Mischer News

Although I have never been known as a Green Thumb, when my 5 year old asked if we could have our own garden, I felt a parental - and eco – obligation to make it happen. As we talked about all the things we might like to grow, I had a flashback to my childhood and filling buckets with berries that grew wild on our back fence. We had so much fun picking then and could devour a whole bowl in one sitting at our picnic table.

So, I did a little research, and was happy to find out that blackberries are pretty easy to grow in our Southern region. Before we bought them, I did a little more reading to see what they would require and here is what I found:

• Blackberries are not so picky about their soil, but their roots cannot tolerate sitting in water, so make sure they are in an area with good drainage.
• They need stability, so plant them in an area with a little protection from high winds, like against a fence or near a wall that shelters them from the weather.
• Choose a variety that doesn’t have stickers to keep little gardeners fingers safe.
• To get the best harvest, avoid trimming or fertilizing. They grow easily in the wild because they like to trail freely. The only thing they will need is occasional watering with our hot, hot summers.

According to my little guy, all plants need to grow is Dirt, Water and Love (aka singing them a song). And, I love that we actually found something we can grow together that fit those simple parameters. The first time you look out your kitchen window and find your child “loving” their vines, you will have created an unforgettable memory!

This year National Trail Day was celebrated at the Kickerillo-Mischer Preserve where Precinct 4 Parks Department staff and volunteers helped to clear nature trails of debris. The event was a beautification project that will prepare the Preserve for the infrastructure development that Precinct 4 is currently designing.

The Kickerillo-Mischer Preserve was purchased by V&W Partners, LTD. and is an 81.80-acre park with a 40-acre lake on the outskirts of The Vintage, located at Texas Highway 249 and Louetta Rd. Plans for the Preserve began as a way to protect the floodplain land located along the northeast side of Cypress Creek at 249, but the plans have been extended to include construction of an education center, picnic areas, canoe docks and an extensive system of trails winding through beautiful nature areas, and connecting to the Preserve’s surrounding parks and neighborhoods, like Cypress Creek Ranch.

With so many plans eager to be underway, the cleaning crew had their work cut out for them. Volunteers included students from Hamilton Middle School and Houston Can Academy, community members from REI-Willowbrook and Friends of the Kickerillo-Mischer Preserve, as well as staff form Precinct 4, such as Harris County Commissioner Jerry Eversole. “We are always pleased to work with developers like V&W Partners and community groups who have a vision for creating parkland and whose work ultimately enhances the quality of life in the community,” said Eversole earlier this year.

Hopes for the Preserve are high, not just as a backdrop for The Vintage, but as a community park that everyone can enjoy. “The significance of the Preserve is that it maintains open spaces for the community to fish, hike, bike, birdwatch, canoe and simply enjoy the peacefulness of a natural setting,” said Linn Smith of the Friends of the Kickerillo-Mischer Preserve.

Thanks to the hard work by community volunteers, these hopes and aspirations can start to become a reality in the very near future.