The organic vegetable cooperative glows green on a dry rocky plain, once even unsuitable for cattle grazing. Despite the inhospitable terrain, fertile soil is built up in raised beds from composted organic matter. Water is pumped from 60 meters below.
Lettuces predominate, along with kale, onions, and various herbs.
Even in the intense heat, drip irrigation keeps the plants cool and healthy. Aromatic herbs and insect-repellent trees provide natural pest management. Beds are cultivated meticulously by hand, in long hours of stoop labor. Not a weed is visible. Artificial fertilizers and pesticides are now prohibitively expensive.