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Growing Your Own Food Is Like Printing Your Own Money
- May 28
- 4 min read
Updated: May 31
Who would not love to have a money printing machine! But the closest all of us will get to that feeling is finding the real meaning in Ron Finley’s quote, which highlights the immense value, self-reliance, survival skills, and financial independence that come with producing your own fresh produce! Which is something that fuels fellow gardening lovers worldwide, but to make this inclusive, and to keep the adrenaline going (after the thought of having a never-ending source of printed bills), let’s make this article a little more exciting…
How much do you know about how farm-to-table came to be? In other words, how the food you eat landed on your plate, and more specifically, its relationship with the history of the Valencian Community…
Apples are 25% air: They float in water because a quarter of their total volume is just space. While the Valencian Community is world-famous for its citrus—the sweet orange was first recorded in Carcaixent in 1781—the region has a rich, centuries-old history of apple cultivation concentrated in its high-altitude, mountainous interior. This native cultivar is grown almost exclusively in the Rincón de Ademuz, a unique historical enclave of the Valencian Community surrounded by the provinces of Cuenca and Teruel. The colder, high-altitude microclimate of the Turia and Ebrón river basins allows for a fruit deeply rooted in mountain tradition. Esperiega apples have a firm, hard pulp, intense aroma, and are incredibly high in antioxidants (protect your body from premature ageing, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers). A waxy film develops as they mature, which means they do not require refrigeration and can naturally last from their mid-autumn harvest through the spring! Due to market trends favouring American varieties like Golden Delicious in the 1970s, traditional fruits like the Esperiega and the Miguela (originating from Torrebaja in the late 19th century) faced decline. Today, local initiatives and organisations like Slow Food work to protect these heritage apples from extinction. Bless their Italian hearts for such a lovely initiative.
Carrots were never originally orange: Before the 17th century, the most common carrots were purple, yellow, and white. Dutch growers cross-bred them into the sweet orange varieties we know today. Moorish invaders introduced ancestral purple and yellow carrot varieties to the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century. These early crops found an ideal home in the fertile soils of southern Valencia and northern Alicante, eventually spreading to the rest of Europe from Spain! Despite the dominance of the orange carrot, a highly localised, ancestral variety known as the zanahoria morada (purple carrot) survived for centuries. It was historically cultivated in the town of Villena (in the province of Alicante) and the surrounding areas. In recent years, agronomists from the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) have successfully launched projects to recover, study, and expand the commercialisation of this heirloom variety. This ancestral Valencian carrot is notable for its intense purple exterior, deep orange core, and sweeter, crunchier texture compared to standard varieties. Shout out to the UVP!
Broccoli is man-made: It doesn't occur naturally in the wild. It was created centuries ago in Italy through the selective breeding of various cabbage plants. The Valencian Community is the birthplace of commercial broccoli production in Spain. The region introduced the crop to the country in the early 1970s through export-driven agriculture. Today, while neighbouring Murcia leads national exports, Valencia and Alicante remain crucial organic hubs where the mild coastal climate favours the crop. Before the 1970s, broccoli was practically non-existent in Spain's commercial fields. Valencian agricultural export companies pioneered large-scale cultivation to meet demands from northern European markets. Another win for the Valencian history books!
Honey never spoils: Archaeologists have found perfectly edible honey in ancient Egyptian tombs that is thousands of years old. Its unique chemistry prevents bacteria from growing. The Valencian Community is home to one of the world's oldest records of human interaction with bees. The Spider Caves: Located in the municipality of Bicorp (Valencia), the Cuevas de la Araña feature an 8,000 to 10,000-year-old Mesolithic rock painting. It depicts a naked human figure climbing a long vine or rope ladder to gather honey from a wild, cliffside beehive while being surrounded by angry bees. It is universally recognised by archaeologists as the oldest known depiction of honey collecting in human history! This speaks highly of Spain's greatness and how we are destined to protect such incredible beings!
All teas come from the same plant: Whether you are drinking black, green, white, or oolong, every true tea comes from the same plant: Camellia sinensis. The colour and flavour differences depend entirely on how the leaves are processed and oxidised. Fruit herbal teas were born out of masking the harsh, bitter flavours of lower-quality leaves or tea that had gone stale during the long sea voyages. European traders and consumers began adding cinnamon, cloves, dried orange peel, and cardamom. The Valencian Community’s relationship with tea is primarily rooted in Moorish botanical traditions and a rich history of consuming local herbal tisanes (infusions). Papa Luna's Tisane (La Tisana del Papa Luna): A historic, medieval pharmaceutical recipe endorsed by the Valencian pharmacopoeia. Originating around 1411 in the coastal papal city of Peñíscola, this specific blend of coriander, anise, fennel, caraway, cumin, liquorice, and cinnamon was championed by Pope Benedict XIII for its restorative properties! Herbero is an ancient mountain tradition from the Sierra de Mariola in Alicante. While nowadays it is marketed more as a digestive herbal liqueur, its base consists of local mountain herbs (like sage and chamomile) that were historically steeped and drunk as medicinal teas. These plants grow wild all over; therefore, it makes complete sense that they would be the basis for tea. We love this practice in particular, and it is the centre of the gardens we create!
When I say that it is possible to grow your own food, I mean it, even in pots on balconies. Let me share with you how it all started for me after arriving in the Valencian Community…
