Barry & Jenny Cate on Gardening & Beehives

By Edwin Cooper Just before Barry & Garry Cate were born their mother Pat Cate learned she was carrying twins and she charged into her husbands office crying, “We’re going to have twins.” The boys arrived on May 13, 1963 in Harlingen, Texas. Brother Scott was born in 1966. Their earlier schooling was in Corpus Christi and the twins were scheduled in separate classes to reduce confusion for the teachers. Later while attending Texas Tech, Barry met Jenny who was enrolled in Baptist School of Nursing in Lubbock. Later after marriage both were employed by St. Joseph Hospital in Bryan and moved to Mumford. Later they moved to Franklin to be near Barry’s mother Pat, attend Franklin United Methodist Church and enroll their children in the Franklin Schools. They live on Old Boone Prairie Road with their two children Laura and Benjamin. Barry said, “On my 35th birthday mother asked me what I wanted as a gift. I told her I wanted a colony of bees. The bee business has expanded into a modest enterprise under the title The Beeloved Honey Company. This is in conjunction with our garden project.” Barry reports that for 15 years they have done business with the M&M Farm Supply Company. “We have purchased our pecan and peach trees there along with vegetable plants such as tomatoes, cucumbers, squash and many others. We control lawn and garden pests with agricultural chemicals from M&M along with fertilizers and soil enhancing products. We’ve known Mary Stegall for many years and sincerely appreciate her advice along with that of all who manage and work there now and heretofore. They are friendly and helpful in so many ways.” Currently Barry Cate is an Intensive Care Nurse at St. Joseph Hospital in Bryan and Jenny is serving as a Labor and Delivery Nurse there. Life on their place on Old Boone Prairie Road, along with their children, is a pleasant retreat from their urgently important but challenging duties at work. Working in the outdoors relieves stress from everyday problems and the honey helps with seasonal allergies for the Cates, their friends and customers. Nature is grand indeed.

Ray Akins on Gardening

By Edwin Cooper

During the peak of vegetable and fruit harvesting, Ray and Virginia Akins may be seen sharing the bounty of their gardening with their many friends in and around Franklin.
Ray said, "My dad was a straw boss on the John Wall Ranch out of Brady. Times were tough then so we planted three to five acre gardens every year. We did about 600 cans of corn each year and grew sweet potatoes for ourselves and to feed the hogs. We trapped for hides to sell and ate those wild animals considered fit to eat, along with the goats, chickens and hogs we raised. About all we had to buy was salt and flour. Along with milk, cheese and honey from our bee hives we ate great.
Dad didn't want us to attend school because it interfered with our chores. Regardless I managed to graduate from Brady High School and then Southwest Texas in San Marcos where I met Virginia. It turned out that we both love gardening and plant every year.
I have been trading with M&M Farm Supply since early 1960. I had 13 cows then and bought 2:1 Meal (Salt and meal) from Pryse Metcalf. I always enjoyed discussing my ranching plans with Pryse. Today, Steve and Loren are my advisers along with other staff members. When Ruth Rinehart was at M&M she could answer any questions like Mary Stegall does today.
Through the years the store has enlarged, clothing items and the garden center have been added. I always get a friendly greeting when I stop by to visit or do business."
About five years ago Ray and Virginia gave me a tour of their garden. It had that professional care look about it, including stalks of okra some 10-12 feet in height. Ray explained, "Well, when the corn decides to quit producing it withers away. But not okra- it keeps on reaching for the sky, producing okra all the way."
Ray Adkins has had a remarkable career and many kinds of challenges since his early days on that ranch near Brady--the one where the family home was a small hay barn built of 1 x 12 inch planks, dirt floor and sheet iron windows.

Soil Preparation for Gardening

by Edwin Cooper
For successful gardening, your garden soil needs preparation and care so it will continue to grow quality plants over the summer. Otherwise weeds will take over along with invasions of obnoxious critters.
The additioon of organic matter will help the soil hold moisture, retain its nutritional values and remain workable. AgriLife Extension publications on gardening recommend that a 4" or slightly shallower layer of organic matter is beneficial, especially if added several months before planting either in spring or fall gardens. Organic matter should be added ever year, which releases its important trace elements for successful gardening.
When ready to plant, the garden should be thoroughly tilled--up to 8 inches and soil turned under. Then the soil should be pulled up and made into beds 8 to 10" high and allowed to settle for awhile. Water between the beds as needed after planting.
Planting time is now upon us. A huge shipment of vegetable and ornamental plants have just arrived at M&M Farm Supply. Also a variety of soil conditioners are on hand. Several items include Landscapers Pride Landscape Mix, a blend of soil conditioner, sphagnum, perlite and micro-nutrients. Another two include Back to Nature Cotton Burr Compost and Fertilome Peat Moss. There are many more varieties of soil conditioners available.
In 1965 I planted a few tomatoes in a hastily constructed garden in our backyard in College Station. I used fresh sandy loam soil from nearby creek bank and a bit of commercial fertilizer. Those plants grew to the edge of our roof and heavy with tomatoes. Our neighbors tired of me bringing them buckets full.
The second year the plants barely grew to my chest and produced tomatoes both small and scarce. I learned commercial fertilizer needs a good partnership with organic soil conditioner.