Don Tito: The hero of our biointensive garden

The biointensive garden at Hotel Las Torres is a place full of history. In the beginning, the garden was known as a “quinta” or “orchard”, and those who worked in it were called “quinteros”. This term was coined in Spain during the 16^th century and referred to the “one-fifth” of a parcel of land that a governor, as representative of the king, adjudicated to a new Spanish neighbor or “mancebo”; these “quintas” turned into gardens with a house attached. Nowadays, and for several years now, the quinta at Hotel Las Torres is called a garden. However, on the 10-year anniversary of his passing, we want to pay tribute to Don Tito, a legendary quintero at Las Torres Patagonia.

Working at Hotel Las Torres and the camaraderie that forms between different members of the work teams creates close, long-lasting friendships. This was the case of Tito Paidicán Barrientos, better known as Don Tito. He was a man who was passionate about gardening, and who held a place in the hearts of everyone who has worked here at Las Torres Patagonia. 

Don Tito had worked the land since childhood. He would say that by age 5 he was already planting and harvesting. His passion for his work gave him his one and only mantra, “love is the best fertilizer”.

There are many stories about him and his funny personality. There is one story that tells about how, after a long day at work in the garden, he lost the keys to his cabin.  He quickly grabbed a ladder in the staff quarters and set it up so that it was pointing at the window of his room. However, when he climbed up, he realized he had put the ladder under the wrong window. The workers staying in that room were quite surprised to see him crawl through the window, and they asked, “What’s going on, Don Tito?” Confused and trying his best to get out of the situation, he just smiled at them and left saying “Darn, I screwed up”.

Those who remember him say he was passionate about planting and harvesting rhubarb and tomatoes, and that he always had time to tend to the rose bushes in his garden. “They were his life” some say. 

At the beginning of 2014, Don Tito’s health was failing. But even so, the 77-year-old couldn’t stop thinking about his garden. Motivated by his work, he reported to the office in Punta Arenas with the intention of being transported to the hotel and continue the work he so loved. 

He arrived at Hotel Las Torres on a Monday and was received very warmly by all the work teams. Once he had finished greeting everyone, he went directly to his garden to see what condition it was in, having been absent for several weeks due to his health. 

Unfortunately, his first night at the hotel was not a good one, and Don Tito returned home the next day to go back to the hospital. 

Tito Paidicán passed away on Wednesday, January 29, 2014, one day after seeing his garden for the last time. Those who knew him well said that Don Tito had come to say goodbye. 

Some workers at Hotel Las Torres say that “they had never met a person who loved what he did more than him”. Others appreciated his smile, given with a positive and humble spirit.

Today, the biointensive garden at Hotel Las Torres carries on the legacy of Don Tito. It continues harvesting chemical and pesticide-free produce, practicing eco-friendly agriculture, and its ultimate goal is to provide food rich in flavor, aroma, and nutrients.