Grandes Pasos

We got to spend a night at a farm that is up over the ridge of the volcano that we live in. It was a long pick-up truck ride out there. It is an experimental self sustainable organic farm run by a 60 year old farmer and his son. They were very grateful for the help and we hope to go back for longer than just 2 days. This is a view looking down on the farm (the two huts in the middle) from the top of the ridge.

Panamanians use living posts as fences. This is genius. There are certain trees in which you can cut branches, replant them and they will continue to grow. Eventually you'll have a nice natural barrier of medium sized trees for your property line.

Siesta.

These farmers are very creative when making farming tools. Here is a sprinkler made from an upside down pop bottle with holes poked in it tied to a post.

Kyle and I were asked to paint some sort of sealer on the bottom of these posts that would support a new hut going up. We were given a milk jug cut open and a "paint brush" made from a plastic rice bag tied to a stick.

They wanted us to translate their sign to English. We did, and asked where we should right it. He explained he wanted a small sign made and proceeded to hand me a 1 inch thick 12in x 10in piece wood. I thought ok, I can carve it or paint it? Nope, he handed me a pencil. Luckily Kyle had some pens and this is what it turned out to be.

We only stayed one night because we slept in the loft of the hut. Fun right? Yes, but it was a hard wood floor. Needless to say there was not much sleeping going on. Just rolling around trying not to bruise any one spot too much. I've decided I can totally be homeless, I cannot be bedless. Grass or forest floor with lots of cushiony pine needles I can do, concrete and wood I cannot.

Sugar cane.

In the states when you want to plant something, you go to the store and buy a pack of seeds. Here, you see next years mustard green crop. These mustard green plants have bolted and gone to seed so that they can be collected and dried for next season. Kyle also found some bees pollinating...a very important part of the growing process.

Planting new mustard greens. He takes the seeds and chucks them into a 6' x 6' area, lets them all grow up, and then pulls the biggest ones to be planted here in the real bed. The ones left over will then continue to grow and can be replanted elsewhere. This is a great idea because every seed is not guaranteed to grow. This way you don't lose any crop.

Planting spring onions.

To our dads: