Our KPRC 2 Community spotlight for October is on Urban Harvest and their work to uplift communities through food education, support for local farmers and providing access to fresh, locally-sourced foods to communities in need.

Spring is in full swing and it's a great time to get your garden in shape. Our friends from Urban Harvest, celebrating their 30th year, are stopping by with 5 steps for starting your own edible garden and why this time is the best time to plant fruit trees in Houston.

Houston is getting ready for a dramatic change in the forecast. Urban Harvest tells us what we need to do in order to save our beloved trees and keep them thriving, even in cold weather.

HOUSTON – Harris County is providing $550,000 to help combat food insecurity. The Harris County Healthy Food Financing Initiative will increase the availability of fresh and nutritious food in underserved communities by funding innovative solutions through community partners, the county announced Wednesday in a press release. Here is how the organizations plan to allocate the grant:HOPE Clinic : Teach restauranteurs to prepare healthy food for their menus. Houston Food Bank : Increase food pantry capacity and SNAP enrollment. Kristen House, Houston Food Bank Partner Capacity Manager, said:On behalf of Houston Food Bank, we are so grateful and excited to start working with our partners on HFB’s new Targeted Enhanced Partner Capacity Project.

HOUSTON – As the temperatures continue to drop, homeowners across southeast Texas are doing what they can to protect their property. AdPerry also encourages homeowners to water the roots of the plants before the freeze. Carol Burton, who also works at Urban Harvest, suggests bringing any plant you can pick up into your house or in your garage. Urban Harvest also recommends taking precautions when it comes to your sprinklers. As far as swimming pools, Sunshine Pools in Houston suggests making sure your pool equipment is running 24 hours a day during the freezing temperatures.

HOUSTON – While you’re putting out the pumpkins, it’s the perfect time to pay attention to your lawn. The green thumns at Urban Harvest say no matter how terrible it looks, you can turn it around. We interviewed Carol Burton, the Director of Garden Education to find out exactly what you should do now to get your lawn lush, green and healthy. Native plants are always a good bet because they use less water and require less care. Almost any nursery will have a section of plants native to your area.

HOUSTON – Houston’s Urban Harvest farmers market has been in operation since 1994 and has become recognized in Houston as a market that gives back to the community. They are focused on educating the community about how sustainable fruits and vegetables can flourish in Houston’s unique climate, and locally grown, healthy food can revitalize and empower our region. For the fall season, they’ve partnered up with another non-profit called Plant It Forward which empowers refugees to develop sustainable urban farming businesses that produce fresh, healthy food for our community. Urban Harvest educational program (Copyright 2020 by KPRC Click2Houston - All rights reserved.) To find out more information about Urban Harvest’s farmers or educational classes, click here!

HOUSTON At-home gardening is a great activity for parents to do with their kids, and Urban Harvest now has Back-to-School Grow Kits to teach students, children, and adults how to grow seasonal herbs and vegetables from seeds and transplants. The Grow Kit includes a 5-gallon grow bag, soil from Farm Dirt, decorate your own plant labels, two seasonal plant starts Basil and Dino Kale, flower seeds, Microlife fertilizer and detailed instructions for the gardener to follow. Each kit is $20, and there is also an option to Buy One, Give One for $35, when supporters buy a grow kit, another kit will be donated to the students of Kashmere Gardens Elementary School. Keep in mind, the kits must be pre-ordered by Thursday at 5pm prior to the Saturday pick-up on the website. Click HERE for more information.