Explore Mesoamerican Farming Practices on a Guided Farm Tour in Mexico City

1. Introduction

Boarding a colorful canal boat before dawn is not your typical way to start a Sunday in Mexico City. Yet there I was, watching as the mist dissipated and the surroundings revealed themselves: willows drooping to meet the mirrored water, herons perched on the banks.

2. Discovering Xochimilco

The Xochimilco canal system, 15 miles south of downtown, is best known for festive barges crowded with partygoers. However, what makes these waterways truly unique are the chinampas, artificial islands of packed mud where crops are grown; they were built more than a thousand years ago by the Nahua people.

3. The Importance of Arca Tierra

“This is an ecosystem and an archaeological site, as well as a food production site,” says Lucio Usobiaga, executive director of Arca Tierra, an organization working to preserve these at-risk chinampas. Urbanization, among other factors, has led to erosion and an overall decline of this style of farming. “Our main goal is to show how important agriculture is in the hands of communities,” Usobiaga explains.

4. Community Engagement and Education

Arca Tierra provides training, technical assistance, and even seeds to farmers in the area. It sells produce to Mexico City residents and some of the city’s best restaurants, including Rosetta and Pujol. Travelers can visit Arca Tierra’s own chinampa for a farm-sourced meal as well as events and classes to better understand this fragile ecosystem—how, if protected, it can thrive.

5. A Unique Culinary Experience

When the boat finally docked around 7 a.m., I walked through a stand of tall trees into a wild, lush garden. Tin cups of coffee, freshly brewed over an open fire, were passed around to our party of 30 or so. The Arca Tierra team showed us around the farm, which sprouted with lettuces and herbs, before a breakfast of egg gorditas, spinach-and-mushroom tacos on purple-corn tortillas, and platters of a rainbow salad served at long tables under a palapa. The food was honest and unpretentious, and the produce shone.