So, sorry but no pictures. It´s proved to be a hrader task then I thought to get them from onto one of these computers. Sometime in the future.
So, between encounters with snakes, bright blue centipedes, gigantic moths (these things are bigger than some birds), eating pig intestines, and caring for some kittens, we have been working during the week on the farm. We are almost ready to start planting in one of the greenhouses and two others are coming along. pretty well. Four college students from evergreen college arrived this week and are staying on the farm for awhile so we have had some english speaking company recently which is a nice change of pace.
There has been alot of excitement down here recently because of a vote that is approaching concerning the constitution. The vote will be on whether or not to allow a president to hold office for and indefinite amount of terms.
That all for now, not much else to say.
Steelers!
Love and Peace
Chris
Friday, January 30, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
1st 2 weeks- Venezuela
So, right now I'm in the large city of Barquisimeto on a weekend excursion away from the farm. We travelled with and are staying with a friend who is from the area and who is also volunteering on the farm. We've been spending the weekend rock climbing and exploring the city.
In the beginning, duh duh duh! We travelled to the small mountain town of Monte Carmelo outside of Sonare with a Sociology/sustainable agriculture class from Dickenson College. For the 1st week and a half we lived in housing operated by the farm (Las Lajitas- named for the heavy amounts of slate in the ground) made for students to come and study. We got to sit in on classes given by locals on medicinal herbs, politics of the area, and vermiculture.
After the group left we moved into a room in town with a local family. We volunteer 5 days week at the farm, beginning everyday at 5AM with a walk out of town up the hill to the farm. The steepness is nothing short of ridiculous. I'll post a picture sometime. On the farm we have been helping to build some new greenhouses, clearing weeds, and harvesting medicinal herbs.
I haven't seen many crazy animals yet. We've been told there are lots of monkeys in the nearby jungle but it is rare to see them because of their fear of humans. There have been lots of crazy looking spiders and caterpillars. One of the neighbors has a Chiguiri (the largest rodent) as a pet that would come to visit us at times. It has a good time pooping everywhere. (picture coming once I remember to bring my camera to the computer.)
We are living in the tail end of the andes mountains and it gets pretty chilly at night and warm in the late afternoon but never real hot. We are at about a mile in elevation.
We spend out free time playing futbolito (soccer played with a smaller ball on a basketball court.) with the local kids, playing chess, washing clothes by hand, and hanging out at the cabrada (a swimming hole with a waterfall in the jungle) We also taught the kids how to play hot box! ( a game with the frisbee)
The meals on the farm can get pretty boring. Either soup, spaghetti, or rice, along with this thing called a eurepa. We eat Eurepas with every meal, ever meals. It's basically a heavy dough pocket, we tear it up into soup, scoop up rice into it and shove pasta into it. My favorite part of the meals is the fresh fruit juice for lunch made with the fruit on the farm.
It's been fun learning spanish, I feel like i'm immersed in a constant game of catch phrase. I still have trouble ordering food, I just expect to get something different than what I want.
Before I head out, I'll explain the farm a bit. Las Lajitas is an organic farm started about 40 years ago by the community of Monte Carmelo. It has since grown tremendously into being a sort of "model" farm for the country, providing work for many families in Monte Carmelo. Venezuela is currently one of the least agricultural countries in South America and becuase of that Hugo Chavez (Presidente of Venezuela) has been encouraging people to take up more agrculuture in order to make the country more self-sufficient. Las Lajitas, being a sort of model farm, has received grants and loans from the governement in order to continue its growth.
Las Lajitas produces mainly vegetables, some fruit, and some medicinal herbs. Many of the plants are similar to things we are used to in the U.S. but are a different variety. They have onions, parsley, celery, strawberries, corn, lemongrass, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and other stuff.
So hopefully that all makes some sense, its hard to try to cram all I have experiences into a short blog. I'll upload some sweet pictures once I can.
Peace
Chris
In the beginning, duh duh duh! We travelled to the small mountain town of Monte Carmelo outside of Sonare with a Sociology/sustainable agriculture class from Dickenson College. For the 1st week and a half we lived in housing operated by the farm (Las Lajitas- named for the heavy amounts of slate in the ground) made for students to come and study. We got to sit in on classes given by locals on medicinal herbs, politics of the area, and vermiculture.
After the group left we moved into a room in town with a local family. We volunteer 5 days week at the farm, beginning everyday at 5AM with a walk out of town up the hill to the farm. The steepness is nothing short of ridiculous. I'll post a picture sometime. On the farm we have been helping to build some new greenhouses, clearing weeds, and harvesting medicinal herbs.
I haven't seen many crazy animals yet. We've been told there are lots of monkeys in the nearby jungle but it is rare to see them because of their fear of humans. There have been lots of crazy looking spiders and caterpillars. One of the neighbors has a Chiguiri (the largest rodent) as a pet that would come to visit us at times. It has a good time pooping everywhere. (picture coming once I remember to bring my camera to the computer.)
We are living in the tail end of the andes mountains and it gets pretty chilly at night and warm in the late afternoon but never real hot. We are at about a mile in elevation.
We spend out free time playing futbolito (soccer played with a smaller ball on a basketball court.) with the local kids, playing chess, washing clothes by hand, and hanging out at the cabrada (a swimming hole with a waterfall in the jungle) We also taught the kids how to play hot box! ( a game with the frisbee)
The meals on the farm can get pretty boring. Either soup, spaghetti, or rice, along with this thing called a eurepa. We eat Eurepas with every meal, ever meals. It's basically a heavy dough pocket, we tear it up into soup, scoop up rice into it and shove pasta into it. My favorite part of the meals is the fresh fruit juice for lunch made with the fruit on the farm.
It's been fun learning spanish, I feel like i'm immersed in a constant game of catch phrase. I still have trouble ordering food, I just expect to get something different than what I want.
Before I head out, I'll explain the farm a bit. Las Lajitas is an organic farm started about 40 years ago by the community of Monte Carmelo. It has since grown tremendously into being a sort of "model" farm for the country, providing work for many families in Monte Carmelo. Venezuela is currently one of the least agricultural countries in South America and becuase of that Hugo Chavez (Presidente of Venezuela) has been encouraging people to take up more agrculuture in order to make the country more self-sufficient. Las Lajitas, being a sort of model farm, has received grants and loans from the governement in order to continue its growth.
Las Lajitas produces mainly vegetables, some fruit, and some medicinal herbs. Many of the plants are similar to things we are used to in the U.S. but are a different variety. They have onions, parsley, celery, strawberries, corn, lemongrass, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower and other stuff.
So hopefully that all makes some sense, its hard to try to cram all I have experiences into a short blog. I'll upload some sweet pictures once I can.
Peace
Chris
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