Day 9.1 The Farm

Today after we spent the morning at the hot springs (heated by the volcano Arenal our hotel was coincidentally located by), we spent the rest of the afternoon and into the evening at a local organic farm. Our guide for that tour, Nano, only spoke Spanish, so Pika had to translate. This farm used unique techniques that made it one of the best organic farms in the world, one in which students from all over the globe came to visit to study.

We began by prodding papaya trees for fruit to fertilizing corn and then on to eating cacao beans (which was actually rather strange and tasted nothing of chocolate). One process that made this farm so self-sufficient was a small vaca (that's "cow" for you gringos) we met named Chocolate. Chocolate ate anything and everything all at once. We then were led to a little hut raised above the ground where she was led. Nano coaxed Ginger into trying to milk Chocolate, but before he could, Chocolate spontaneously defecated. Apparently, this was part of the process. Jonas had the honor of washing the cacita down a small hole in the corner of the hut. How fitting. This bundle of crap eventually drained into a large container, where the bacteria sat and created methane gas that was in turn used in the kitchens for the stoves and powered some other things on the farm. One cow can produce enough energy to power a home daily for a family of five if the caca is harvested. If left unharvested, it can pollute the equivalent of 2 cars a day.

After the poop was all cleaned up, Ginger then milked the cow. Press, squeeze, pull. We were then showed a special variation of compost called bokashi. It actually creates soil--and it is of the best quality. Nano continued to show us around the farm while whipping his machete around wildly and running through the plants. He was quite insane. But in a good way. At the end of the tour, we took a sugar cane and pressed it through a hand-operated machine that turned it into juice. Mmmm. Sugar juice. Concluding the trip, we helped make our own dinner (which was completely organic, of course). We shaped tortilla dough, chopped veggies, etc. I made the shapliest tortillas--it was more difficult than it seems. When we were all done, our bellies were full, our minds were enriched, and we were ready for bed.

We are also all begging Mimmy and Diddy for machetes.

During this expedition, I learned that I have a gift for imitating animals. So far on this trip I have successfully mimicked a rose spoon-bill thing, sea turtle, bear, cow, lizard, pig, crab, and ostrich. I am so talented.