Day 3

                Today was a typical morning in Costa Rica, waking up at 7:30 and going down to the dining hall for a delicious breakfast.  We enjoyed a variety of fresh fruits, beans, rice, eggs, and yogurt.  The yogurt quickly became a favorite among the students.  We saw a star fruit tree right outside the dining hall and were fascinated with the close proximity of fresh fruit.  After breakfast, we walked to the van to go to the Pepper Farm.

                Within thirty minutes, we arrived at the Pepper Farm and were greeted with a warm smile by Daniel Vega.  The Pepper Farm is an organic farm that sells pepper, meat, and fertilizer.  The name of the farm truly displays its essence, La Finca el Paraiso or Paradise Farm.  Daniel Vega was an amazing host; he served us fruit juice before the tour.  He explained that he takes pride in running an organic farm, but sometimes it is financially difficult.  He is striving to become certified organic and he would have to pay a $3,000 as a certification fee.  The alternative process is longer but more cost effective and requires various groups to attest to his organic practices.  He is passionate about organic farming because of health problems resulting from pesticide use at a banana plantation where he worked.  Daniel is a pioneer in agro-forest farming, which is planting agricultural crops amongst the trees.  In addition, Daniel is working to expand the biological corridor.  Daniel and farmers similar to him have lands that are attractive to migrating birds and animals, especially the green macaw and jaguar.  Currently, the biological corridor is narrow and not continuous.    

                Daniel took us through seven stations throughout the farm.  Before the tour officially began, we learned how to milk a goat!  Many students took turns milking the goat and found it to be a fun experience.  The goat’s kids were adorable.  The first station contained a biodigestor that harnessed methane gas to power his house.  Daniel makes great use of the resources around him and does not throw anything away.  He composts everything possible and the composting materials give off the methane gas that is used to power his house.  At the second station, we visited the pigs and even got a chance to feed them.  The pigs and other animals on the farm are only fed a vegetarian organic diet.  In fact, the feed is grown on the farm.  Daniel uses the pig manure to make fertilizer and sell it to the local farmers.  It is also put in the biodigestor to create the methane gas.  The third station displayed the system they used to create the fertilizer.  The worms play a crucial role in making the final product.  The fertilizer is used on the farm and the excess fertilizer is sold to local farmers.  We walked up a large hill to reach the fourth station, which contained the pepper trees.  On the way, we learned about various medicinal plants, such as one that acts as a bug repellent.  Daniel Vega showed us a smart way to integrate different kinds of plants in a small area.  The pineapple plants were surrounded by habanero plants and rows of pepper plants encompassing a tree with its vines.  We tasted the peppers and they were spicy.  The peppers come from one plant, yet they come in different colors.  The color is a result of the time the peppers are picked.  There were red, green, and black peppers.  The black peppers are the dried version of the red peppers.  These peppers are used as a spice along with salt.  The fifth station was the charcoal station, where they burned leftover wood from the farm to make charcoal for sale.  The sixth station involved walking over a beautiful bridge in the rain.  Daniel discussed an endangered species of tree called the Monkey Guava.  It is important because many of the birds and monkeys eat the fruit from the tree.  However, this tree is rare because people are continuously cutting it down for lumber.  Daniel plans to preserve this type of tree and hopes that his grandchildren will see it.  On the way to lunch, we saw a porcupine in a tree.  Lastly, we went to the pepper drying station and looked at the black peppers. 

                Upon completion of the tour, we enjoyed a delicious lunch consisting of arroz con pollo y palmitas.  We drank more fruit juice and presented our host with a gift.  He was touched by the book of New Jersey and the Kent Place bag.  It was sad to leave this incredible and inspirational man.  He works extremely hard and remains humble and happy even with a small amount of material comfort.  We wish the best for him and hope others follow his lead. 

                After an inspirational morning, we had time to relax and rejuvenate.  Half of the group went for a run followed by a swim.  The rest of the group went swimming.  We all jumped off the 15 foot bridge into the water.  It was scary at first, but we conquered our fears and made the plunge.  Some local people were doing backflips and other jumps off of the bridge.  It was interesting to see how comfortable they were with something that seemed foreign to us. 

                We discussed leadership styles and the sides of the brain.  Before we went on the trip, we all took a personality test online to see which type best represented us.  There were four main types of people: Conceptualists, Guardians, Idealists, and Experimenters.  We did different tests at the meeting and chose adjectives that described our personalities in the best way.  People were surprised how they perfectly fit into their personality types. 

                We cannot wait to take a cooking lesson, visit our host families, and work with the children at the Chilamate Elementary School tomorrow!   

Pura Vida!