We recently wrote about Baldío, an amazing restaurant in Condesa. It so happens that Baldío is the more recent offspring of a much larger project: Arca Tierra. It all started in the early 2010s, when two brothers decided to do something about an ecological area called Xochimilco, where a lot of land had been abandoned and the city had been slowly encroaching.
For most tourists—and many Mexicans alike—Xochimilco is little more than an attraction where you get on some odd-looking wooden “boats,” called trajineras. They’re powered by folks with long sticks that propel the boat along while passengers drink, eat, and hang out merrily as they glide through the canals. Some might have heard of the “floating gardens,” but beyond that, most of the story has been lost or forgotten.
As it turns out, these “gardens” aren’t truly floating. The agricultural system used by our ancestors worked by piling up soil to create raised parcels of land surrounded by water. These man-made plots—called chinampas—were connected by canals that acted as corridors for transportation and irrigation. In doing so, they transformed the wetlands of the Valley of Mexico into an incredibly efficient and productive agricultural system.
Arca Tierra was founded with the goal of protecting and giving visibility to peasant farmers while rescuing the chinampas and continuing this remarkable agricultural tradition. Producing food in a diverse, regenerative way is not known for being particularly profitable, which makes projects like this even more important. The organization recovers abandoned chinampas, produces food, pays farmers fairly, and sells the harvest to top restaurants. They also deliver food boxes to households and supply more than 70 restaurants. About 25% of what they sell comes directly from the chinampas, while the rest comes from small farming communities across Mexico. They commit to buying everything their partner farmers produce, as long as it’s grown using regenerative practices.
As the project matured, the team began bringing friends and chefs to visit the chinampas. Those visits slowly evolved into proper tours, where they explain the history and agricultural process while serving food prepared with ingredients grown right there on the chinampas. This tourism component was a happy accident that now helps fund the broader project and, more importantly, brings visibility to the farmers who keep this tradition alive.
There’s much more to say about this remarkable initiative, but the best way to understand it is to experience it yourself. If you find yourself in Mexico City, consider booking a visit. There’s plenty to see, learn, and enjoy—all while eating some great food made from ingredients grown just a few meters away.
