November 29, 1949 – December 4, 2012
Today I learned of the passing of my father, Reynaldo Manuel Santistevan. My dad was a great guy, always full of laughter and friendship. He never judged anyone and would give you the shirt off of his back if you needed it. My dad helped me with countless projects at Sol Feliz. Here you see him helping me plant these rows of corn after we dug them up with a shovel and hoe. My dad was the best digger ever, he could wield a pala (shovel) the way samurais would wield a sword. He was strong and tireless. He helped build my composting toilets, my chicken coops, dig my water lines, dig out my septic system, fencing, and many other remodeling projects at my house. He would always come and help clean my acequia and my linderos (lateral ditches). He would laugh at all my dryland experiments and would always offer to carry water to my suffering plants. I would explain that I was adapting my crops to water stress and drought and he would give me all kinds of caria (a hard time, poking fun). I am really going to miss my dad but he is so much a part of this land that he will live on. Anybody who has that native sweet corn as part of AIRE’s living seed library has a piece of my dad. Thanks dad, I love you…
Leave a Reply