The LocalHarvest Blog

We at LocalHarvest are embarking on a new project to bring you closer to the farmers who grow your food. Periodically we’ll be interviewing our members to share their unique stories with you.

Pablo Rodriguez is the owner of Rancho Charanda, growers of citrus and specialty fruit crops, and The Aztec Garden, his project featuring medicinal and culinary herbs of ancient and modern Mexico. We’ve always loved his artful presentations and passion for growing good food and herbs, so we looked forward to asking Pablo a few questions about what inspires him.

LocalHarvest: What got you into farming?

Pablo Rodriguez: I was totally inspired by my grandmother. As a young boy, I remember spending the summer playing in her huge garden filled with tomatoes, chiles, cactus, herbs and several types of stone fruit. Every time my siblings and I visited, we would peek into the refrigerator and shout, “there’s nothing to eat”... but grandma would always whip something up freshly picked from her garden. So I decided to continue the tradition of growing my own meals. Plus farming keeps me grounded, it connects me to the land and nature, brings me peace and relaxes my mind. I respect the earth and the life giving energy the food provides us.

LH: What inspired you to create The Aztec Garden?

Pablo: Years ago I discovered a reproduction of an obscure little herbal book written in 1552 called the Aztec Herbal. I read it cover to cover. It is the first herbal, in fact, the first medical book produced in the Americas. The original book is preserved in the National Institute of Anthropology and History in Mexico City. It is known as the Codice Badiano, or Badianus Manuscript, after the Aztec scholar Juannes Badianus, who translated the original manuscript into Latin.

The herbal was written in the local Aztec language (Nahuatl) by Martinus de la Cruz, a prominent physician at the College of Santa Cruz in Tlaltelolco, Mexico. The book was produced thirty-one years after the Spanish conquest of Tenochtitlán, which is present-day Mexico City. This little book provided the names of the herbs, hand drawn images and remedies for a variety of illnesses and ailments. I decided to grow as many of these herbs and plants that I could find and share the remedies with others.

What are the three herbs you think everyone should have in the cupboard and why?

Pablo: At the Aztec Garden we firmly believe that to heal oneself you must heal all elements: mind, body and spirit. With that said the first herb to have on hand would be:

Cedron / Lemon Verbena. A very comforting and aromatic herb. Once dried it makes a perfect hot or cold tea. A cup in the morning allows you to clear your thoughts and prep your mind for the tasks of the day. In the evening before bed, it soothes and relaxes your mind before you lay your body to rest. (Mind)

Oregano de la Sierra / Mountain Oregano. This is one of my favorite herbs for cooking and feeding your body with natural nutrients it needs to function properly. It is very aromatic with rich, spicy overtones. Perfect over grilled potatoes or blended with saute?ed tomatoes, onions, garlic and nopales. It adds life and zest to so many dishes. (Body)

Salvia Blanca / White Sage. This is one of the five sacred herbs. It is used to dispel negative energy that you may have absorbed from friends, family or foes. It should be used daily. (Spirit)

LH: Does your farm location have any particular geographical advantages / challenges? How would you describe your local farming community?

Pablo: We are located on a hillside between Los Angeles and Palm Springs in an area known as Crafton Hills. Our farm has mountains to the north and desert to the east. In my opinion a great location with several microclimates. The area is perfect for growing several types of plants, trees and herbs. The south, higher terrain allows us to grow sub-tropicals such as avocados and guavas. Our sun-sensitive herbs are protected with the shade of our citrus trees throughout the property. The north, lower end, where rainwater and irrigation water accumulates, is perfect for our thirsty plants. The drier, sandy soil of the west side is a perfect location for our cactus garden.

Some of the biggest challenges we face are lack of rainwater, unstable weather, over development and a lack of respect for the environment. The local farming community has finally placed our local food production as a priority, but we still have a long way to go. We need the local community to support local farming … and not depend on foreign interests to supply our precious food.

Recipe: Sangre de Azteco

This refreshing drink features some of the unique fruits grown by Rancho Charanda. The Aztec Marigold flower garnish represents the blood that was shed by the Aztecs to the Spaniards who invaded the Americas for gold.

Ingredients

• 1 xoconostle fruit
  
• 2 pitaya (dragon fruit)
• 2 tuna (red prickly pear fruit) 
• 1 pomegranate (medium sized) 
• 1 nopal (cactus paddle green or red) 
• 3 oz chilled spring water 
• 1-1/2oz Opuntia Prickly Pear Spirit

Preparation:
Trim the spines and skin off of the xoconostle, pitaya and tuna. Place pulp in a blender. Next, trim the spines off of nopal, chop and place in blender, cut pomegranate in half and remove seeds. Place seeds in blender. Add 3 oz chilled spring water and blend at high speed for 4 minutes. Pour mixture through cheese cloth to remove seeds into a wide mouthed cup. Add Prickly Pear Spirit, stir and now pour into a chilled glass goblet filled with ice cubes. Garnish with freshly picked Aztec Marigold Flowers.

Many thanks to Pablo Rodriguez for taking the time to share with us! If you’re curious about Rancho Charanda and The Aztec Garden, check out their listings on LocalHarvest, or if you’re in their area, you can contact them about visiting.

Until next time,

Kerry