Good morning.
Today I'm writing to you from the garden with that mix of good tiredness and silly smile that only comes when you see the field responding to you.
I want to tell you about something we experience daily here, something that sounds like magic but is pure down-to-earth biology. It's called symbiosis.
Simply put, plants lend each other a hand, send messages underground, and share things like good neighbors.
But let me tell you about the specific case we have in my orange groves...
Beneath our orange trees there's an entire unseen network. Friendly fungi attach to the roots and extend their tiny arms to search for water and minerals. In return, the tree pays them with a bit of sugar made from the sun.
There are also clovers and other legumes with bacteria in their roots that capture nitrogen from the air and convert it into food for everyone. It's like the grandmother of the garden who always has an extra container for whoever shows up.
And the famous weeds that we don't call weeds here, but quite the opposite: we leave them on purpose because they act as a blanket for the soil, preventing it from drying out, feeding good insects, and when they complete their cycle, they turn into organic matter.
The soil becomes soft like a sponge cake and water penetrates easily.
Thanks to this mini-forest at ground level, the garden is full of useful life. Ladybugs, hoverflies, and predatory spiders have homes, shade, and food.
When an aphid shows up ready to party, it doesn't have a free pass. There's already a patrol around, and the scare passes before any serious damage is done.
The more diversity, the more balance.
This way of working requires good, honest labor. Hours in boots, examining leaf by leaf, hand-weeding only where necessary, precise watering, deciding what stays and what doesn't.
Sometimes you end the day bent over, but you go home with the feeling of having done the right thing.
And when the next day you write to me that those oranges smelled like childhood or that the little ones ask for more, I promise you my back pain disappears.
There's also camaraderie among plants, and in our home, that same logic extends beyond the field. You and we operate in symbiosis. We cultivate with patience and wisdom, every morning we review orders and go out to harvest at just the right moment for you.
You support a model that cares for soil, water, and biodiversity, and in return, you receive freshly picked produce that makes a difference at the table. Circular, like the cycles of the field.
Thank you for being on the other side, for trusting us, and for making room for us in your kitchen.
Your support allows us to continue working this way and demonstrate that another agriculture is possible.
I wish you a peaceful and flavorful weekend.
A big hug from Valencia and until next week,
