The Chicken Coop
You won’t find live chickens at Light Farms’ Chicken Coop, but you will find a bunch of active kids climbing, swinging and playing!
Located in our Cypress neighborhood, this playground is full of play equipment as well as open green space, inspiring kids to create their own play environment. Parents can relax and socialize in the shaded seating area while a gigantic rooster sculpture, designed by local artist Kate Firth, watches over the kids from its perch atop a “chicken coop” structure. With the weather warming up, The Chicken Coop is the perfect place to let your kids enjoy the outdoors and just be kids.
Sage Gardens
When planning our parks and open spaces, we kept the adults in mind, too. Nestled in our Sage neighborhood is the aptly named Sage Gardens, a park featuring six raised beds filled with herbs, vegetables and seasonal plants. This community garden was created last year and instantly became a big hit with the residents, many of whom had never gardened before.
The beds are offered up to residents on a first-come, first-serve basis starting at the beginning of each year. Some beds are tended by a group of neighbors while others are tended by individual families. Given the moderate winters of Texas, many of the beds are planted year-round with everything from summer crops such as squash, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, okra and herbs to winter crops including lettuce, peas, broccoli, collard greens and Swiss chard.
“I sent out a broadcast email asking who would like to adopt a bed this summer and had an immediate response,” said Light Farms HOA Manager Deborah Bowers. “All six beds were spoken for quickly.”
Although some residents view the community garden as a great way to meet neighbors, Sage Gardens has inspired others to plant their own backyard gardens as a family activity. But it’s not all about just growing your own food. As one resident put it, it’s a peaceful, Zen-like experience. There’s just nothing quite like digging in the dirt, tending to plants and pulling weeds to release the stress and tension of everyday life.
Whether you already call Light Farms home or are looking to do so, swing by The Chicken Coop and Sage Gardens to see them for yourself. And stay tuned for next week’s feature in our series Explore the Park of Light Farms!
