++++++++++++++++++++++ Water Wise ++++++++++++++++++++

(Photos by E. Robinson and  F. Nava)

We've been planning for an Artisanal Paper Making Workshop in the Vivero

for a while now...and the Saturday had finally arrived.

Squash Blossom (behind anti-gallina protection) is growing nicely.

Being that our Vivero has no source of electricity, Maestro Brad Mowers prepared the pulp needed

beforehand...all week he boiled Banana, Agave, Grass and Lirio leaves, blendered them to pulp

and put them in plastic bottles for transport.

The problem was that when we arrived at the Vivero, the town of San Juan Tecomatlan

had not had any municipal water for 3 days, and our reserves for watering

had run dry.

How to have a Vivero and a paper making workshop without any running water?  Our volunteers were challenged with a dilema.  We met around the issue and an apparent solution was reached.

If we needed we could purchase drinking water to use for the workshop.

So off we went in search of garafones of drinking water.  We found enough water in 2 abarrote

stores to supply our workshop need.

Ready to start the workshop a few of our adult volunteers posed the question "Is this the correct

message to be giving the youth?"  We pondered the pros and cons of the solution and felt that although we had money and vehicles to be able to bring drinking water to the Vivero, it was not a good solution.  We could use the drinking water in better ways.  So we gathered as a group...youth, adults, community and voted to distribute the drinking water to needy community members and postpone the workshop until the municipal water returned.

Just then, Anita Torres Guerrero and the Brigadistas appeared as if by magic.  We discussed our point of view and Anita, in all her resourceful magnificence said "Why don't we go down to the lake for water for the workshop?"  Next thing you know the Brigadista truck had all the Brigadistas and Vivero youth piled into the truck.  They took our empty barrels and were off!

In a short while they returned with barrels full of lake water.

Like magic we had enough water for the paper making workshop to begin.

Brad showed us how to mix the pulp with water to reach the right dilution for paper making.

He also showed us from where the Maguey fiber came and how it was harvested.

And also what products can be made with the fiber...case in point rope.

Soon everyone was trying their hand at paper making.

The finer points of paper making were discussed and taught.

Brad showed us how to replenish the pulp once it was used up.

Soon paper was materializing.

Creativity took hold and the youth were adding natural elements to the wet paper.

Brad also brought samples of his hand made paper and projects that can be made with the paper.

 

Once everyone got the hang of it, the production line kept going.

The sun was all we needed to dry our paper.

Having had the epiphany of how difficult life can be without water,

our cleanup also included saving the left over pulp and used water.

The pulp will be used for next week's 2nd paper making class and the left over water

was used to water the very thirsty Vivero plants.

Our friend Mino, along with the Vivero youth, then took all the garafones of drinking water and distributed the water to needy community members...a woman just out of hospital, some of

the elderly, some of the poorest members.  With the help of our Vivero youth all

the bottles were given away.

Tune in next week for class # 2 of hand made, Artisanal Paper Making in

Vivero La Esperanza, San Juan Tecomatlan.

I want to thank you all for your continued support of our Vivero project, and especially the wise souls

who edited our actions this past Saturday, making us take a step back and ask, with sensitivity, if the plan was the correct action for the community....our community...the community of San Juan Teco and the world.

Water...so vital to all life...and yet, we forget sometimes the value of this amazing entity,

especially when we do not have it available.

And yet, we live on the shores of this large lake. 

I'm happy that she was able to provide what we needed

exactly at the perfect time.

We are 'germinators'...of seeds, of young lives and yet we rarely get to see

where our actions take hold and how they effect our world.

I believe at the Vivero La Esperanza we get a glimpse of this...such a rare thing.

Vivero Viviente

As is usual, we start our Saturday morning Vivero sessions with a meeting to organize our work day.

Weekly Watering Schedule Review

We start with picking up a week's worth of trash from inside and in front of the Vivero.  I'm happy to report that each week there seems to be less trash to pick up, a good sign that people are respecting the Vivero a bit more.

We are focusing on potting cutting donations in preparation for our April 25th Plant Sale.

Maintenance and organization are key to being able to work effectively.

Today we decided to clean out and reorganize our storage areas.

One of the many pleasures of being part of the Vivero crew is working with wonderful

people...case in point new volunteer Elaine Robinson.

Our anti-gallina structures have proved to be a great success, so Dr. Lalo and the 

Brigadistas continue to produce as many as possible.

Our scientist, Felipe brought his Weed-O to help speed up weeding.

And Priscilla is now bringing coffee ground donations from Dharma Cafe for our compost pile.

When we opened the container we found a slime mould, not a fungus at all but a type of amoeba that feeds on the bacteria growing on rotten wood or mulches that have not been completely composted. Slime moulds may form yellow, pink, or orange colored patches on mulch. These last for a day or two, then turn brown and dry up. Although unsightly they are not harmful."

We found another surprise when we lifted the tarp to the compost pile.  One of our resident gallinas had created a nest and laid 6 beautiful light Tiffany blue eggs.  So as not to encourage chickens in our garden, we took the eggs home.

Julianna's garden has been kissed by the temperature change and is growing quickly.

So much so, that she has had to transplant plantulas to a new bed.

The Keyhole Garden continues to evolve.  Design challenges are met with experimental attempts, sometimes needing redoing....we'll get there!

And we'd like to give a shout out to Allan MacGregor and Barbara Hildt for their recent donation, which allowed us to purchase much needed compost/soil for our fervent potting efforts.

Muchas Gracias!

At the end of the day our efforts help feed the community.

In San Pedro Itzican and San Juan Tecomatlan we also hold English Classes on Sundays.

Our wood burning oven is churning out delicious pizzas now.  We can't keep them in stock...

they fly out of the oven and are purchased as soon as they are made.

We also hold primary education classes (basic reading, writing and math) for the townsfolk

who have not gone to school.  This is an amazing opportunity to get your primary school education certification.

And lastly, I saw a vision of my ideal vehicle in Ajijic...someday I'll have one just like it.

A continued thanks to all the angels who help make our efforts possible.

I feel Spring in the air.

++++++++++++ Steve Knoll, The Silent Gardener ++++++++++++

Have you ever wondered how our kiosko/gazebo/plaza gardens in Ajijic stay blooming and beautiful throughout the year?  I have, knowing how little resources the pueblo of Ajijic has to go around.

The answer is Steve Knoll, The Silent Gardener.

Steve has been in the Ribera area for 7 years now.  He has been a groundskeeper, florist,

B & B farmer and now Plaza Beautifier.

Steve, like most gardeners in town, works with a minimal number of tools, very little allotted time,

no working irrigation and without a budget for any new plant material.

"I do it for the love of horticulture and figure what better way to 

put a small smile on the faces of many."

I first met Steve Knoll at a garden group meeting in May 2019.  Steve expressed an interest in seeing our Vivero project in San Juan Tecomatlan and came out to Vivero La Esperanza. 

 Steve offered his truck and help and we immediately sent him, with the local youth Brigade to collect horse manure for our gardens.  He did not hesitate and soon was off to complete the chore.

From Steve

Pablo, the owner of the Jardín Plaza restaurant is a friend and my landlord, and supporter of my plaza beautification. He gives me free reign and pays for my plant and pot supplies that I use at the Jardín Plaza restaurant.  About a year and a half ago I decided on my own to work at beautifying the plaza/gazebo area. There were 8 large pots already in place around the gazebo, with an assortment of very sad, pathetic plants.  The entire plaza upon close inspection, from a horticultural perspective, was a nightmare.  I checked into it a little bit, seems the garden club poured money and effort into the entire plaza in 2014.  But as with so many horticultural programs, it’s all about budgeting and managing for maintenance, upkeep and a continual inflow of new plant material. 

Since I’ve been around none of these exist.  

The first year I maintained only the eight 30” pots, with about half containing permanent greenery and 1/2 more colorful material that I rotate as it has a short lifespan in a public/high traffic pedestrian area. I’ve grown accustomed to always discovering new varieties that have the ability to. “walk away”.  I expanded last year to decorating the gazebo itself for Christmas with 6000 lights, poinsettias, and other decorations.  The last few months I've been adding an additional 8 pots and am beginning to conquer the large, sad, garden zones around the gazebo. 

I’ve had a few donors, unfortunately the largest contributor cannot continue to contribute $.  And over time I have received a few donations from others.  I’ve personally spent $25,000 pesos on this endeavor.  To a degree I don’t mind because of the joy it brings to the townspeople, but to continue my plans for the larger garden areas I need support in funds.  Since it benefits the businesses to have a beautiful plaza also, I would think their support would be evident, but other than the Jardín Plaza restaurant and the Dollar Store no one has offered.

I do often tip the existing gardeners for their extra help when I do pruning and a clean up. Also, I use a few of the street kids to assist me and buy them lunch and pay them an adult wage, again out of my pocket. And occasionally I get a few contributions from onlookers. I’ve been ambitious.

These last few months I’ve put in 100’s of new plants; hibiscus, asst sage, allium, ferns, hydrangea, and am trying to use lower maintenance, drought tolerant plants.  But as any gardener here in the semi tropical/ temperate/ dry 6 months/ inconsistent rainy 6 month/ bugs/ disease prone/ lack of quality soil environment can tell you, it’s a lot of maintenance, watering, fertilizing (a very expensive commodity down here as the costs of soil amendments are high).  Peat moss is $30 u.s per bale, Vermiculite and Miracle Grow another $60 u.s. which is also necessary for any attempt
at container growing.

I drive monthly from Chapala to Joco and buy what looks great at a reasonable price. I don’t plan as I have no tolerance for seeking out any specific plants. My wallet is my guide!!! I have a natural ability to design my gardens on the spot with the knowledge in my head and the plants at my feet.

Steve needs our support.

Won't you consider providing resources to his beautification cause?

If so, please contact Steve at wolfgang20dragon@gmail.com

or you can send an email to Fco. at duchenney@gmail.com

We all thank you for your generous contributions.

Fco. y Steve