Lecture Date: December 5, 2023

California was in such a long drought that saving water was a constant thought. One of the topics I heard about is dry farming. When doing research on the topic, I found it difficult to find much on the subject. The basic premise is to farm using the existing available water without added irrigation even during the dry summer months.

I was lucky to come across a lecture announcement on dry farming held by the Organic Seed Alliance. This lecture is lead by the people at Native Seeds/SEARCH in Arizona and the Dry Farming Institute at the Pacific Northwest.

The beginning of the lecture discussed the Tohono O’odham and how they dry farmed. The Tohono O’odham Nation are indigenous people located near Tucson, Arizona, and the Sonoran Desert, who are known for their ability to garden in an extremely arid environment. A vital component of the ability to farm in an arid environment are adaptive seeds. Dry farming begins during the the monsoon seasons of the Sonoran Desert, relying on the rain during the season to irrigate their seeds. Seeds are planted near washes where water will flow through from the mountain regions. Organic matter will also flow down, helping to fertilize the flood plains. Aside from the need for water to germinate the seeds, the seeds require very little water as they have been drought-stressed. Crops include melons, topiary beans, sorghum, i’itoi onions, and “yellowmeat” watermelon. All of this requires precise timing. This practice has been around for most of their existence.

With this historical background, Native Seeds/SEARCH conducts their own experiments in replicating these methods. Native Seeds/SEARCH is an organization established to maintain the heritage seeds of the Tohono O’odham. Native Seeds/SEARCH has found that their adaptive seeds require approximately 50% less water and nitrogen and are deep-rooted. They find that the warm conditions in Arizona can provide a year-round opportunity to garden. But due to factors such as small crops, changing weather patterns, and loss, they may only generate enough seeds once every three years.

At their facility in Tucson, Native Seeds/SEARCH has created a hybrid model from the Tohono O’odham where there is supplemental irrigation to help maintain a crop for seed production. They have created planting beds and irrigation basins and channeling to divert rainwater for dry farming. This part of the lecture was especially important and made clear with having pictures and explanation of their process and experiment. The information here is much more fascinating than the words I have used to describe it. They serve as a good example of the application of methods in a current situation.

The final portion of the lecture is focused on dry farming at the Pacific Northwest. This area focuses on rich, humus soil that can retain rainwater while the crops will not have rainfall during June, July, and August. Their seeds are also deep rooted and find adaptability.  Dry farmed crops include tomatoes, carrots, and other greens. 

While I may not feel brave enough for dry farming, I find their diverting and channeling of rainwater as something I may try to incorporate in the future. This lecture is interesting to view especially with the Native Seeds/SEARCH portion, as you will learn about an indigenous culture and its surviving heritage as it is passed on through 4,000 years of tradition.

To access this lecture, visit “Dry Farming and Other Strategies for Climate Resilience”