CONSERVATION PRACTICES AT RAVEN’S NEST
Organic Orchards & Organic Edible Gardens
At Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary we have planted a variety of nutritious and delicious fruits, vegetables, and herbs within our Organic Gardens and Organic Orchards. We grow local varieties of food using our own organic compost, naturally improving soil quality while promoting food biodiversity.
Growing your own food organically is the one single action that will have the greatest impact on both human and planetary health. Start small if you don’t have space and/or you haven’t grown food before. Once you experience the multiple benefits of producing some of your own food, you’ll be participating in the beautiful energy cycle that revolves from soil – seed – flower – fruit – food – decay – compost and around again. You will be fully responsible for the rewarding process of growing food for yourself! In the end you’ll wind up spending more time outside, exercise more, and eating healthier food.
Since our arrival to Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary in March 2008, we have designed all our gardens and our orchards to benefit from passive and active water harvesting techniques. Practicing efficient, deep watering with recycled rain water allows us to lessen our environmental impact by eating local, home-grown organic foods. Further, we have artfully incorporated our food-growing spaces into the natural landscapes at Raven’s Nest. Thus, native Mesquite trees serve as shade and produce mulch each year for the gardens they grow in and fruit trees they rub elbows with. Likewise, we encourage many native wildflowers to grow and bloom within our gardens, helping to support the native pollinators essential to producing quality organic food.
At Raven’s Nest we compost all our food scraps along with other organic matter, including small branches, dry grass clippings, and leaves. Composting is the basis for growing the healthiest, most nutritious, and disease-resistant foods. When added to the soil it retains water, adds valuable nutrients, and neutralizes the alkalinity of our Sky Islands soils.
While participating in one of our Sky Islands Nature Adventures, we will be happy to give you a tour of our organic gardens and orchards at Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary so you can see for yourself the rewards of working in harmony with the land. Hopefully, you will be inspired to grow your own food!
While staying with us at our luxury Safari Tented Camp Eco-lodge, you can savor seasonally available fruits and produce gathered directly from the Organic orchards and gardens at Raven’s Nest Nature Sanctuary!
