A Drive to the Country

When a Cuencano friend offered to show us the area where he grew up right outside of today's Cuenca, we jumped at the chance.  Always fun to see something new.

The small township of San Joaquin is known for its fresh vegetables.  Good black dirt for a thriving farm community.
Many of the crops are sold through the Co-op and the other markets in Cuenca and beyond.

Rows and rows of purple cabbage.

Check out the size of this cabbage!  It could easily feed a whole extended family.

  One of the blue City buses ends its route at the town, but we explored small areas beyond, into the Caja Mountains, too.  The altitude in places is higher than Cuenca, so felt much more chilly.  We were glad we had our jackets.

This irrigation ditch brought back some memories of our ranch in Oregon!

There are crank-style 'gates' and a schedule of when the folks can take their share of the water (just like at the ranch).

Working in the fields.

The ditches are fed by the Yanuncay River (one of the 4 rivers that run through Cuenca, too.)  Reminds us of the Applegate River in southern Oregon.

This picture of the river shows a family washing carrots for market.

Bridge over the river.

Some sights reminded us of the Wild West.  Some were more 'Early California/Mission' style. 
Some of the houses have been renovated and updated...a little of everything.

Cute children, and it looks like supplies for a project or 2.

A colorful trumpet tree.

This small structure at the top of the picture is for a family's pig.  It is some distance from the family's house (on purpose!)

This is the entrance to the 9 hole Golf Course we passed along the way.

Potatoes, we think.

What a fun day!