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    The Farmer Diaries

    Ornamental gourds make the list of Texas farmer's favorite crops

    Marshall Hinsley
    Marshall Hinsley
    Jul 5, 2015 | 6:00 am

    I never would have thought to grow ornamental gourds if not for my wife, Allee Brand. Browsing through the seed catalogs with me each winter, she'd pause at the descriptions of birdhouse gourds, bushel basket gourds and corsican gourds, and how they could be made into ornate and useful items.

    She's an artist, always in search of new ways to direct her talents, and this appealed to her.

    She bought a variety of ornamental gourd seeds, and we sowed them one spring, not certain they'd even work out. But within two months, we had about 50 plants with vines, 15 to 30 feet long, that wound through the trellises I built out of electrical conduit and wire fencing.

    Big, broad leaves filled out the vines, creating a wall of green four feet high and 40 feet long. The vines sprawled out into the corn and okra too, uncontained by the trellises. By midsummer, our experiment was proving satisfactory.

    My wife is an artist, always in search of new ways to direct her talents, and ornamental gourds appealed to her.

    About a month into their growth, they put out white flowers, a little over three inches wide, each with five points. Several of the varieties bloomed at dusk and kept their flowers open all night, pollinated by nocturnal pollinators that feed when bees and butterflies are bedded down.

    I suspect that a primary pollinator is the hummingbird moth, which comes out at dusk. It is the adult stage of the maligned tomato horn worm so many people seem bent on killing when they find one on their tomato plants. All things weighed, they're much more of a benefit as adults than they are destructive as larva.

    Immediately after the vines began to bloom, the fertilized fruit took shape and grew into monster gourds over the next three months. Large dipper gourds grew out skinny and more than a foot long. The bushel basket gourds grew as big around as a soccer ball. From their infancy, these fruits revealed their shapes to come.

    Such lush growth and humongous fruits required fertile soil. We had enhanced the soil prior to sowing the seed with my favorite dirty seven soil amendments. To keep these fast growers well fed, I also gave them weekly foliar feedings of Hasta Gro liquid plant food.

    As they took over my trellises, I suspected that such a dense growth of squash relatives would be inundated with squash bugs. But I never saw any. Either they were a no-show, or my wildlife allies came into the garden each night and gorged themselves. In any case, the vines thrived in pest-free conditions.

    The vines were as heavy drinkers as they were feeders. By midsummer, I found that they needed watering at least every other day, and that they grew best with a daily watering, which was made easier with a soaker hose laid down the row while the vines were still short.

    Food crops come and go; flowers wither. But ornamental gourds last, and they can be made into beautiful, useful items.

    By fall, the vines stopped growing and began to die off. An early frost in October killed them off the rest of the way, and the gourds stood out among the crispy brown leaves. Allee harvested the gourds and put them in a dark, dry, cool room to cure.

    A cured gourd is hollow on the inside, and the outer flesh of the gourd creates a thin but sturdy structure. The curing process takes about six months, or longer for the biggest gourds.

    By March of this year, the first gourds were ready. Allee cleaned them and cut off the bottoms of two gourds. After she painted them with a poppy flower in the bottom of each bowl, her first ornamental gourd objects were complete.

    Some people leave them with their natural coloration, which can look like an antique map, but Allee has enjoyed creating unique, hand-painted items such as a doll in the likeness of artist Frida Kahlo.

    Decorating and using ornamental gourds dates back thousands of years, and some speculate that gourds were they first crop cultivated by man, not hops for beer as some say. The ancient tradition appeals to Allee, as ornamental gourds are a departure from her fine art pieces.

    She enjoys being able to make something permanent out of something she's grown in the garden. Food crops come and go; flowers wither. But ornamental gourds last, and they can be made into beautiful, useful items.

    Other uses for ornamental gourds include purses, baskets, jewelry, lamps, light fixtures, musical instruments, containers — anything that comes to mind. Unpainted, they make for good interior decorations for fall. The birdhouse gourds are easily made into homes for small birds.

    We've purchased most of our ornamental gourd seeds from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds, such as seed for speckled swan gourds, Hawaiian dance mask and bushel basket gourds. Botanical Interests is our source for corsican gourd seeds and birdhouse gourd seeds.

    Texas' own Willhite Seed Company also has a selection of ornamental gourds, at a price that's more feasible to farmers. Native Seed/SEARCH has one of the most diverse collections of gourd seeds.

    Set back by the unceasing rains last spring, our ornamental crop gourd is smaller and delayed this year. Because they need four months to reach maturity, there's only enough time in our growing season for one crop, which can be planted anytime between April and the first week or two of July.

    The gourds themselves can be left on the vine to dry, even after the first fall frost kills the plant. But to reach its fullest size, the gourd needs warm conditions while growing. Allee will sow her last round of gourd seeds by mid-July, and that will be it for the year. She expects a whole new harvest of ornamental gourds by November.

    I enjoy finding out what Allee will make of the gourds she grows, and the gourds have proved to be one of the easier crops to manage. For these reasons, they'll be a part of our garden from now on.

    The pretty white flower of many ornamental gourds requires nighttime pollinators such as the hummingbird moth.

    Photo of white flower
      
    Photo by Marshall Hinsley
    The pretty white flower of many ornamental gourds requires nighttime pollinators such as the hummingbird moth.
    unspecified
    news/restaurants-bars

    Roundup Time

    Dallas restaurants heat up new summer menus in this roundup of news

    Raven Jordan
    Jun 17, 2025 | 6:39 pm
    Mirador whipped fet
    Mirador
    Whipped feta at Mirador

    Mid-June means it's time for a roundup of restaurant news around Dallas, and this one is perfect for people craving something new. Everyone's doing new menus and dishes, from a fancy lobster roll and wine pairing to a new ranch dip at one of America's most popular chains.

    Here's what's happening in Dallas restaurant news right now:

    Al Biernat's has a new special 3-course dinner at its Al Biernat’s North location, available on weekend nights only from Friday-Sunday, featuring dishes like grilled pear soup, snapper, short rib, steak frites, and Al’s Famous coconut cream pie, for the bargain price of $55.

    Mirador in downtown Dallas has a new summer menu for brunch and lunch featuring $18 seasonal crudo, $14 heirloom tomato salad, $11 chocolate donut, and a $18 Foie-ffle with buttermilk waffle, duck confit, cultured butter.

    The Porch has a new summer menu with $30 wood-fired salmon, $16 pork belly burnt ends, and $38 shrimp & grits. Plus, there are $10 "inflation-free" cocktails featuring a margarita and hibiscus hybrid.

    Te Deseo in the Harwood District has a new menu at their La Terraza rooftop with corn soup, salsas flight with three salsas, cheese and chicken stuffed arepas, tacos, ceviche, and churros. Dishes range from $9 for an appetizer to $29 for fajitas.

    Elm Street Cask & Kitchen in downtown Dallas has a new summer menu with $34 blackened redfish, $14 Gulf shrimp ceviche, $34 chargrilled pork chops, and lighter bites like $14 watermelon & feta skewers.

    Winsome Prime the steakhouse at Trinity Groves has a new weekend brunch with $17 spinach-artichoke dip, $25 six-ounce Kobe burger, $46 oxtail hash, and $47 lobster Benedict. Hours are Saturday-Sunday from 11 am-4 pm.

    Culpepper Cattle Co. has a new Sunday brunch buffet for $28 with omelets, chicken fried steak, cheddar grits, monkey bread, biscuits & gravy, chicken tenders, pancakes, waffles, French toast sticks, migas, tacos, plus $5 mimosas and $8 build-your-own bloody Mary bar.

    Eddie V's has a new special pairing a lobster roll and wine for $38, with choice from Brewer-Clifton Chardonnay, Whispering Angel Rosé, or Brewer-Clifton Pinot Noir. Available at both Plano and Fort Worth locations until July 25.

    Jinya Ramen Bar has new summer chef specials: tan tan men noodles in a chilled chicken broth, topped with pork and bok choy for $17; and buffalo cauliflower with ranch for $8. Available through August 31.

    Tacodeli is bringing back the salmon pistachio taco, with includes salmon wrapped in a pistachio crust, pistachio salsa + spicy habanero escabeche, and a sprinkle of pistachios for $6.50.

    Fish City Grill has a new "handhelds" menu of tacos and sandwiches, starting at $14, including fishwich with beer-battered cod, honey chipotle shrimp tacos, lobster & shrimp grilled cheese, shrimp po’boy, and bacon cheeseburger.

    Dog Haus, the hot dog restaurant and biergarten, has teamed with chef Josh Elkin for an Aloha Soopah Slider featuring fried Spam, tater tots, chili crunch, furikake, eggs, and maple sriracha on grilled King's Hawaiian rolls. Available for $8 through July 21.

    Culinary Dropout is celebrating its one-year anniversary in the Design District with new summer dishes, zero-proof sips, and frozen cocktails. There are two-for-one sushi rolls, whipped feta and tahini dip, strawberry spinach salad, short rib, and cocktails like Pancho's Paloma and the Irish Goodbye with whiskey, Borghetti Italian liqueur, cold brew, and cinnamon cold foam.

    Barcelona, the Knox-Henderson wine bar, has a menu designed for patio dining that includes asparagus a la plancha with charred lemon; corn zucchini buñuelos with dill and citrus; burrata topped with onion pesto and blistered tomatoes; or a whole roasted branzino served with salsa verde, potatoes, and lemon.

    Corner Bakery is offering low priced sandwiches such as ham and Swiss, bacon & egg, and chicken salad sandwich for $4 and $5. The sandwiches are typically $8-$10.

    Bellagreen has six new limited-time dishes including cucumber & avocado gazpacho, watermelon salad, falafel burger, and lemon crumble bar. Priced at $5-$20. Available through the end of August.

    First Watch has a new summer brunch with blueberry lemon cornbread, elote breakfast burrito, shrimp & grits, and strawberry tres leches French toast with spiced gingerbread cookie crumbles. A new summer drink is the Watermelon Wake-Up with watermelon, pineapple, lime, and mint. Available through August 11.

    MilkShake Factory, the Grapevine dessert shop, has added the buzzy Dubai-style chocolate bar with pistachio crème and toasted kataifi wrapped in milk chocolate for $6. They have also added a limited-time strawberry pretzel pie shake withstrawberries, salty pretzels, and frosting, topped with whipped cream and a strawberry for $10, available through July 27.

    Menchie's frozen dessert chain has partnered with Hi-Chew candy for a limited-edition flavor: Hi-Chew Blue Hawaii Tropical Candy. The flavor combines citrus and pineapple in a creamy frozen dessert, available through June 31.

    Bahama Buck's has a limited-edition lineup of Bomb Pop shaved ice and sodas. Flavors include Watermelon Bomb Pop Sno topped with sprinkles and a Watermelon Bomb Jr., Bomb Pop Cherry Bahama Soda, Bomb Pop Lime Bahama Soda, and Bomb Pop Blue Raspberry Bahama Soda. Available at Dallas locations from June 26-July 6.

    Einstein Bros. Bagels, the fast-casual bagel chain, has morning mocktails in fruity flavors like Bros. Bay Breeze with cranberry, lemonade & passion fruit; Passion Fruit Sunrise with OJ, lemonade, & passion fruit; and an Energy Spritz made with Monster Energy. Starting June 18.

    Duro Hospitality and Socorro Tequila have launched Socorro Tequila Joven Duro Edition, a collaboration that brings an exclusive tequila experience to all Duro Hospitality concepts. Cocktails include “El Martini” at Mister Charles with Makrut Lime and Cointreau; the “Sandro Pertini” at The Charles with mezcal, Campari, and lime; and the “Tio Rosso” at El Carlos Elegante with grapefruit soda and rosemary.

    Taco Bell has new chicken strips for a limited time. They come solo, in tacos, or in a burrito. The chain keeps dabbling in chicken: They launched chicken nuggets with a tortilla chip breading in 2024, then brought them back again in 2025. The chicken strips are marinated in jalapeño buttermilk and coated with tortilla chip breadcrumbs and can be ordered with choice of spicy ranchero or avocado ranch. The taco features one chicken strip, purple cabbage, lettuce, pico de gallo, and cheddar on a tortilla. The burrito has all the same ingredients, but two chicken strips instead of one. Items are $3-$6.

    Chipotle is launching adobo ranch, the chain's first new dip in five years since queso blanco. the sauce features adobo pepper, sour cream and a blend of herbs and spices. Available starting June 17.

    7-Eleven, Inc. has a new Spicy Hot Link Sausage featuring a slow-smoked, paprika-packed sausage. They've also launched a summer Craveables Value Menu with 5 bone-in wings for $5 and a glazed doughnut for $1.

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