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Greetings fellow Gardeners,
This season is usually filled with much growth and first harvests, but we experienced a big surprise here in Tumacacori—several frosts in early May (the last of which culminated on May 10th). We’ve since replanted and transplanted. Most likely others have too. Keep on planting until your gardens are filled. You can then choose succession plantings. The longest days and most sunshine offer lots of potential. Depending on your location and timing, certain plants love it while others get exhausted and need to be replanted every four to six weeks to have a second or third season.
Greetings fellow Gardeners,
Isn’t it beautiful when the wildflowers bloom after a rainfall, even in the arid desert landscape? Where did they come from? How did the seeds survive all this time? We take these appearances for granted without even asking any questions. But this is a miracle of life right in view and often overlooked—and it happens in all gardens.
This spring I have already found in our gardens: hundreds of sunflowers, Hopi red amaranth, many varieties of lettuce, arugula, kohlrabi, collards, broccoli, spinach, radish, Swiss chard, Chinese cabbage, squash, beets, carrots, cucumber, melons, tomatoes, fennel bulbs, garlic, onions, sweet potatoes, leeks, tomatoes, parsley, cilantro, basil, peppers, purslane, lemon balm, hollyhocks, larkspur, Johnny-jump-ups, even peach and other fruit trees. So many more will come as it gets warmer, culminating in the monsoon rains.
I am sure that you too have noticed that in your gardens certain plants show up in various places without your planting them there. These are the special treasures of all gardens. They are coming voluntarily and sometimes abundantly—especially if you left plants like lettuce that were going to seed or allowed plants like cucumbers to over ripen. In larger gardens the weeds can overtake some areas and bury some of the vegetables whose seeds mix in with the soil without you even noticing. Hidden underneath they mature and ripen. It’s a volunteer spirit that is quite vigorous and healthy. It shows a life-force bigger than any ordinary planted seed or transplant. It gained survival status and lets everybody know that it can outshine everything. Some of the seed may have been brought from far away by birds and other animals like javalinas and left with their droppings. The wind too can carry some seeds for miles.
Sometimes one must wonder how these seeds made it through all of the season changes. For me it’s proof of a well thought out creation with a master plan by a Master designer, creator—a true Master Gardener. If you ever find time to study seeds and learn of plants original homes, you would be amazed of the stories we know and as well as what we don’t know. Since the Santa Cruz River Valley has been farmed and harvested for over 4000 years—some believe 10,000 or more—we have a long heritage of the volunteer spirit.
This year I am asking you to Be Aware and not to pull all your “weeds” or “unwanted” plants but to pause and give them a second thought. Maybe some of these plants will beautify and eventually naturalize if you let them grow and seed again. There are some magnificent vegetable flowers which become amazing seed stalks that can move you to praise the Creator of all. Even certain weeds like the wild amaranth, lambsquarters, dandelion, elderberry, tree tobacco, devil’s claw and poppies can become habitat for a diversity of butterflies, birds, lizards and insects. Some of these weeds are edible and medicinal too. Naturalized gardens can be quite beautiful and with a little touch of design can become an integral part of the overall landscape, exemplifying the true principle of permaculture.
Sometimes I get to know people who come from far away but somehow were moved to live here. Often we call them transplants. But I notice also something in certain personalities: an inner drive, a survivor’s wisdom, a calling for a greater purpose, an understanding of everlasting spirit, a trust and faith that brings hope to others who might not have it. Be Aware of these volunteers of the spirit of life because they bring so much joy, peace, patience, love, understanding, and wisdom—just like the wildflowers that appear after a good rain in the desert. Appreciate them more and support them by allowing them to thrive. You can provide them a good home in your gardens, and in your introspective moments you might catch the Spirit of a Volunteer yourself.
We invite all of you to visit Avalon Organic Gardens, Farm and Ranch from May 7 through May 10, during our BeAware Festival (www.beaware2010.org/festival). You will meet an abundance of plant and human volunteers to cheer you up, to rethink about what really matters in life. We are also launching our first week of our Community Supported Deo-Agriculture (CSA) season (www.avalongardens.org/csa ). After several years of adjusting to our new home, we are now able to offer it all year.
I hope to see many of you at our sanctuary of volunteers in Tumacacori,
Tarenta Baldeschi (Change Agent )
Greetings fellow gardeners!
When you really look at any plant in nature you will notice it is connected with other plants—by giving or receiving shade, warmth, coolness, wind protection, support, color, water, nutrients, and many other intricacies. We call this interdependency and true community living. Plants know this, and humans are still in the discovery of it. Neighborly care and love for one another is what plants do all the time. To be flexible, to adapt to circumstances—whether it be a drought, monsoon storm, a move (transplanting), or a need for healing—is a must for every living thing; and, with the collective help of others, much more can be accomplished than just the sum of the parts.
This philosophy and common sense understanding has been adopted into Permaculture design, Xeroscape landscaping, companion planting, rain- and grey-water harvesting, and Feng Shui. Throughout history it has been called the golden rule and divine pattern. I am suggesting, in the spirit of Easter, that you resurrect some of these age old truths. Every garden is different, and so there are no strict formulas, but there are guidelines. Be creative and ask some good nurseries.
Plant shade: Choose one or more deciduous trees. Some are fast growing (softwoods: willows, cottonwood) ; others grow slower (fruit trees, desert trees). One has to consider water needs too, but keep in mind that once the shade is established those plants that benefit from the shade will then use less water. Plant windbreak: You can choose hedges from native plants like jojoba, yuccas, bamboo, black/raspberries, or rose hedges with edible rosehips (even rose petals). Plant variety: My favorite companion planting is the native three sisters: corn, beans, and squash. They are true companions. Last year we did this and had a great harvest. Some other ideas are amaranth, lettuce, and onions. Another consideration is tomatoes and basil with some marigolds. In the corners of your garden have permanent spots for culinary herb perennials (rosemary, chives, marjoram, oregano, etc.), medicinal (calendula, lavender, comfrey, mints, plantain, stinging nettle, etc.), and edible standards (globe artichokes, rhubarb, asparagus). Plant beauty: Grapevines, roses, and flowers of all kinds including the sunflower. Did you know that there is a native sunflower (misnamed Jerusalem Artichokes) that has edible roots? It’s very beautiful and tall with many small flowers, and the nutritional benefits of its tubers are amazing. Plant density: Fill up your spaces with many kinds of vegetable plants and mulch all heavily with organic compost. It creates a microclimate and a plant community that is sustainable even in the desert.
What is described above is just the beginning, and each season you can add more plants. Envision it first, and then step by step plant your varieties and fill in the spaces. Involve your family, or make a family of friends, and you will find it’s more fun and creative. Ask your neighbors, garden clubs, or community gardens. In this process of learning and discovery, you find a new sense of belonging which fills your heart and soul with purpose. It is truly remarkable how healing gardening can be, no matter how small the beginnings.
We celebrate this time at Avalon Organic Gardens with our Annual Family Easter Celebration on Sunday April 4th, 11 A. M. – 3 P. M. Bring the kids for a hayride, Easter Egg Hunt, music, a children’s play, refreshments, and more. You can find the flyer online at http://globalchangemultimedia.org/events.
On Saturday, April 24, 11 A. M. – 5 P. M. our Annual Earth Sustainability Day is coming to Tubac Plaza. I hope I see you there or at our weekly Farm Stand in Tubac on Saturdays 11 A. M. – 1 P. M. And, don’t forget—its time to sign up for your share in our Community Supported Agriculture Program. You can do this online at http://avalongardens.org/csa or by calling 520-603-9932 (where you can also arrange for a personal tour).
Have fun planting and building your community, Tarenta Baldeschi (Change Agent)
PLANTS LIVE IN COMMUNITIES
Greetings fellow gardeners!
When you really look at any plant in nature you will notice it is connected with other plants—by giving or receiving shade, warmth, coolness, wind protection, support, color, water, nutrients, and many other intricacies. We call this interdependency and true community living. Plants know this, and humans are still in the discovery of it. Neighborly care and love for one another is what plants do all the time. To be flexible, to adapt to circumstances—whether it be a drought, monsoon storm, a move (transplanting), or a need for healing—is a must for every living thing; and, with the collective help of others, much more can be accomplished than just the sum of the parts.
This philosophy and common sense understanding has been adopted into Permaculture design, Xeroscape landscaping, companion planting, rain- and grey-water harvesting, and Feng Shui. Throughout history it has been called the golden rule and divine pattern. I am suggesting, in the spirit of Easter, that you resurrect some of these age old truths. Every garden is different, and so there are no strict formulas, but there are guidelines. Be creative and ask some good nurseries.
Plant shade: Choose one or more deciduous trees. Some are fast growing (softwoods: willows, cottonwood) ; others grow slower (fruit trees, desert trees). One has to consider water needs too, but keep in mind that once the shade is established those plants that benefit from the shade will then use less water. Plant windbreak: You can choose hedges from native plants like jojoba, yuccas, bamboo, black/raspberries, or rose hedges with edible rosehips (even rose petals). Plant variety: My favorite companion planting is the native three sisters: corn, beans, and squash. They are true companions. Last year we did this and had a great harvest. Some other ideas are amaranth, lettuce, and onions. Another consideration is tomatoes and basil with some marigolds. In the corners of your garden have permanent spots for culinary herb perennials (rosemary, chives, marjoram, oregano, etc.), medicinal (calendula, lavender, comfrey, mints, plantain, stinging nettle, etc.), and edible standards (globe artichokes, rhubarb, asparagus). Plant beauty: Grapevines, roses, and flowers of all kinds including the sunflower. Did you know that there is a native sunflower (misnamed Jerusalem Artichokes) that has edible roots? It’s very beautiful and tall with many small flowers, and the nutritional benefits of its tubers are amazing. Plant density: Fill up your spaces with many kinds of vegetable plants and mulch all heavily with organic compost. It creates a microclimate and a plant community that is sustainable even in the desert.
What is described above is just the beginning, and each season you can add more plants. Envision it first, and then step by step plant your varieties and fill in the spaces. Involve your family, or make a family of friends, and you will find it’s more fun and creative. Ask your neighbors, garden clubs, or community gardens. In this process of learning and discovery, you find a new sense of belonging which fills your heart and soul with purpose. It is truly remarkable how healing gardening can be, no matter how small the beginnings.
We celebrate this time at Avalon Organic Gardens with our Annual Family Easter Celebration on Sunday April 4th, 11 A. M. – 3 P. M. Bring the kids for a hayride, Easter Egg Hunt, music, a children’s play, refreshments, and more. You can find the flyer online at http://globalchangemultimedia.org/events.
On Saturday, April 24, 11 A. M. – 5 P. M. our Annual Earth Sustainability Day is coming to Tubac Plaza. I hope I see you there or at our weekly Farm Stand in Tubac on Saturdays 11 A. M. – 1 P. M. And, don’t forget—its time to sign up for your share in our Community Supported Agriculture Program. You can do this online at http://avalongardens.org/csa or by calling 520-603-9932 (where you can also arrange for a personal tour).
Have fun planting and building your community, Tarenta Baldeschi (Change Agent)
I recently attended a two day workshop held at a ranch in the Dragoon mountains on “Healthy Food, Healthy Future” which was sponsored by “Why Hunger?” (www.whyhunger.org), Community Food Bank of Tucson, and the Mariposa Health Clinic. All 60 or more of us gardeners, farmers, health care providers, teachers, and activists were clear of the need to encourage more people to grow food and support those who do. We came up with great action-oriented ideas from expanding school curriculums to include how to garden (from seed to seed) ; starting community gardens; making land available for those who don’t have any; having open farm/community garden days for people to tour and learn how to do it themselves; organizing interchanges of information, skills, and resources; providing responsible consumption education; increasing cross-border cooperation; improving school lunch programs; and many other inspiring plans.
Getting pruned…..
Our gardens in the winter can be a reflection of how we perceive this season—either dormant or alive. In nature there seems to always be a purpose which leads to the next moment. When we attempt to understand the mysterious workings of divine design we become receptive to new ideas and vision.
Greetings to all of you,
As I write this, I am anticipating Christmas and New Year’s, as well as Hanukkah, Al Hijra (Islamic New Year’s Day), Winter solstice, Kwanzaa (African American Cultural Celebration), Human Rights Day, Forefathers Day, and many more. As I walk in our gardens I recall all the significant moments of the past year while I simultaneously envision the hopeful future. Walk with me for a moment to give thanks and learn together how to approach the coming seasons.
Greetings fellow gardeners and harvesters,
Hello fellow gardeners,
It has already been one full year describing the seasons and giving you suggestions on how to improve your gardens. When it comes around “Full Circle” it’s always a surprise to realize how quickly we pass through one year and its four seasons. Have you noticed how the garden can envelop (or swallow) you, and the time we spend gardening changes how we perceive life, time, and space?
