Beginning in the fall of 2002, the Sun City Texas Horticulture Club was established by those residents looking for a "critter free" site to grow vegetables, fresh fruits and natural herbs. The community home builder and developer, Del Webb, generously gifted 5.6 acres of property on which to start the neighborhood organic garden. The builder additionally provided monies which were matched by the club members in helping get the venture moving. By the end of 2003, with the help of one hundred forty five men and women, the Charter Club selected the title of Sun City Horticulture Club.
An old home located on property owned by the builder was slated to be demolished and club members suggested that lumber from the demolition be reused. The lumber can be seen in the lovely arbors built by club members in the herb garden area. The original windmill near the old home has been recycled too. Club members are most proud of the windmill that stands as a tall sentry at the front gate. The Chicago built Aermotor A/702 was completely disassembled and the windmill tower, fan and motor were then rebuilt and refurbished including re-lettering the dealer's name on the fantail.
The property was actually augmented by around two acres at the time that the builder moved the location of the boulevard in front of the garden areas. Club members constructed the 8 foot high deer-proof fence surrounding the perimeter. The fenced enclosure includes more than 260 elevated garden plots, a vineyard, an orchard, a rainwater recovery setup and barn which stores accessories like wheelbarrows, garden tools, along with other garden necessities. The garden space was initially cleared and leveled by club members combined with installing more than 8,000 feet of water piping from the deep well pump house to provide the garden beds and public areas with individual water plugs.
A questionnaire of club participants shows that the mean age is 68 for both women and men, most people were brought up on a farm or had access to an outdoor garden plot of land as girls and boys, almost all learned how to do some gardening from their own families, grandfather and grandmother or perhaps good friends, liked playing in the garden soil as young kids and never ever outgrew it, and provide a lot of other skills to the garden along with their passion for raising things.
The Horticulture Club has expanded to include new Special Interest Groups that include Beekeeping, Community Outreach, Herb Garden, Nursery, Orchard, Tool Maintenance and Vineyard. There are now two hives of honeybees that not solely pollinate the garden's vegetables and flowers, but will also supply many pounds of bee honey offered by members to support the membership. Community Outreach continues to produce over one ton of fresh all natural fruits and vegetables each year which has been donated to the Caring Place Food Bank and Annunciation Maternity Home. Many hundreds of pounds of vegetables and fruits have also been distributed to Sun City neighbors, friends and relatives.
Some of the Club members are Master Gardeners who have acquired specialized training from the Williamson County Master Gardeners Association. In fact, four of the club members helped to establish the first Master Gardener program in Williamson County in 2007. This organization trains interested persons under the direction of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service (part of the Texas A & M System) to become Certified Master Gardeners. The program is limited to 35 seats and there is always a waiting list.
The Sun City home owners who happen to be Master Gardeners commonly share their know-how with the Club and the community. They are constantly acquiring better ways to increase end production yields of vegetables and fruit, xeriscaping techniques, adapted native annuals & perennials for landscaping, control of insects without the use of insecticides, and instead using organic top dressing and mulch components.
The Nursery Group rescues plants from all over Sun City and nurtures them for resale or use in landscaping around the garden. Twice yearly the Sun City Texas Horticulture Club Nursery Group holds a plant sale as a fundraiser for the club. The Club always has all sorts of annuals, perennials, bearded iris, Texas native plants, vegetables and herbs as well as compost, compost tea and mulch for sale.
With well over four hundred paid members strong, Sun City Texas Horticulture Club welcomes visitors to come have fun in the dirt!
An old home located on property owned by the builder was slated to be demolished and club members suggested that lumber from the demolition be reused. The lumber can be seen in the lovely arbors built by club members in the herb garden area. The original windmill near the old home has been recycled too. Club members are most proud of the windmill that stands as a tall sentry at the front gate. The Chicago built Aermotor A/702 was completely disassembled and the windmill tower, fan and motor were then rebuilt and refurbished including re-lettering the dealer's name on the fantail.
The property was actually augmented by around two acres at the time that the builder moved the location of the boulevard in front of the garden areas. Club members constructed the 8 foot high deer-proof fence surrounding the perimeter. The fenced enclosure includes more than 260 elevated garden plots, a vineyard, an orchard, a rainwater recovery setup and barn which stores accessories like wheelbarrows, garden tools, along with other garden necessities. The garden space was initially cleared and leveled by club members combined with installing more than 8,000 feet of water piping from the deep well pump house to provide the garden beds and public areas with individual water plugs.
A questionnaire of club participants shows that the mean age is 68 for both women and men, most people were brought up on a farm or had access to an outdoor garden plot of land as girls and boys, almost all learned how to do some gardening from their own families, grandfather and grandmother or perhaps good friends, liked playing in the garden soil as young kids and never ever outgrew it, and provide a lot of other skills to the garden along with their passion for raising things.
The Horticulture Club has expanded to include new Special Interest Groups that include Beekeeping, Community Outreach, Herb Garden, Nursery, Orchard, Tool Maintenance and Vineyard. There are now two hives of honeybees that not solely pollinate the garden's vegetables and flowers, but will also supply many pounds of bee honey offered by members to support the membership. Community Outreach continues to produce over one ton of fresh all natural fruits and vegetables each year which has been donated to the Caring Place Food Bank and Annunciation Maternity Home. Many hundreds of pounds of vegetables and fruits have also been distributed to Sun City neighbors, friends and relatives.
Some of the Club members are Master Gardeners who have acquired specialized training from the Williamson County Master Gardeners Association. In fact, four of the club members helped to establish the first Master Gardener program in Williamson County in 2007. This organization trains interested persons under the direction of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service (part of the Texas A & M System) to become Certified Master Gardeners. The program is limited to 35 seats and there is always a waiting list.
The Sun City home owners who happen to be Master Gardeners commonly share their know-how with the Club and the community. They are constantly acquiring better ways to increase end production yields of vegetables and fruit, xeriscaping techniques, adapted native annuals & perennials for landscaping, control of insects without the use of insecticides, and instead using organic top dressing and mulch components.
The Nursery Group rescues plants from all over Sun City and nurtures them for resale or use in landscaping around the garden. Twice yearly the Sun City Texas Horticulture Club Nursery Group holds a plant sale as a fundraiser for the club. The Club always has all sorts of annuals, perennials, bearded iris, Texas native plants, vegetables and herbs as well as compost, compost tea and mulch for sale.
With well over four hundred paid members strong, Sun City Texas Horticulture Club welcomes visitors to come have fun in the dirt!
About the Author:
Before you retire, be certain to examine the Sun City Texas community and explore the multitude of ways to continue to live an exciting life after retirement.
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