Agricultural college garden
Sept 5, 2009 7:35:12 GMT
Post by bixaorellana on Sept 5, 2009 7:35:12 GMT
Thursday morning I visited the experimental garden at the agricultural college in Nazareno, popularly known as the ITAO.
I lived in Nazareno up until Easter of this year, and would go walking with friends on the grounds of the college. We always came in the cool of late afternoon, so never visited the potager nor the adjacent orchid pavilion. We did walk around behind that area though, where the federally supported college maintains farm land lush with irrigation and beautifully set off by Monte Alban and the surrounding hills.
I park my car in the shade of the palms lining the road next to the garden and greenhouses, and stop to admire this cornfield and Monte Alban in the background.
Across the road, the fence is lushly covered with bougainvillea and a blue-flowered vine. There are a couple of people out watering the garden.
Here's a close-up of the flowering vine on the fence. I thought it was jícama, but the young man watering said it's an ornamental.
This kind of an area draws me like a magnet. I scanned the charming layout, and finally called to the people with the hoses. They cheerfully invited me to come on in.
The area just where one enters is both practical and beautiful.
Cactus pads are a used as food in this country, and that aloe has a variety of medicinal uses.
The garden has a friendly and curious greeter for visitors!
A broader view of the area near the fence, showing the many shapes of the raised beds, and the crops in various stages of growth. This garden is completely organic, using compost made on the premises.
There are farm animals on the college grounds also, so their manure is added to all the excess herbage. The soil in the beds is extremely rich-looking and friable.
Right now there are herbs growing, along with cabbage, lettuce, and this robust kale. Behind the kale is a very Oaxacan crop -- marigolds planted to be ready for the Days of the Dead.
Beyond them is a clump of lavender flanked by two different kinds of agave.
On the other side of the path is an area running the whole length of this garden that's planted with marigolds and with cockscomb, another flower closely associated with Days of the Dead.
Only this section was using drip irrigation. Perhaps it's used for getting crops started.
I'm completely fascinated by these towers. I'd like to come back one day when there is someone around with the time to really give me a run-down on the operation.
We're in the middle of an extended drought and heat spell, so the plants are probably not performing as well as usual. The cilantro is happy!
This was so pleasant and I'll be able to take some of it home with me, as everything growing is for sale. It couldn't be fresher, as you decide what you want and it's cut for you on the spot.
I opted for some of the kale and this parsley fairly bursting with health and flavor.
The young woman who cuts the vegetables for me tells me to be sure to look into the greenhouse where all the baby pine trees are readied for reforestation programs. Look at all that fluffy green beauty!
This is not really on the subject, but I find it interesting. These pictures are from the farm areas. That beautiful orange honeysuckle-type flower is a parasite!
I've never seen it growing anywhere else except around Nazareno. The second photo gives an idea of the extent of its spread.
Across the road, the fence is lushly covered with bougainvillea and a blue-flowered vine. There are a couple of people out watering the garden.
Here's a close-up of the flowering vine on the fence. I thought it was jícama, but the young man watering said it's an ornamental.
This kind of an area draws me like a magnet. I scanned the charming layout, and finally called to the people with the hoses. They cheerfully invited me to come on in.
The area just where one enters is both practical and beautiful.
Cactus pads are a used as food in this country, and that aloe has a variety of medicinal uses.
The garden has a friendly and curious greeter for visitors!
A broader view of the area near the fence, showing the many shapes of the raised beds, and the crops in various stages of growth. This garden is completely organic, using compost made on the premises.
There are farm animals on the college grounds also, so their manure is added to all the excess herbage. The soil in the beds is extremely rich-looking and friable.
Right now there are herbs growing, along with cabbage, lettuce, and this robust kale. Behind the kale is a very Oaxacan crop -- marigolds planted to be ready for the Days of the Dead.
Beyond them is a clump of lavender flanked by two different kinds of agave.
On the other side of the path is an area running the whole length of this garden that's planted with marigolds and with cockscomb, another flower closely associated with Days of the Dead.
Only this section was using drip irrigation. Perhaps it's used for getting crops started.
I'm completely fascinated by these towers. I'd like to come back one day when there is someone around with the time to really give me a run-down on the operation.
We're in the middle of an extended drought and heat spell, so the plants are probably not performing as well as usual. The cilantro is happy!
This was so pleasant and I'll be able to take some of it home with me, as everything growing is for sale. It couldn't be fresher, as you decide what you want and it's cut for you on the spot.
I opted for some of the kale and this parsley fairly bursting with health and flavor.
The young woman who cuts the vegetables for me tells me to be sure to look into the greenhouse where all the baby pine trees are readied for reforestation programs. Look at all that fluffy green beauty!
This is not really on the subject, but I find it interesting. These pictures are from the farm areas. That beautiful orange honeysuckle-type flower is a parasite!
I've never seen it growing anywhere else except around Nazareno. The second photo gives an idea of the extent of its spread.