I am here on Isla de Ometepe, in the hot hot humid air. it is absolutely gorgeus though. Huge island in the middle of a gigantic freshwater lake. I am staying at Finca Ecologica Zopilote, a big organic farm with tons of backpackers from all over the world staying there in bunks and cabanas and hammocks and tents. There is a lovely communal kitchen where we can make our own meals and shop that sells all sorts of farm products. Also, there is a big wood fired oven where they make bread every few days and pizza three times a week. I haven´t been here for a pizza night yet, but I´ve heard they are amazing and people from all over the island show up.
As part of staying ther I am doing a volunteer stint (20% off the cost of accomadations). So far it has been pretty cool. This morning we helped this older Italian guy make a new bed. It had already been all dug out, but the soil here is so rocky and harsh that they have to sift through it and then add compost and rice hulls and put it back in there to make a bed that grows a lot of things. It was really labor intensive (no wheel barrow, very small sifter), but we got it all done and it was super nice to be dirty and tired and getting calluses on my hand again. Plus a major feeling of accomplishment to have actually done something after so many days of being at farms but not actually part of them.
In any event, I think I will wrap this up because it is ungodly hot in this computer room and there are some Canadians here who offered to buy me a drink. 4 more days on the island and then back to Chontales.
Showing posts with label compost. Show all posts
Showing posts with label compost. Show all posts
Monday, January 25, 2010
Friday, January 15, 2010
I am in eco-farmer geek paradise
So this morning I went on a long walk on a very slippery path while it was misting but there were lots of trees and epiphytes and birds and monkeys (I only heard most of the birds and only heard all of the monkeys) and I only fell in the mud once so I think it was a total success. And then I went on a farm tour that BLEW MY MIND
All right, so we already know this is an organic coffee farm growing shade grown coffee and with part of it set aside for forest and at least some animals and veggies because that is what the menu at the restaurant said. BUT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE.
First of all they make 1000 tons of compost a year. Then from the coffee processing waste and the human waste and some of the animal waste they do anaerobic decomposition and harvest the methane which is what the workers use to cook. Thats not all the renewable energy though, they also have a small hydroelectric plant that makes enough power for the farm during the rainy season (and by farm I mean village for 200 workers that includes primary school, clinic, etc....). So what sort of animals are these that they get compost and methane from? Well there are about 63 Jersey cows, primarily used for dairy and most of that to make European style cheeses. And then there are the pigs, which they use mostly for German style sausages. And then there are the Quails whose eggs they use for some gross sounding appetizer. And then there are chickens (eggs and meat). Oh and what else, well there is citrus and banana trees scattered throughout the coffee fields and veggie garden and 240 bird species. Oh, and some goats here and there. Apparently they don't actually like coffee though, like in the story. You don't know the story!?!
So the story is that the way the caffeination power of coffee was discovered back in Ethiopia, where coffee originally comes from, is that the guys in the forest saw some goats eat some coffee and the goats started jumping and dancing and the guys were all: Que pasa? (ok, so that is Spanish and not Ethiopian, whatever) and then somehow from that the guys figured out how to brew coffee. But Eddy says it is a lie since goats don't like coffee, but it is a good lie so he still tells it.
In any event- Montana Selva Negra Estate Coffee is officially endorsed by this blog as being grown in an incredibly cool place (and I don't know coffee, but I assume it is tasty) and it is apparently sold in Whole Foods stores all over. Also Montana Selva Negra Hotel is a rocking place to visit. Apparently one of the daughters is getting her masters in Tourism in the US right now, so if you want to come before it gets more Americanized then come NOW, and if you want more of the signs to be in English, come in a few years: selvanegra.com
Oh, but if you come, don't be obnoxious and loud and talk over the guide like the one guy in my car. I wanted to punch him.
And, stop Climate Change because if it gets warmer there will be less high quality coffee and the rain forest will die.
All right, so we already know this is an organic coffee farm growing shade grown coffee and with part of it set aside for forest and at least some animals and veggies because that is what the menu at the restaurant said. BUT THERE IS SO MUCH MORE.
First of all they make 1000 tons of compost a year. Then from the coffee processing waste and the human waste and some of the animal waste they do anaerobic decomposition and harvest the methane which is what the workers use to cook. Thats not all the renewable energy though, they also have a small hydroelectric plant that makes enough power for the farm during the rainy season (and by farm I mean village for 200 workers that includes primary school, clinic, etc....). So what sort of animals are these that they get compost and methane from? Well there are about 63 Jersey cows, primarily used for dairy and most of that to make European style cheeses. And then there are the pigs, which they use mostly for German style sausages. And then there are the Quails whose eggs they use for some gross sounding appetizer. And then there are chickens (eggs and meat). Oh and what else, well there is citrus and banana trees scattered throughout the coffee fields and veggie garden and 240 bird species. Oh, and some goats here and there. Apparently they don't actually like coffee though, like in the story. You don't know the story!?!
So the story is that the way the caffeination power of coffee was discovered back in Ethiopia, where coffee originally comes from, is that the guys in the forest saw some goats eat some coffee and the goats started jumping and dancing and the guys were all: Que pasa? (ok, so that is Spanish and not Ethiopian, whatever) and then somehow from that the guys figured out how to brew coffee. But Eddy says it is a lie since goats don't like coffee, but it is a good lie so he still tells it.
In any event- Montana Selva Negra Estate Coffee is officially endorsed by this blog as being grown in an incredibly cool place (and I don't know coffee, but I assume it is tasty) and it is apparently sold in Whole Foods stores all over. Also Montana Selva Negra Hotel is a rocking place to visit. Apparently one of the daughters is getting her masters in Tourism in the US right now, so if you want to come before it gets more Americanized then come NOW, and if you want more of the signs to be in English, come in a few years: selvanegra.com
Oh, but if you come, don't be obnoxious and loud and talk over the guide like the one guy in my car. I wanted to punch him.
And, stop Climate Change because if it gets warmer there will be less high quality coffee and the rain forest will die.
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