Discover Texas History at George Ranch

2008-03-23T16:43:00.000-07:00

Journey to a place and time where cattle and cotton are king and Texas is a country all its own. Visit the George Ranch Historical Park and discover a treasury of Texas traditions. One of our guest's favorite places to visit in Fort Bend is George Ranch, only 3 miles from Great Oaks Manor.
Originally settled in 1824 as part of Stephen F. Austin's Colony by Nancy and Henry Jones, this 23,000-acre working ranch stands as a testament to the independent spirit of Texas. Explore the lives and share the experiences that molded this farming and ranching empire and shaped the history of Texas.
Authentic locations, historic homes to tour, costumed presenters and a remarkable story of determination and courage set the stage for trekking through Texas history. The George Ranch Historical Park is open Tuesday - Saturday 9 AM - 5 PM except for January 1, Thanksgiving, December 24 and 25. Reservations are not necessary! If you get hungry, stop at the Dinner Belle Cafe at the ranch, , open Tuesday - Friday 9 AM to 2:30 PM and Saturdays 10 AM - 4:30 PM http://www.georgeranch.org/visit/individuals/

We've Always Been Green, But Were Afraid to Tell You!

2008-03-23T12:53:00.000-07:00

Seriously, now, up until about a year ago, when you heard that a place was "green" what did you think of? Whole wheat, yogurt and some sort of cereal called Meusli, right? Well, that's not what we are all about. Sure, we have those if you want them, but most breakfasts are yummy things like Croissant French Toast, Belgian Waffles with Fresh Peaches, Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Gouda Cheese, French Breakfast Pastries, nothing made with whole wheat unless you specifically request it ahead of time! When Green wasn't cool.....you thought of California and weird food, didn't you?

Well, that's not us. Carey is from San Francisco and she and Fred love California, but living without luxuries is not our idea of fun. We do believe in eggs raised by happy chickens fed only free-range and greens so their eggs are low, low, low in cholesterol. Rosie, one of our red chickens loves us so much she makes a daily walk from the barn up to the front porch to lay her egg in a planter by the front door. And we don't like pesticides that aren't necessary when there are so many other alternatives. Carey grows beneficial nematodes to use in the garden. They are almost-microscopic organisms that eat fire ants, grubs, chiggers, fleas, mosquitoes, etc. without hurting anybody! You cannot imagine her joy when the first huge mound of fire ants disappeared (no, they didn't just move) after being inundated with nematodes. All coffee grounds are turned into compost by Texas Red Wiggler worms. And the chickens eat the fruit and vegetable scraps and take care of many of the pests in the garden.

We buy organically raised produce when we can, and we are planning a huge vegetable garden and fruit tree orchard. We have an organic herb garden and all herbs used at the manor are fresh from the garden. After almost four years of working almost exclusively on the inside of the manor, this is Carey's year to start seriously on all the gardens. She has the compost to do it!

We buy only bath amenities and cleaning products NOT tested on animals. A green world needs to be a kind world. All of our cleaning products are earth-friendly with the exception of bleach which we use to sanitize the jacuzzi jets. When we find a safe alternative, we will change that too. Compact florescent and lower watt bulbs, dimmers and timers ensure that minimal electricity is used for maximum conservation without sacrificing ambiance. This B&B is dedicated to earth-friendly hospitality..

Great Oaks Manor B&B, Views from the Veranda

Discover Texas History at George Ranch

We've Always Been Green, But Were Afraid to Tell You!