Corn, melon and beans sprout across the Bacavi garden terraces – just as they have for about 2,000 years.  These mesa farms are not irrigated; the Hopi nurture their crops by tilling the soil to seal in the moisture found in dry washes and valleys throughout the region. California, Spain, Greece and parts of Italy – in areas that receive only 20 inches of rain per year – have returned to the ancient methods of preserving the tiny water droplets in the soil and establishing deep plant roots. 

The results include dry-farmed apples, corn, olives and Rioja grapes.  The benefits are unmistakable: through sustainable farming, water is allowed to flow into the karst system, which replenishes the groundwater supply.  City residents – especially in water-strapped areas like Tucson – do not have to fight for drinking water while the dry-farmed plants produce robust, concentrated produce.  Naturally.