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| Entrance to Casa Blat-ha |
"It did seem that there was a lot more going on in the garden than I'd expected to find" begins Michael Pollan in his book
Second Nature: A Gardener's Education. The quest to build a garden, or simply spending some time in a garden teaches one a lot about, well, everything.
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| Trellis work along the border of the garden |
Each day in the Blat Ha garden, I seemed to discover a new patch, or path, or plant, adding to my understanding of the garden's design and my understanding of how it's possible to grow food and medicine a block from the ocean.
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| Gardening just meters from the sea |
On my last day at the garden, I went up to the roof, as I had the day I began. I appreciated so much more the layout of the garden as well as how it was growing. And, I knew a few of its secrets: the bright green lizards and orange birds who live there, as well as the fat iguanas who eat the passion fruit flowers. I learned which plants were poisonous and which were delicious. And still, there's so much more to learn.
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| Aerial view of the garden |
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| Paths designed in a swirl |
So far on this journey, I've been amazed by the willingness of gardeners to share their time, space and knowledge with me. On Holbox - Daniel, Viki, Sandra, Jesus, and Aida have all given freely of their time and knowledge to the project. Aida, who was born on Holbox, describes herself as "a witch with degrees". Her knowledge of medicinal plants as well as therapies from around the world are astounding. She noted the value of preserving such knowledge. Over the years, she's noticed that sometimes people know certain plants have medicinal properties, but do not know the specific plant part. For example, many drink coconut water to treat kidney stones, while they should actually be eating the flesh of the plant. Of course, this "partial-knowledge" can be dangerous: the flowers of Vicario are used to treat diabetes, while its leaves are toxic. After interviewing several medicine men for the project, it was great to meet a balance of "medicine women" on the island, who are continuing the tradition as well. Aida gave me a book written as homage to the women of Oaxaca and their healing plants. Certainly it will find its welcome spot on my classroom bookshelf. If you'd like to contact Aida on Holbox for a massage or a number of therapies, you can find her by the Hotel Faro Viejo or call her at 984 87 5 20 01.
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| A sunset from Sandra´s garden |
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| Tapestry of Community Garden, Izamal Cultural Center |
In
Terra Madre, Petrini reflects upon the synergy required for sustainable food systems. Food communities require a synergy between involved community members, resources, and the environment. Petrini writes of the art and science of food production, "Preserving this precious store of knowledge is a right, but also an obligation- for food communities, for indigenous populations, for all countries-because it is this knowledge that helps to save biological diversity, our heritage of local food skills, and the conservation of common goods..." (p. 110). I think it is this attitude, or rather this necessity for preservation, that allows gardeners to share their knowledge and resources so eagerly with me. And in the gardening community, it makes sense. This synergy, free-flowing exchanges of energy between parties, means easy access to organic fertilizers, good food, and knowledge. It's a good loop to be in. If you're on Isla Holbox, a stay at Blat Ha with a garden-fresh breakfast could be just what you're looking for.
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| Great white egret on the beach near Casa Blat Ha |
