.

And because she had never connected with agriculture, she said the experience grew into respect for the industry.

“I didn’t realize how much science, patience and understanding it (farming/gardening) takes.”

While she never experienced being a migrant worker it was something she also didn’t understand, but she observed the permanent tan lines on her dad’s arms, as well as the embedded displeasure he had, and aspired to demonstrate the possibilities and how it could be helpful in her mental well-being.

“It’s hard work, but it also helped me develop a better work ethic.”

Most of the time she and the other students work hoeing the field which she said was actually fun and gave her a chance to be outside in nature and really gave her an appreciation of how food is grown.

“We work in the hot sun during the summer because we want to and not because we have to.” She explained that her favorite part of working at the farm is harvesting because she gets to see the fruits of her labor.

Blanca said that workiong on the farm also gave her a chance to make friends including Edward who graduated a year ago; as well as Raenen who is a sophomore in high school. They talk while they worked and shared college preparation info, and other stuff interesting to teens.

Plus, they’re not allowed to have their phones while working, which she didn't mind.

She also said she enjoyed working with the staff including the Grub Farm Manager, Luis Aguirre, who mentored her as she brought her senior project to fruition.

“He’s taught me how to use tools and materials that I had never worked with before.”

To appeal to Harwell’s Gardening Club, which was recently formed, and to give back to her alma mater, she designed a garden in the shape of an “H” for Harwell. The Garden Club who is learning from her will be tending to the garden, and is made up of students from different grades.

With Mr. Aguirre’s guidance, she said they included a waterline to irrigate the garden and make sure they are using water wisely. She added that the South Plains Food Bank farm donated most of the materials. Although they have not planted anything yet, they will be planting vegetable plants so that the students can experience gardening before leaving for summer break.

“They will be planting peppers, tomatoes, squash, and plants that are easy to manage but flourish in this climate,” said Martinez adding that her favorite vegetable to grow is okra because it grows in abundance and is easy to handle. She loves fried okra. She said that during her time at the Grub Farm individuals have come to teach them how to prepare dishes using what they grow.

Blanca has learned so much from the experience and believes that it has helped her to become more disciplined and made her aware of the importance of helping others, especially the impoverished community in the area. She said that her parents have also recognized her growth and said that while her mother Sharon Martinez grows flowers, she has also been very supportive of her personal development.

“Our family lives in the Harwell neighborhood and Blanca grew up there all her life. She attended Harwell Elementary, and the teachers and staff are always in her heart,” said her mother, Sharon.

She further added that Blanca will be attending American University in Washington, D.C., and will major in Political Science.

To learn about volunteering at the Grub Farm visit https://www.spfb. org/farm-orchard-grub