We’ve been short handed off and on for much of the last few months meaning a lot has fallen on Zay’s shoulders as our Farm Manager. She has handled it with calmness, hard work, and a true farmer’s willingness and patience. She’s been in charge of our planting plan for the season, managing our harvest schedule, daily operations, CSA packing and deliveries as well as our greenhouse seedlings. You can find her at the Urban Harvest Saturday Farmer’s Market almost every Saturday from 8am-12pm. We hope you’ll stop by and say thank you for all she does for ag in Houston.
Finca Farmer Highlight: Zay Gamez
In September 2025, we started building out our greenhouse at Finca Tres Robles. In just a few short months, we have been able to grow multiple vegetable varieties and transplant them successfully into the fields, where they have grown and been harvested throughout the fall and winter months!
How a greenhouse works
At its simplest, a greenhouse captures sunlight and holds warmth, creating a stable environment for plants to grow.
Inside, we manage temperature, airflow, water, and light to give seedlings exactly what they need at each stage.
greenhouses matter for small, high-impact farms
Greenhouses give small farms a head start. They allow us to grow more food in limited space by protecting young plants from cold snaps, heavy rains, and unpredictable weather.
It’s a balance of structure and attentiveness. Less about forcing growth, more about creating the right conditions for it to happen naturally.
How greenhouses help us plan and grow more effectively
The greenhouse is where planning becomes tangible. By starting plants early and in controlled conditions, we can make thoughtful decisions about timing, spacing, and crop succession long before seedlings reach the field. This early preparation helps us use our resources wisely and respond with flexibility as the season unfolds.
For a high-impact farm, this protection means resilience. We can extend our growing season, reduce losses, and steward our land more carefully while still feeding our community.
