Drought, Covid and food insecurity.

Lately we have had little to no water to live on. Imagine turning the faucet on and nothing coming out! Sounds crazy huh?

We here at Bluebird Ranch get our water from a spring that we share with about six other neighbors. I imagine that with the dry winter we had this year that our spring didn’t get to be replenished. There are a couple of other issues here but i won’t bore you with the details.

The fact that we have had to go into serious conservation mode really hits home how much water we use on a daily basis. From flushing the toilet, taking a shower, washing dishes. How about just wanting to rinse your hands if they feel dirty. I never realized how fortunate we are to have running water. Seems like something that should just be there for everyone.

This brings me to think about the many people that experience this in other countries. Also it makes me more conscientious of where i can cut back. Don’t get me wrong, i also feel like a princess feeling frustrated that i don’t have the water pressure i want so i can wash my hair. Next time you brush your teeth I’d like to challenge you to see how little water you can use. I’m down to half a drinking glass:)

working all covered up.

So we are going on how many months of this corona virus? I feel like i’m in a weird dream that i can’t wake up from. I am so thankful for those amazing people that are still working. Especially people working in hospitals or nursing care facilities that are exposed every day to the virus. Although i’m still working, i’m lucky enough to be working with only two or three people at the most. Our residents come in to harvest but we restrict it to one family at a time so there is plenty of space to social distance. It feels like it’s been forever since i was able to hug a friend or go out without a mask.

I think this virus is shining the light on some serious issues in our society that we can’t ignore anymore. Like food insecurity. In a country that has so much money it seems crazy that anyone should go hungry here. As a farmer i constantly think about how i can help to get good local food into the hands of people in need. I thought that i could grow a bunch of food here and find a pantry to donate it to but NOT ENOUGH WATER! Actually it’s not just the water issue but the damn ground squirrels and bugs that have been the biggest issue.

But seriously food insecurity is a serious problem. All people should have access to fresh local and organic produce. In Pomona their farmers market has a program where people can use their EBT coupons.

For you gardeners and farmers, next time you have a bumper crop of veggies or fruits, find a food pantry to donate to or get creative and find ways to get that amazing food to people in need.

Happy gardening and stay safe!

~ J

Surviving this heat during the drought.

This summer has seemed to be hotter than last summer.  I’m not sure if it was but i think it feels hotter because the heat wave has been lasting for more than a few days before we get a break.  The plants here at The Glendora community garden have been struggling to stay alive and produce.

I didn’t really plant much this summer because i wanted to focus on a couple of crops.  I’m experimenting to see how little water i can get away with while keeping the plants happy.  On one plot i put in pumpkins at the hottest time in summer.  I didn’t hook them up to any irrigation, but i amended the soil with some horse poop and mulched 2 or 3 inches with wood chips.  I water the plants deep once maybe twice a week and so far they look good.  

The other bed i have the drip coming on every day for about 20 minutes.  I mulch this bed with straw.  These plants look good too, although they aren’t doing better than the non irrigated plot.  This tells me that i can probably water less and still have happy plants.  As an urban gardener where our spaces aren’t going to be as big this can really make a difference in saving water.  I have an apple tree that i water by filling up a gallon milk jug that has tree holes at the bottom.  I water this tree once a week and this is the happiest i’ve seen this tree.  I think most of us aren’t watering deep enough even though we may be watering more often.

This other photo is an example of how i let things flower and produce seeds that will be acclimated to our micro climate.(soldier fly working on endive flower)

 

Happy gardening!

Holy Basil(Tulsi) and pineapple sage

Here at the garden we like to offer an array of different vegetables and herbs.  One of the herbs we have growing here is holy basil.  Holy basil is part of the mint family.  You might know it as “Tulsi”  which means incomparable one.  This is considered a sacred plant in India.  This form of basil was commonly used at ceremonies and burials.  Tulsi is known for being the best herb for preparing the heart and mind for spiritual practices.

When drank as a tea or taken as a tinture it leaves you with a sense of calm and peace.  For this reason some people use it for anxiety and depression.

Pineapple sage

Pineapple sage is another plant that we grow here.   Besides its beautiful flowers, the leaves are edible and can be used in many dishes and cocktails.  The other day I found a mojito recipe using pineapple sage.  It’s medicinal benefits include calming the nervous system, improving digestive health and treating heartburn. The hummingbirds also love the flowers on this plant and frequently are found buzzing around it.

If your interested in taking a tour of the garden feel free to contact me @  jrivasraymer@yahoo.com

Happy gardening!     Juanita