A Different Kind Of Rich

Yelling up to Gio, "dude the garden is blowing up!"

"I know! We have so much food!"

It's late afternoon where the sun is just beginning to set behind the valley we live in. Just the top of the mountains and the cotton candy clouds are kissed by the last rays of light. Perusing the garden with Gio, we stand among all of the veggies that have been planted over the last few months. Tatsoi, romaine, arugula, daikon radish, beets, mustard, kale, chard, tomato, fennel, cilantro, taro, sweet potato, spinach, and broccoli are just a few of the varieties that have been planted in the garden. Encompassing six or so terraces, it's enough greens and veggies to feed four people comfortably plus enough to give away as a small omiyage (a gift) to friends or someone in need of fresh food. We estimate that at least eighty percent of our food comes from the garden.

Picking greens, I start laughing. Gio looks at me in confusion, "what's up?"

"Dude, we are so rich!"

Gio smiles, "I know, we are so rich."

It's an idea that we've been playing around with the last few days. We don't own fancy things, most of our appliances are held together with duct tape, and the chairs we sit in are releasing their stuffing like a well loved teddy bear. To many, we probably look like bridge trolls since we essentially live underneath someones deck.

However, it would be hard to put a price on the veggies and fruits that we grow. What's the price of a thirty pound guacamole of the freshest avocados worth? Especially when you have to finish it because you have to make another thirty pound guacamole before the avocados go bad. What's five gallons of tangelo (a tangerine and orange hybrid) juice worth, and what's a five gallon bucket stuffed with the freshest greens worth for a salad?

Many might disregard it for the latest fashion but I think it would be hard to put a price on it. Maybe being rich should be something more then fancy dinners and hotels, but more of the simple things that make you and others feel good. It's a different kind of rich.

The makings of tangelo juice

Pure tangerine juice

Sacred Hawaiian taro

Tatsoi

Prepping banana hands

The latest fruit plunder

We call ourselves vegan hunters

Sometimes you get lucky with the sunrises

Gloomy Days

The few days of amazing weather was short lived. The swell drastically increased with onshore winds make both diving and surfing nonexistent. Along with this, consistent rain storms keep us inside. While going outside in the rain isn't bad since it's warm, it does get tiresome constantly drying off. 

Solo sunrise walk

Usually this wave is no bigger than waist high. This is probably a twelve foot wave.

Lone coconut drifting in the waves

Pretty sure that's what I looked like wiping out the other day.

Instead, between listening to the rhythm of the rain drops on the tin roof and plunking on the guitar, we have been spending more time in the garden and working. 

Glad we have some guitars to jam with

Hanging out

The garden that Gio maintains is phenomenal. It's a full time job on top of his other jobs but he somehow manages to keep it going.

For him it's a lifelong experiment. He's a mad scientist trying to get the best results. Growing kale, cilantro, and other veggies isn't good enough. It can always be better. Gio tries different tilling methods, lighting, everything imaginable.

Where it all begins

I think the pattern that papaya leaves make is pretty cool. Like big snowflakes. 

His results are impressive, basil plants that are small hedges. Tomato plants that are five years old and still producing. 

Gio finds that fighting the constant dampness followed by mold is a huge problem. When it starts raining he flies around the garden trimming and hacking plants back so they won't die or rot. He still sees life in them and we need it to eat. For the most part we don't buy any fruits or veggies except for carrots, onions, and garlic. Everything else is from the garden. 

One of the terraces

Hawaiian chili peppers

Tarot

Sweet potatoes

While banana trees line the perimeter and  papaya trees dot the interior, terraces line the yard with fruits and veggies of all kinds. There are often multiple varieties of each plant. Different oreganos, spinach, and peppers. 

He also reminds me of Jonny Apleseed. More like Gio Avoseed though. He makes little piles of the seeds from his best avacados and will fill a pocket full and toss them along the jungly road side knowing ten years down the road there could be an avacado tree for people to enjoy.

Papaya, banana, and lilicoy (passion fruit) for breakfast