A Way with Wellness
Healthy Options Abound
Tomball is home to an array of services and events that make healthy living convenient, regardless of socioeconomic status. From thriving community gardens to an award-winning farmers market to several privately operated businesses, Tomball puts fresh, delicious produce on the table.
For Tomball gardeners there’s one place that is a must-visit, and that is The Arbor Gate. Regardless of whether you’re growing vegetables in the backyard, flowers in pots on your porch, or herbs on your window sill, The Arbor Gate has what you need.
Located at 15635 FM 2920, The Arbor Gate is a complete retail center and then some. With two gift shops, a complete line of plant material, and a large selection of plants grown to thrive in local conditions, The Arbor Gate is a staple for gardeners in the Tomball community. In addition to the retail operation, there’s a full roster of free classes, with topics ranging from raising heirloom bulbs to practicing qiqong.
“We have our own organic food and soil available and our own organic honey. We don’t use chemicals on our property,” said Owner Beverly Welch, adding that the plants are grown locally and everything is appropriate to the climate.
Another retail establishment is Weinberg’s Rosehill Farms, which is a family owned business, supplying fresh, homegrown produce. Tomatoes, beans, potatoes, squash and many more traditional favorites grown locally and available at the peak of freshness.
The Tomball Farmers Market is open weekly, bringing vendors and customers together in a perfect match. The 10-year-old area favorite was Edible Magazine’s best farmers market in 2017, and with good reason. The market is open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., rain or shine, all year, and is held at the corner of Main and Walnut streets downtown.
Unfortunately, when a family is struggling financially, one of the first places to cut expenses is often the grocery budget, and fresh vegetables and fruits can be costly. The Tomball Community Garden works to fill the gap for some families. The garden works with Tomball Emergency Assistance Ministries (TEAM) to make sure families who need fresh food have it.
“Our mission statement is: To provide fresh produce for distribution by TEAM to people in the community in need of assistance. Tomball Community Garden also provides an opportunity to people in our community to join together in a ministry to assist others,” said Dale Reid, overseer of day-to-day operations at Tomball Community Garden.
The garden is grown solely for the purposes of donating to TEAM, and is operated entirely by volunteers. Over the last 10 years, Tomball Community Garden has consistently increased production. In 2017, they donated 2,168 pounds of fresh food to TEAM, and surpassed that amount in 2018!
It’s possible to obtain fresh, local food in Tomball, regardless of your economic status or ability to grow fruits and vegetables.