Interested in starting your own vegetable garden? Not sure where to start? Ask an experienced farmer for tips and tricks on how to begin and maintain your own garden at the Nature Speaker Series! Quinta Mazatlán World Birding Center is honored to host UTRGV research farmer Stephanie Kasper on Thursday March 3rd from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. for a special presentation on sustainable agriculture and growing food in the Rio Grande Valley.
Stephanie is a research farmer at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley where she studies soil health practices and manages the Hub of Prosperity Farm, established in 2019 for community-facing sustainable agriculture research and education. With agricultural experience at scales ranging from apartment patio to 200-acre ranch, she believes everyone can be involved in creative and sustainable food production solutions. This presentation will discuss strategies for starting and maintaining vegetable gardens under challenging South Texas conditions. Together, we can grow a healthy and resilient Rio Grande Valley, starting in our own yards, patios, and windowsills.
Growing your own food has numerous benefits for the consumer as well as the environment. Creating your garden space can seem a daunting and overwhelming project, but there are many ways to start on a small scale like a single potted plant and work towards a full-fledged garden. The benefits of growing your own food far outweigh the research and labor that a garden requires. The research and labor are considered to be some of the benefits about starting your own garden.
Learning a new skill and tending to a garden improves your mental and physical health. Being outdoors is a natural stress reliever shown to improve mood and the physical work of planting and up keeping a garden helps the body stay active. Growing your own produce is not only rewarding, but will also save money on groceries and encourages the consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. It is a great way to improve your overall health, an opportunity to engage children in healthy eating, and promotes a more sustainable way of life.
Tickets are $5 per person. Pre-purchased tickets recommended. Tickets available for purchase at www.quintamazatlan.ticketleap.com.