We are thinking of relocating to Tehuacana, Texas. Anybody hear of it? What does one grow in a garden there and when? I like to raise chickens for eggs and also broilers. How's the weather there- the highs and lows. Thanks for any info.

-- Nancy (nannyb@huntel.net), July 31, 2001

Answers

Response to Living in Texas

If it's in Texas it's gotta be hot! Here in Central Tx we have had 20 straight days of temperatures over 100 so far this year, and seem to be in a perpetual drought. Highest we've ever had was 114 degrees. But the lowest we've ever recorded was 14 degrees, with about 10 freezing nights per year. Never snows. I keep a garden all year long, with the exception of July/ August, when it's too rough. But you can start your fall garden and go all winter. Never heard of the town you mentioned, though I've lived in Tx all my life. Lots of places in Tx still feel like it was 50 years ago...rural, peaceful, safe. I wouldn't live anywhere else.

-- Jennifer (oortiz@tstar.net), July 31, 2001.

Response to Living in Texas

That's funny, I'd live anywhere *but* Texas, LOL

-- Brendan K Callahan (Grinnell, IA) (sleeping@iowatelecom.net), July 31, 2001.

Response to Living in Texas

OK, I guess it doesn't like tags (the symbols above the comma and period)

Should have looked like this:

[humor]

...text...

[/humor]

-- Brendan K Callahan (Grinnell, IA) (sleeping@iowatelecom.net), July 31, 2001.

Response to Living in Texas

Hi Nancy, as you know, Texas is a BIG state, so it depends where you are what the climate will be like. I looked Tehuacana up on mapblast, looks like it's between Waco and Corsicana, North Central Texas. I love Texas, and would rather be there than anywhere else, but I was raised in Texas, and all of my family are there. The above poster is right that you should be able to garden most of the year-- just different crops. We lived south of Waco. Early spring(by mid- March, but sometimes February) we would plant corn, tomatoes, squash, peas, beans, melon, just about anything except the cole crops (broccoli, cabbage, etc.) and root crops (turnips, carrots, onions, etc.), which we planted early September to grow through the winter months. You can also plant strawberries and fruit trees in the fall if you like. It never got cold enough where we were to kill the winter crops--they grow right through. The summers, however, do get too hot to garden, and that's why you want to start your spring garden as early as possible. (By mid-July most gardeners throw up their hands and leave it to the sun.) Be sure you have air conditioning or a swamp cooler for those hot summer days and nights. Then try to do your outside work and errands in the mornings or evenings.

-- mary, heart still in Texas (marylgarcia@aol.com), July 31, 2001.

I am a native Texan also, born in West Texas by Lubbock, spent seven years just south of Waco where my Mom still lives. Ditto to all the above, with the exception of the swamp cooler. They never worked for us there because it was always so humid. I love how it is always green there, even in the winter months. Good luck!!

-- Gina NM (inhock@pvtnetworks.net), July 31, 2001.

Welcome to Texas ma'am.

No I've never heard of that town either, but no surprise; it is a very big state with a lot of I-never-heard-of-that-towns. Weather is kinda unpredictable up there, from what I hear, but summers generally are hot, sometimes stormy. You might get some light snow in the winter, but you can sell your muk luks and dog sled; snow fall more than a foot is very rare. Many posts I have seen are from the latitude that others described above; see older posts below for more information.

Again, welcome to Texas.

-- j.r. guerra (jrguerra@boultinghousesimpson.com), August 01, 2001.

From South Central Texas ~ Much drier than north, east and south Texas. Summer temps haven't been over 107º since I've been here and not for too many days. Drought most of summer. No snow. Only a few winter nights below freezing; days are warm.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), August 02, 2001.

We are in East Texas, north of Houston. Early spring and fall gardens are the best, easy to overwinter nearly anything. Summer gardens just barely hang on, producing very poorly, not really worth the walk outside :) Highs are in the 100's but it is so humid it makes it pure miserable. This has been one of the nicest summers in a long time. We may go below freezing 10 times during the winter, but the ice is melted off the water troughs long before noon. We haven't had a 24 hour freeze in several years. We go through 2 or 3 cords of wood mostly it is to keep the humid chill off, and there are times where I turn on the AC around Christmas. Though winter clothes have a seperate closet to be put away, you never put away your summer clothes, its nothing to be doing chores in winter clothes one day and the next to be in shorts, then back to winter clothes in 2 more days.

Hens do well, we built our chicken coop in the shade, you can free range them during the days, but without guardian dogs, you would loose them to predators. Predators consist of good ole boy's dogs who are allowed to run loose. We have had only 2 coyote's killed on our property in 14 years, and one attacking racoon, which our dog treed. It is actually sort of sad that our wildlife in the National Forest is gone, and our problems like everyones are folks pet dogs! We do see hawks, so baby chicks must be secure. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), August 02, 2001.

Hi Nancy! I am not from Tehuacana but I do know where it is and have been there. It is very scenic and on some of the highest hills in central Texas. It is sort of an "artsy craftsy" community, I've heard. If you locate Mexia Tx, Tehuacana is just a little north of Mexia about 2 hours south of Dallas. Nice people and regular Texas climate. They occasionally get some ice and a dusting of snow but not very often and it doesn't stick. You should be able to raise anything you want there and many do. There is a beautiful creek that flows thru the area and it is very historic; alot of old indian stories and such. Good luck and email me if you want!

-- Linda Wernecke (lmwernecke@medicine.tamu.edu), August 03, 2001.

"All my ex's live in Texas, and Texas is the place I'd really love to be"

-- R.H. (rhays@sstelco.com), August 06, 2001.

My heart is still in Texas. "Life begins in Texas" is my motto. No matter where I roam, I like Texas best. Gets hot, not a lot of snow, has pretty areas and not-so-pretty ones. Lived in Waco and surrounding areas (Bellmead for awhile, and also Hewitt) and will most likely return there someday. I roam and then return to Texas. Still have family living there (Waco area). Gardens grow well there and have never planted anything that did not yield well.

I have lived in much worse places (states) but never any better.

-- (wolflady1000@hotmail.com), August 10, 2001.