April 25 –May 1, 2007, Number 144
(Top, right) This is a picture of the organic, medicinal garden. Every day fresh herbs are picked to make incredible tea. (Middle, right) This is one of the many beautiful, organic gardens that exist at the farm. (Bottom, right) Here I'm riding in the back of a hay truck after 2 1-2 hours of cutting grass with a machete.
La Flor de Paraíso Agroecological Farm
This past weekend was my 21st birthday. I decided to treat myself to a weekend long retreat at an organic farm called La Flor de Paraíso Agroecological Farm. The farm is located in the community of La Flor de Santiago and in the providence of Cartago. The farm is surrounded by amazing views of the Orosi Valley.
The goal of the farm is to raise awareness about environmental issues and teach an alternative way to farm that will allow future generations to enjoy the natural resources that we enjoy today. According to the farm’s website, "Costa Rica is a country which contains extensive protected areas and is world renowned for the protection of its natural resources. However, outside of these protected areas, the majority of Costa Rican communities suffer from harsh environmental impacts from the contamination of rivers and ravines, gas emissions, inadequate management of solid and liquid wastes, deforestation, monoculture, extensive cattle ranching, and an excessive use of agrochemicals in the fields of agriculture and cattle farming". As a result, the farm was founded to teach the importance of protecting the environment and to teach the benefits of organic farming.
The farm has many animals, organic gardens, and beautiful scenery. There are horses, cows, goats, chickens, geese, dogs, and cats. The forest surrounding the farm is filled with interesting birds that can be viewed by walking through one of the many hiking trails. The farm is very resourceful and exercises proper recycling methods; even animal wastes serve a purpose. The horse manure is used to make fertilizer and the goat waste is mixed with worms that eat the manure and excrete a substance rich in nitrogen. This nitrogen-rich soil is used in the gardens as a fertilizer.
The cow manure is put in a barrel and water and molasses, used to speed up the process, are added. The barrel is connected to a large plastic reservoir that acts as a stomach collecting the bio-fuel. The fuel is then hooked up to an outdoor stove and used for cooking and preparing organic pesticides. Once the plastic reservoir, or stomach, is full, it is estimated that the bio-fuel inside can be used to cook for 20 hours before running out. It is amazing how much energy the farm saves by simply using the resources they already have. Also, the rainwater is collected in large reservoir tanks and used to water the plants during dry periods. All of the vegetarian food cooked at the farm is produced on site. This includes eggs, goat cheese, goat milk, vegetables, fruits, and herbal and medicinal teas.
During my stay at the organic farm, I did a variety of volunteer work and learned a lot about organic farming. After the seeds begin to grow in the nursery, they are moved to the gardens around the farm. My first job was to water these young plants. Then, I helped feed and water the chickens and geese. Along with a corn-based feed, we also gave them a variety of food scraps from the kitchen. We gathered eggs; we found four, which we ate for breakfast the next morning. My next job was to help make an organic pesticide, which consisted of molasses, tobacco leaves, two different herbs, and sticks that I had smashed with a rock to release the slimy substance produced under the bark. This organic pesticide will be used to keep many insects, like ants, away. My final job of the day was to cut grass for the animals. This job consisted of myself and three other farm workers using machetes to cut tall grass at the roots, and then carry it to a waiting truck. After about 2 1-2 hours of constant chopping, the truck was finally filled, and we were all extremely exhausted.
I learned so much about conservation and organic farming. My experience at the farm really sparked my interest in environmental protection and the things that I can do to help. It would make a big difference if everyone could be more resourceful and less wasteful, and La Flor de Paraíso Agroecological Farm is doing a great job of teaching people how that can be achieved. Visiting the farm made me not only more aware of the environmental problems in Costa Rica, but also ones that exist in the United States. If anyone is planning on doing volunteer work abroad and has an interest in organic farming and environmental protection, I highly recommend this farm as a great way to increase your knowledge and have fun doing it.
- Adios!
- Michigan Technological University
- 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI 49931-1295
- 906-487-1885