2019 Summer Internship Reflection

This summer we wanted to try something new, since the summers typically arent the favorite times be working out in the garden. We wanted to create programing within the void of the summer that would allow folks to commit to a two month long, once a week, 3 hr workshop or workday. This would allow us to build upon each weeks previous lesson to really help strengthen confidence in the garden space. We spent the first month looking at the basic understanding and flows in the garden including sun, water, and human flows, and also diving into soil building and regenerative gardening practices. The second month focused on workshops hosted by Dr. Vanessa Quezada of the SanArte Clinic, who really connected the group to listening and identifing information on the plants based off of observation and feeling how it worked in relationship to each person, as well as proper preparation, and dosages and holistic managment. Brittney Benton also shared her knowledge of medicinals that helped our internship grasp a understanding of herbal medicinal healing preparation and processing.

The internship also explored basic research techniques and how to find possible answers to plant identification and uses. The group took the 50 plants available on the SAWS landscape coupon list and identified any protential medicinal and herbal uses. We also spent the last days working on compiling a list of over 100 herbs and medicinals of the South Texas region and what potential healing they can provide. The summer participants also cleared and prepared the ground work for planting medicinals in our garden space for access and usage of members and community volunteers. The work was hard, and hot in the garden but really helped apply some of these practices from paper to the garden.

The group will finish up with a final public workday where we will spend funds provided by Green Spaces Alliance to purchase and plant various medicinals and herbs the internship has identified in their research. We will also be debuting our "Roots of Change Garden and Co-Op, Herbs and Medicinals - Over 100 Hervs of South Texas Region" information booklet.

The goal of the booklet is to introduce the possibilities of the benefits of many of the common plants in our region and encourage further research and exploration towards learning about local medicinals and how plants can really play a important role in our lives. It is important to be reminded how connected we our to our environment even in urban settings to how the relationship of humans and plants have been set in time and still continue to pursist into this age. We must reflect on the evolution of our people and honor the knowledge those before us, and tap into these connects too and share knowledge to those who seek to grow.