Argentine Pepper Harvest

The taste of vegetables, fruits, and herbs trigger mental images of thriving plants along with abundant visual harvest arrays for me. Agriculture that is local and sustainable connects me to the smell and feel of the soil, the land of origin with its aspect, climate, and ecosystem intact. To grow food, to farm, is a calling. To be able to hear the land speak its secrets and unlock its ability to produce in concert with labor, planning, and understanding of place is an act of celebration. I admit having at least one visual image reference for every garden and house plant I cultivate; where I have seen and experienced that particular species growing wild, cultivated, or abandoned with a vibrant glow. When I traveled to Argentina my taste buds and understanding of paprika were forever changed. These images celebrate the Pimentón of the Calchaqui Valley, one of the many special places where humans make magic in concert with the soil, weather, and landscape.