This Saturday, we had a workday with students from Texas A&M University-Kingsville.
Dr. David Ruppert is assistant professor of environmental soil science in the department of agriculture, agribusiness, and environmental science at TAMUK. He brought his Soil Fertility students out for a day of work and learning. Dr. Ruppert has been studying and teaching about soil for more than 20 years. We are thrilled that Dr. Ruppert has taken an interest in our farm and the methods we employ to grow healthy soil.
Dr. Ruppert wanted his students to learn about small-scale farming through hands-on experience. The students put in a full day of good work. Among the many tasks the students performed, including companion planting and adding soil amendments, they put down a lot of mulch. To be specific, they placed about four tons of native leaf mulch on our gardens.
This raked-up, bagged leaf mulch was donated to our farm by our good friends in Rockport. With the help of the TAMUK students, we were able to recycle these leaves and put them to good use.
The TAMUK students we met are the future farmers of South Texas. Several of them already work full-time in family farms, and most of them hope to soon find work farming. After spending a day with these students, I know that the future of agriculture is in good hands.
Thank you, Dr. Ruppert and students, for a wonderful day. You improved our farm with your presence. You are welcome back to our place anytime.
That is awesome !! Go Hoggies !!
Patricia Varela
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Hoggies are great workers! We want them back every Saturday! Please enjoy this beautiful day Aunt Pat!
What an exciting day at the farm hosting all these ag students! Hands on is a great teacher. I was especially excited to see the future lady farmers. There’s a long history of women who had to take on the responsibility of the farm and rearing children. Your great great fraternal grandmother was one of these women when she lost her husband. Wishing you good weather, Love Mom
I am so excited to know about the farmers in the family! I told the students that in America, before the arrival of the Europeans, the women did all the farm work! But we all worked together. Thank you so much Mom for your kind words! Please enjoy this beautiful day, I love you Mom!
What a wonderful experience for those young people. There’s nothing “token” about the kind of experience you offer. And l am amazed by all those bags of mulch! Did you have a leaf drive, or is there somewhere in Rockport that collects such things on a regular basis? Whatever the case, it’s good for you, and good for the people who want to move their leaves on down the road!