Pioneering Organics in the Texas Panhandle

The best organic farm you probably never heard of? Cimarron Organics, located within the city of Amarillo, TX. Finding Cimarron was pretty easy, because when I searched "Amarillo" + "organic farms" it was the only search result. That's because there aren't any other organic fruit or vegetable farms within a 120-mile radius.

The farm is owned by Ronnie Kimbrell, and his father, brother and son work on it, making it a true family farm. A bicycle accident eight years ago left Kimbrell paralyzed from the chest down, but he's one of the most knowledgeable and engaged farmers we've met.

Kimbrell is a true pioneer of West Texas organic farming, and he's also an innovator. Just before we arrived he had released a bunch of ladybugs into the tomato greenhouse for pest control. He also mulches with hay, uses drip tape to irrigate all of the crops, and plans to build more greenhouses and raise laying hens in the future. In addition to his work on the farm, Kimbrell acts as president of Amarillo's Golden Spread Farmer's Market where his farmstand has built a loyal following.

In the two hours we spent at Cimarron, Kimbrell gave us a tour of his two greenhouses and the surrounding fields, in which he grows fruits and vegetables including tomatoes, peppers, okra, asparagus, blackberries, lettuce, cantaloupe, watermelons, and peaches. At the end of our visit, he let pick fresh asparagus for dinner!

-Mark

Flip Clip: Update from Eastside Cafe in Austin, TX

We rolled into Austin, TX on Thursday night, and one of the first stops we made was to the Eastside Cafe, a restaurant that uses a lot of organic and local (some very local) ingredients. One thing that sets the Eastside apart from other restaurants is the organic vegetable garden located behind the restaurant. Most restaurant gardens I've seen consist of little more than a few rows of herbs and micro greens, but the garden at Eastside Cafe clearly produces a lot of food.

A large chicken coop abuts the restaurant, and there are several rows of raised beds with lettuce, cabbage, kale, herbs, and wildflowers. There are also lots of cool-looking bird houses and a couple of unconventional beds, like the bed frame pictured below. Coming from Chicago, we were amazed to see how far along the tomatoes are, but we've since learned that tomatoes are harvested in June and July in Texas.

-Mark

Announcing the OrganicNation.tv Southwest Tour!

After two successful trips to the East and West coasts, we're very excited to be hitting the road again!

This May, we'll be gathering footage for a fresh season of episodes, filming innovative and passionate organic farmers, food producers, and environmentalists in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and some of the surrounding states. Video themes will include water rights, land management, beekeeping and colony collapse disorder, organic cotton production, and agro-biodiversity in the desert.

In addition to the those episodes, we'll be posting Flip clips from the road -- shorter video correspondences, shot with at Flip camera -- to the OrganicNation Facebook fan page.

During the trip, we will be test-driving a Ford Fusion Hybrid and we're thrilled to be sponsored by Motel 6, where we will rest our heads each night. We're also very excited about the fabulous eco-friendly brands that are sponsoring the tour by keeping us fed, clothed and looking pretty!

Any suggestions for places to go and people to meet? Leave 'em in the comments section. Here's a map of some of the stops we'll be making: