In the storybook setting of Songland Farms in Wimberley, more than two hundred visitors attended the Spring Garden Faire last weekend. A first-ever for the Wimberley Garden Club, the fundraiser brought together experts on permaculture, sustainability, rainwater harvesting, plants and other practices to provide advice and inspiration for those who attended.
Much of the inspiration came from Songland Farms itself. Husband and wife team Dylan Kongos and Amber Denison own the 15-acre farm and orchard off Skyline Rd. Their gardens supply farmer’s markets, restaurants and small grocers with local, organically-grown vegetables without the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides or herbicides.
Defying established norms, they do not till the soil before planting. By keeping the soil structure intact, microorganisms, fungi and earthworms thrive, improving the structure of the soil and its ability to retain water, especially during times of drought.
The lush upper and lower gardens at Songland displayed vegetables interspersed with fruit trees, flowers and native plants much like the home gardens of yesteryear, before the advent of agribusiness.
Dylan, who has always been interested in gardening, is a singer and musician of the multi-platinum band KONGOS, and Amber is an artist specializing in paintings and plasma-cut metal art. Evidence of her work was seen throughout the farm in captivatingly repurposed wheelbarrows, old handsaws, signs and other items displayed on the grounds.
Under white tents set up on the grounds, visitors browsed exhibits and spoke with various experts. Jay White, owner and publisher of the Texas Gardener magazine, shared his expertise with beginners and seasoned gardeners alike, giving insights into everything from organic techniques to environmentally friendly products.
Michael Wolfert, Land Regeneration Specialist, Founder and CEO of SymbiosisTx, showed design plans for various-sized properties that promote high-performance ecological systems. Since 2007, his team of experts have created water-secure landscapes for ranches, estates, and conservation-focused homeowners and landowners.
Salwa Khan, host of the Mothering Earth podcast and organizer of the Water Wise series was there, repeating her “I believe in the power of one. Each of us can do something every day that would be beneficial to the environment. If we all do something, change will come.” Her podcasts are available every Sunday at noon on KWVH 94.3.
Intrepid Hays County Master Naturalists and Hays County Master Gardeners were out in force to offer advice, along with members of the Hill Country Unit of the Herb Society of America.
Adding to the event’s knowledge base were presenters from Comal and Bandera counties. Rene and Margoth Schmidt of the Green Earth Worm Farm in Bandera explained the benefits of vermiculture by introducing Red Wiggler worms to compost. Crucial partners in building healthy soil, Red Wigglers rapidly reduce food scraps into a nutrient dense compost.
Memorable for their slogan, “We Make the West Wetter,” were Dr. Steven Grainger and Dr. Larry Sunn of RainBees from Bulverde. This dynamic consulting duo gives free lectures to individuals, groups and organizations about rainwater harvesting. Their informative website instructs from the high-level overview to the particulars. They are hosted by Comal Master Gardeners and the Comal Trinity Groundwater Conservation District.
Not only did the Spring Garden Faire teach, it allowed visitors to enjoy the beauty and peace of an enterprise aligned with the natural world. Plein Air painters Jim Street, Tim Leibrock, Dale Whistler and Tim Donnelly, all members of the local Plein Air Posse, set up in the gardens to paint. Mary Wiley showed her beaded, mixed metal and wirework jewelry and musicians Roland Brown, Joe Dalton, Tom Dawson and Bill Perkins performed for the crowd.
