Vivero La Esperanza - San Juan Tecomatlan - Watch Us Grow!

Things are growing at our nursery/vivero in San Juan Tecomatlan....we even have angels in the garden.  Our dear friend and teacher Martin Meza brought along his youngest son, Angel to help us grow.  Everyone wanted to hold and take care of Angel...who wouldn't?

 Angel in the garden

Every time we visit we are presented with new surprises....this Saturday our 1st squash.

Our 1st sunflower

Our acelga/swiss chard keeps giving and giving...this is our 3rd harvest from these generous plansts.

In the middle of our gardening morning we heard a shout from the corner abarrotes.  "Someone was having a heart attack" was the cry.  The Brigadistas rushed over to see what was happening and to see how they could help.  The gentleman in question was actually having convulsions, so we told him to stay where he was and not move.  The Brigadistas began gathering info from the neighbors and found out he had had a history of convulsions.  While I called 911, the townspeople went to alert his family.

The gentleman had injured himself when he fell at the start of the convulsions.  The Brigadistas saw to his cuts and bruises, cleaned the wounds and bandaged them.

Soon the Cruz Roja arrived to take over. 

It was an emotional morning at the Vivero.  Our Brigadistas, still in training, did a stellar job.

The Cruz Roja soon was on its way, the patient taken to his home and we returned to the Vivero.

Aside from practical education, we also bring garden books that we think will be of interest and use.

Another 1st harvest were our Cebollines.  Anita holds them up proudly.

Our friend Felipe took great comfort in being able to work with his hands, 

as his daily work is highly cerebral.

Our teacher Priscilla is always with her side kick, Lulu.  Everyone seems to get along beautifully.

Our morning meetings are a great place to update each other on the week's progress

and all things of importance.

Martin makes a point.

One of our goals is to rescue any existing fruit trees in the Vivero.  Today Mino, Barbara, Douglas and Paula decided to focus on our Naranjo.

Before

 After

The crew did a great job...so much so that the beautiful Naranjo looked like a totally different tree.

 Priscilla teaching

With a generous donation of shade cloth, the sewing of the roof cover piece is in progress and 

should be installed this coming Saturday. 

Dona MariElena

The newest member to our crew is Sra. MariElena, who lives across the street from the Vivero.  She is our guardian angel, keeping watch over the nursery during the week, giving us water when needed.

This Saturday we were told that there had not been any water in the area for 3 days.  The usual water availability fell from all day to just in the afternoons about a month ago...this due to the dry season.  This time the water had not flowed into the town's homes due to a malfunction of the water pump at the town well site.

Always resourceful, Martin suggested we load up our empty barrels and head to his place in San Nicolas, to fill the receptacles.

Lickety split, the crew was gone and back with water for our garden.  We face daily challenges such as these...and we continue to grow.

See you in the garden!

+++++++++++++++++++ A Dynamic Day ++++++++++++++++++

Receiving a check from the Karen Rowell of the Lake Chapala Garden Club

Some days are invigorating....some are challenging.  Today was dynamic!  The day started with a generous donation from the Lake Chapala Garden Club (LCGC).  The LCGC has been a constant support to our Vivero project and today they presented us with a check for needed garden materials. 

 What a great way to start the day.

Our friends Dee and Doris, along with our friend Frank Ewer donated garden tools and supplies.

We had several guests at the Vivero.  Of note were Martin Meza and Brad "Mulch" Mowers, both experienced gardeners.

Maestro Brad led us through a presentation on "Soil". 

And Maestro Martin worked with the youth teaching them about heirloom seeds and germination.

Our garden keeps growing, even with less-than-perfect soil.

Frank Ewers had given us some special beans so Barbara Reinhart and Paula Whittingham both decided to make a bean planter bed.

Our new friend Priscilla Taylor brought along cuttings from her garden to share with the Brigadistas.

Priscilla patiently taught the youth how to properly pot cuttings.

The results are beautiful.

We were also joined that day by new friends Mino y Felipe Gerard.  Felipe and Brad got to work on our compost area.

Cosecha

This was a special day.  The first of our Swiss Chard was ready to harvest and the group decided that the first harvest should be given in appreciation to the two neighboring families, who have provided water and have kept a watch over our new Vivero.

Martin did the honors and showed the youth how to properly harvest the food. 

Our littlest Brigadista.

Our mascots, Abejita and Periquita are always by our side.

Mino, Brad and Felipe also worked on our mulch supply.

In the middle of all the activity, a few of us stole away to collect some construction soil, that had been given to us.

The kids decided to make a planting circle with some of the donated plants.

Our Vivero project is developing nicely.

Thank you to all our wonderful volunteers, supporters and youth.

We'd especially like to thank

The Lake Chapala Garden Club

Volunteers:

Barbara Reinhart

Paula Whittingham

Mino and Felipe Gerard

Teachers:

Martin Meza

Brad "Mulch" Mowers

Priscilla Taylor

Donors:

Frank Ewers

Dee & Doris from Agua Escondida

+++++++++++++++++A New Day, A New Door+++++++++++++++++

Organization

One of the first things we do at the La Esperanza Vivero/Nursery is sit and discuss

last week's work and plan the work for the day.

This has been a new concept for the Brigadistas.  I include them in the planning and critique.

And I remind them of the importance of respecting other people's time and efforts.  This seems to be a constant, weekly topic.

Compost Area

Last week I left the task of creating a Compost Area in our Vivero.  Arturo and his crew did a fine job, all on their own.  We still need to properly place materials and signage,  but it is a work in progress.

A lot with a view. 

Growth

Biochar

Our Permacultural teacher, Douglas got to work on his Biochar oven.  

Arturo took a special interest and assisted Douglas.

Biochar is charcoal used as a soil amendment. Biochar is a stable solid, rich in carbon, and can endure in soil for thousands of years. Like most charcoal, biochar is made from 

biomass via pyrolysis.

Biochar is recognized as offering a number of benefits for soil health. Many benefits are related to the extremely porous nature of biochar. This structure is found to be very effective at retaining both water and water-soluble nutrients. Soil biologist Elaine Ingham indicates the extreme suitability of biochar as a habitat for many beneficial soil micro organisms. She points out that when pre-charged with these beneficial organisms biochar becomes an extremely effective soil amendment promoting good soil, and in turn plant, health.

For plants that require high potash and elevated pH, biochar can be used as a soil amendment to improve yield.

Biochar can improve water quality, reduce soil emissions of greenhouse gases, reduce nutrient leaching, reduce soil acidity, and reduce irrigation and fertilizer requirements.

Wikipedia

 The final product, ready to be used in our garden.

A New Door

Security has been an issue for us at the Vivero.  We previously had to store any valuable items

(i.e. tools, tables, chairs) in a bodega at a neighbor's house or at the home of one of the Brigadistas.

Our friend, Barbara Reinhart had a wonderful surprise for us at the Vivero.  She had met an ironsmith named Alvaro Salazar from Guadalajara and had him install a metal door complete with heavy locks.  He has completed the work with partial payment and has asked us to pay him as we can.

Thank you both Barb and Alvaro.  Now we can store our tools safely.

As a result, the girls started clearing our second lot, under Barb's direction.

And so we grow...