Nestled in the extreme Southwestern corner of San Diego, between Horse ranches and dusty roads is a place that has, for the past five years or so, been helping people return to their roots. The Tijuana River Valley Regional Park Community Garden offers the area's "city folks", a plot of land to cultivate their, inner farmer. Let's face it, not many generations past, most of our ancestors grew their food either on large commercial farms or in small family gardens.
Sponsored by the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County, County Parks and Recreation, and the County of San Diego Farm and Home Adviser, the 136 garden plots are leased to area resi
dents on a yearly basis and the the County maintains fences around each plot as well as furnishing water.
Usually by this time of year, these gardens would be flush with gourds of every size and color imaginable, new tomatoes growing heavy on the vine, cucumbers, artichoke, corn and other not so familiar fruits and vegetables. Flooding from heavy rains last December caused major property damage and loss of animals in the Valley and contaminated the plants and soil of the Garden. One of the original tenants of the garden, Howard Rambau, said that aside from planting late due to the flood, he had to remove a layer of contaminated sediment that covered everything. He pointed to piles of dirt outside his plot, indicating how much sludge had to be removed to g
et back to clean dirt. But things are starting to grow again and the prospect of a decent harvest in a few months has Howard talking about what he will be planting next. He's been checking local nurseries, looking for a particular variety of squash. According to Mel Partido, a retired Navy Chief Petty officer, who has been working the land here in the garden for a number of years, Howard grows some of the best dark green Cucumbers around. Mel grows beans and other vegetables in his garden, which he uses in preparing Filipino dishes. They both talk about how the gardeners here share their bounty with the community, not letting anything go to waste. But as I walk around I see many plots overgrown with weeds or just bare dirt. It seems the prospect of removing the contam
inated sludge and starting over is just too much for some. Concerns about more flooding in the future may have others taking a wait and see position, hoping that by the next planting season the soil will be ready to accept the seed of what they hope will be the next homegrown harvest.
Sponsored by the Resource Conservation District of Greater San Diego County, County Parks and Recreation, and the County of San Diego Farm and Home Adviser, the 136 garden plots are leased to area resi
dents on a yearly basis and the the County maintains fences around each plot as well as furnishing water.Usually by this time of year, these gardens would be flush with gourds of every size and color imaginable, new tomatoes growing heavy on the vine, cucumbers, artichoke, corn and other not so familiar fruits and vegetables. Flooding from heavy rains last December caused major property damage and loss of animals in the Valley and contaminated the plants and soil of the Garden. One of the original tenants of the garden, Howard Rambau, said that aside from planting late due to the flood, he had to remove a layer of contaminated sediment that covered everything. He pointed to piles of dirt outside his plot, indicating how much sludge had to be removed to g
et back to clean dirt. But things are starting to grow again and the prospect of a decent harvest in a few months has Howard talking about what he will be planting next. He's been checking local nurseries, looking for a particular variety of squash. According to Mel Partido, a retired Navy Chief Petty officer, who has been working the land here in the garden for a number of years, Howard grows some of the best dark green Cucumbers around. Mel grows beans and other vegetables in his garden, which he uses in preparing Filipino dishes. They both talk about how the gardeners here share their bounty with the community, not letting anything go to waste. But as I walk around I see many plots overgrown with weeds or just bare dirt. It seems the prospect of removing the contam
inated sludge and starting over is just too much for some. Concerns about more flooding in the future may have others taking a wait and see position, hoping that by the next planting season the soil will be ready to accept the seed of what they hope will be the next homegrown harvest. 
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