Welcome to the idea of Open Agriculture, farming for the future made in cooperation with the planet. I have been collecting seeds and making notes about new crops for the coming drought culture. The good news is that there is enough water to grow a rich diversity of crops. Here’s one:

Coriander

This spice thrives in the cool, wet climate of the spring, and in our wettest month, June, when its new leaves can be harvested for cilantro, then it can be left to go to seed in dry weather and harvested a second time, as a spice, in August or September. Some plants can be set aside and harvested for their intensely-flavoured roots, in support of Thai restaurants everywhere. It self-seeds and grows in spaces between other plants (I had some growing unobtrusively in my roses and in my potted rosemary).

An Okanagan spice industry? You bet.

Last week, I introduced the first draft of my completed project as a slide presentation at the Okanagan Institute in Kelowna. I am reproducing that event for you. I’ll have the opening for you tomorrow, in video and pdf.