>>Monica, this is an absolutely amazing what I'll call mini farm here, for the restaurant.

And you've got so much growing, you know, I see tomatoes, but I also see tomatillos.

>>Yes, we use a lot of tomatillo at the restaurant.

We use for the salsas and it gives a really good flavor.

The funny things with this one is that the peel grows first and then the fruit.

So you can see the fruit growing- >>on the inside.

>>Yeah.

>>Interesting.

>>And then they will be this size and then this is really healthy fruit and we can use like just fried, like the Southern style and we use for salsa and to make these like acidics flavor, really characteristic of the green tomatillo.

So it is colorful in the plate.

So we like very much the green tomatillo.

>>Fantastic.

And then you have tomatoes, you've got two different types.

You've got your plums and your rounds and what are your different uses for those?

>>Yes.

The round tomato is perfect for take it raw.

And you can slice just for the sandwiches, for the salad.

So just take a- >>Yes.

Good old bite out of it.

>>Exactly right.

(both laugh) >>And the plum tomato is perfect for sauces.

The flavor is more sweet.

And so for the sauces it's just perfect.

>>I like 'em myself too.

I do.

And I see what else you have here.

You've got some cucumbers growing.

>>And zucchinis.

>>Yeah.

And I see the zucchinis got munched a little.

>>Yeah, the zucchinis.

We have, I think a groundhog as a neighbor and they love the zucchinis, so we put this fence wire to put it over there, the bed.

And that could be a good idea.

>>Yes.

Well hopefully that will work.

>>Yes, yes.

That is working.

>>But not many people know you can grow cucumbers and zucchini in a partial shade area.

>>Yes.

Actually this is the first thing we harvest in 1st of June, late of May, is the first thing we collect.

>>But the logs, the logs line everything.

I think that's a great idea.

What prompted that?

>>Yes.

We have the fallen trees over the woods and we bring here to make a bed so we can control the soil.

And for us it has been a real change to have the control of the soil and not directly in the ground.

We prepare the soil, the soil is more loose to help the roots to grow.

And the soil, We have soil from the woods.

>>Yeah, it's beautiful.

>>So it's really rich.

>>Very rich.

I noticed some peppers over here.

Let's come on over and take a look at these.

I'm amazed with all of these peppers and they're growing underneath basically a shade house.

So tell me about that.

>>Yes, we talked about the collecting the rainwater.

So we think it is really important to don't have the the county water for the plants.

Because these plants we grow is with free of chemicals.

>>So it's totally organic.

>>Totally organic.

I understand we don't have that certificate, but actually yeah, it is free of chemicals.

The soil we bring from the woods and we don't use any kind of fertilizer or thing like that.

>>Everything is natural because, I'll say the produce leftover from the restaurant you bring back and put into your soil as well.

>>Yes.

We make a compost with that.

Back in the woods we dug a big hole and put the the peels and mix with the soil and that's it, we bring here.

(laughs) >>That's fantastic.

And you grow very, very beautiful peppers.

>>Yes, yes.

Actually, yeah.

We have a habanero is the spiciest one.

Serrano and jalapeno and yes, habanero grows here until late October.

Very, very good.

And the jalapenos like this size and with the shelter we collect the water over there and take the water to the tank.

And then with the sprinklers and we put the water.

>>So you're able to irrigate everything here?

Using the rainwater that you collect.

>>Yes.

>>That's fantastic.

So many of us need to start using our rainwater and our other resources.

>>Yes, yes.

Its free!

>>But besides the peppers, what else are you growing?

>>In this side we have the peppers.

Over there we have the bell pepper there and we have the green tomatillo, the tomato, the idea is to grow the produce we need for the restaurant.

>>Right.

>>The flavor is so amazing.

It's so different to eat something that was never in the fridge.

>>Yes.

>>It's really different.

>>My favorite is corn, though.

I love eating field grown corn, you know?

Out in the garden grown corn.

So do you grow any here?

>>For us is the first time we grow corn.

Amazingly, but is the first time.

And this seed, we are really excited because we're given for a Cherokee chief that came here to bless the land.

So they give us their seeds.

>>Oh wonderful.

>>Yeah.

It's real corn.

So we are really, really expecting to take that.

>>Great flavorful, yummy corn.

>>That's exactly right.

And for us, the restaurant, the name of the restaurant La Milpa is cornfield, is the meaning of that.

>>Oh, I was wondering what La Milpa meant.

>>For us, the cornfield is really important in Mexico because it's a source of everything.

And in the corn fields we grow zucchinis and beans.

So you have all the nutrients in one place.

So that's the thing we make there.

We put the corn, the zucchini, and the beans.

And everything is growing perfect.

>>Excellent.

You know there's nothing like plants helping each other to grow.

>>Exactly right, yes.

>>I try to follow that myself.

>>Yes.

It's excellent that.

And you can eat as well at the restaurant.

You can eat the pupusa, it's a Salvadorian dish and it has the corn with the beans.

And you can put the zucchini and dice it and it's delicious.

With tomato salsa that is not spicy at all, with bell pepper.

It's really yummy.

>>You're getting me hungry.

(both laugh) With all this talk about food.

Surely there's cilantro growing here somewhere.

>>Yes, Martin has this crazy idea to place here greenhouse where we can make this ancient technique that we use in Mexico.

It calls chinampas and the idea is to put like layers and we put water underneath.

Then we put a basket with hay and the soil and then the seed, so the seed can take the water for underneath.

>>That's fantastic.

It's got an endless water supply.

>>Exactly right.

>>Yes.

>>Yes, yes.

>>Are you able to grow the cilantro through our hot summer here with this technique?

>>Yes, it takes a little slower to grow, but for winter it's perfect.

>>I bet it is perfect.

>>Yes, so we have cilantro all all year round and we need a lot of cilantro.

>>I was gonna say.

(both laugh) Which leads me to the question how do you judge how much to grow for the restaurant?

What do you use as guides to say we need 40 plants or 100 plants of x, y, z vegetable?

>>It's has been like trying and error.

So we already have the right amount.

With the tomato, you don't know.

This years has been amazing the amount of tomatoes we have.

So Martin likes to canning, so we can the tomato with the juice at the moment.

So he makes the sauce primer at first and then canning.

And that's great.

>>So he is able to use it in the winter time too.

>>Yes, yes.

>>Absolutely wonderful.

Well, Monica, thank you so much for having us.

This has been an amazing experience for me to learn techniques that you've brought in and introduced to this farm here in Richmond, you know, from Mexico.

I thank you so much for sharing it with us.

>>Well thank you too for being here Peggy.