From Bumps and Bruises to Bulbs and Bouquets

Walk through the halls of the Texas Tech Physicians of Lubbock Family Medicine and you may see a Kit Linton, M.D., with a handful of fresh vegetables or bouquets of marigolds and sunflowers.

Linton, who has delivered more than 3,300 babies in her career as a family medicine doctor, has a love for gardening. Her garden is not your average one spanning 75 by 75 feet with everything from squash, corn, okra, eggplant, melons and peppers to flowers.

Linton enters her peppers and eggplant in the South Plains Fair each year and has won numerous first, second and third place ribbons.

“It’s in my genes,” Linton said. “I am the clone of my father who was a cotton farmer. We fed our big family with gardening. It was our way of life.”

Linton grew up on a farm east of Abernathy and later would become a physician with 22 years in private practice in Hale Center and Plainview before coming to Texas Tech Physicians of Lubbock.

“I love gardening, always have. Can’t take the country girl out of me,” Linton said. “Some people call me the Chili Queen because of my chili peppers. I just love them.”

With a garden so large, she makes it a routine to bring the vegetables and flowers and give them away to other physicians and staff.

“I drag my stuff up here and give it away,” Linton said. “Some days I put together a pretty bouquet and hand them out as well. Everyone really seems to enjoy them.”

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