May 2025 Newsletter
Meet A Family of TNGP…
After moving back to Katy from California, Kristin was craving a fresh start and maybe a little redemption, after years of gardening struggles in Arizona and California. Despite the heat, pests, and more failed crops than she cares to admit, she could never quite give up on gardening. Every spring, she felt a nudge to try again. Looking back, she truly believes that was God whispering, "Keep going, there's something waiting to grow." So when she came across The Neighborhood Garden Project, it felt like more than just finding a place to plant; it felt like a divine appointment. Kristin connected with Josh before her move, and once she and her son got settled, they met him at the garden. Whether they were harvesting sweet potatoes or shelling peas (the memory is a little fuzzy but delightfully earthy), they felt instantly at home. The Garden Project welcomed them with open arms, and they jumped right into volunteering. There was something healing about getting their hands in the soil, planting seeds not just in the ground, but in their hearts.
Since then, the garden has become a sacred space for Kristin and her son. They’ve built garden plots from the ground up, grown green beans, carrots, and, what felt like a lifetime supply of radishes. But more than the vegetables, they’ve cultivated community and connection. Kristin feels so aligned with the direction the garden is going, serving others, giving back, and walking alongside people who are each on their own journey. There’s something incredibly faith-affirming about watching people grow together, through shared work and shared purpose. Kristin has learned when to plant, how to harvest, and, more profoundly, how to trust God’s timing. Knowing that the fruits of their labor help support a local senior center adds a layer of meaning that goes far beyond the garden beds. Nearly a year in, she can truly say she’s found more than a place to garden; she’s found peace, purpose, and the kind of growth that starts from within.
The First Fruits
May marks the beginning of harvest season for many of our warm-weather crops. After weeks of careful soil preparation, transplanting, and cultivation, we begin to see the fruit of our labor in the form of tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, eggplant, cucumbers, squash, and zucchini. These crops not only thrive in the increasing heat and longer days of May, but they also share important similarities: they are all rich in vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants, and they each offer unique textures, flavors, and nutritional profiles.
Each crop contributes uniquely to health and wellness. Tomatoes are high in lycopene, known for its cancer-fighting properties. Peppers provide a strong dose of vitamin C and antioxidants that support the immune system. Potatoes, when prepared, are a solid source of potassium and vitamin B6. Squash and zucchini are light, hydrating vegetables rich in vitamins A and C, supporting skin, vision, and immune health.
Among the many crops coming into harvest this May, the Sungold tomato holds a special place in our garden plots and our hearts. These small, golden-orange cherry tomatoes are known for their exceptional sweetness and rich, tropical flavor, often eaten right off the vine by volunteers and visitors alike. Beyond their taste, Sungolds are incredibly productive, offering continuous harvests throughout the warm season. Nutritionally, they’re packed with vitamin C, lycopene, and beta-carotene, supporting immune health and cellular repair. Their bright color is not just beautiful; it’s a sign of their high antioxidant content.
Together, these vegetables offer a spectrum of nourishment that aligns with our mission, not just to grow food but to cultivate well-being, vitality, and connection to the earth. May is more than just harvest season; it’s a physical reminder that growth happens in layers, and the reward is always more than just what ends up on the table. It’s a season that reflects our deeper truth: when we steward the soil with care, when we invest in rhythm and rest, the land responds, and so do we.
Rooted in Restoration: Planting Trees for Generations to Come
We’ve planted new trees at the Katy garden: River Birch, Loblolly Pines, Bald Cypress, and a Willow Oak. These are not just for shade or beauty. They are rooted in purpose, planted with intention, and meant to outlive us. Each one carries a message. The river birch reminds us to be resilient, able to thrive when conditions shift. The loblolly pines reach upward, teaching us to grow tall and steady across time. The bald cypress sends its roots deep and wide, anchoring life in places where others might give way. And the willow oak has been planted like a promise, a future giant that will offer space for generations to gather, to rest, and to become.
Their presence already brings change. These trees will help cool the garden, remove carbon from the air, prevent erosion, and restore balance to the soil and water. They will feed pollinators, host birds, and create new homes for unseen life. Their roots will stabilize the land while their leaves invite the wind to slow down and stay a while. These trees are the beginning of an ecosystem. A quiet answer to prayers we may never hear spoken.
This is not just about trees. It is about legacy. These plantings are a living investment in tomorrow’s Garden Project. They will offer shade for conversations not yet spoken. They will clean the air for generations yet to be born. May those who come after us know that we thought of them. That we planted not just for ourselves but for the flourishing of others.
From Threat to Ally: Rethinking the Wasp Through the Eyes of the Garden
We've come to appreciate the common wasp not as a threat, but as a hard-working partner in our ecosystem. Over the past seasons, we've noticed them building nests behind our front sign and tucked into the dense shrubs that line the garden. While it’s easy to react with fear or discomfort when spotting their papery nests or hearing their buzz, we've learned to observe before we interfere, and what we've seen has shifted our perspective entirely. These wasps are not randomly aggressive; they are focused, purposeful, and deeply invested in maintaining balance in the garden.
We've watched wasps hunt down caterpillars, beetle larvae, and other soft-bodied pests, carrying them back to their nests to feed their developing young. Their constant patrolling has helped protect our tomatoes, peppers, and leafy greens from pest damage, often without us even noticing. While they can become more territorial later in the season, during the main growing months, they are natural pest managers that require no human input. By allowing them to stay where they're not causing harm, we've reduced our need for sprays and encouraged a self-regulating ecosystem. Their presence reminds us that every creature has a role, and sometimes the most feared insects are actually doing some of the most important, unseen work.
In our wider culture, the knee-jerk reaction is to exterminate anything that stings, crawls, or looks aggressive, but the garden teaches a different rhythm. It says, slow down, observe, and learn. Before reacting out of fear or discomfort, we ask: What role does this creature play? Why is it here? What can it teach us about balance and design? What can it teach me about me? In this space, even the wasp becomes a teacher. It reminds us that not everything that unsettles us is dangerous, and that sometimes what we fear is protecting what we’ve planted. This is an invitation to move beyond control and into relationship with the land, with each other, and with the often misunderstood life buzzing all around us.
Sowing into the Garden
As we advance our mission across Texas, please join us in sowing seeds of change to transform lives through the garden. Sowing seeds today will guarantee a plentiful harvest tomorrow.
