Tag Archives: farm

Day 3 – Trinidad – Aquaoponics

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Feb 19 – Day 3 – Aquaponics
 
Finally my most anticipated visit of the trip, the aquaponics facility. Seeing a smaller scale aquaponic system provides a better realistic goal to building one as the previous one I have seen before was in Cape Town and was a large system meant to sustain a restaurant. The most I learnt from this visit is seeing another type of set up and filtering process. This can help solve both food and water security because of the lack of water loss in the whole aquaponic system. This system uses less than 10% of water compared to traditional agriculture. Though, it cannot grow crops like roots and tubulars as they require soil to be grown in and not water or clay media. Regardless, this can help answer some questions of increased agricultural production but with a goal of sustaining water security as the issue was raised from the previous day.
Afterwards we went to the UWI farm field and did a quick tour seeing how the farm is irrigated from the wells they had dug. They did not consider the impacts of pesticides and herbicides on the soil absorption into the aquifers. Eventually the pollution will filter into the aquifers and pollute their own supply of drinking water. This reinforced my speculation of agricultural run offs from the first post with the potential of chemicals seeping into the groundwater supply. Very surprising that they would not consider this issue as a challenge to sustainable water security. Other investors are also coming into “develop” this farm including the Chinese. Assumptions with a reciprocal deal on return on investment will occur. In hindsight, because they are funded to do research and their goal is monetary gain, they will receive money to do any research including ones that are detrimental to the soil and groundwater and not taking in the cost of externalities.
Going back to UWI. Discussion of water security. Not a lot of focus on the topic of mangroves as of yet. Discussion of coastal regions and rising salt water levels in the aquifers still need to be addressed for my group project. Having exchanged contacts with the professors at UWI will hopefully provide more insight.
 

Hasera – Living on a rural farm in Nepal

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Christa working the plants

“Yololo!” Govinda shouted. Best word ever you’ll hear on the farm, because that meant “Food is ready!” Mito, Govinda’s wife, prepared possibly the best food ever. After a semi-relaxed morning of work, we get pretty much the rest of the day off. Or we could choose to do more work if we wanted to.

We were volunteering at Hasera Permaculture farm. We went through a company called Volunteering to Learn. Rolling hills with huge mountains in the distance surrounded the farm. But their gigantic size makes it seems like we could reach a hand out and touch the top of one of the snow capped peaks. In just over a week, we’ll be working our way up one of those peaks. But for now, we were busy digging up onions, garlic, and feeding chickens and petting the cows.

When we arrived, we happened to jump right into the end of a workshop where we get to design our own permaculture farm from 2 days of workshop. Both of us had a lot of ideas on how to be hippie and in the end our house was bomb-tastic. Urban farming with veritcal gardens and seasonal green houses with a pond inside. Badass.

The view from the farm

We got to experience local rural village wedding as well. It was an arranged marriage and a simple one. Nothing flashy. We took a stroll down the road and then down through other farm fields. It lead us to the family’s farm where the wedding was held. Colours decorated the trees and incense filled the air infront of the family’s Shiva temple. The couple sat side by side while family members on both sides took their turns blessing them while someone recited incantations and prayers.

Few days later, we got to celebrate Hanumans birthday, the monkey God who rescued Shiva’s wife, Parvarti, from Sri Lanka. We walked with Govinda, our host father, to the village Hanuman pagoda. People were already in deep incantation, burning incense, throwing blessings onto the Hanuman and into the fire sending it up to the Heavens for him to receive it.

Traditional village wedding

These experiences were something few people get to do. To live right in with the family in a rural village in Nepal. We were expecting hard work and hours in the sun. However, what we got was more of becoming part of the family and local community. After the wedding, when we arrived at the temple, we recognized many people from the wedding and they recognized us (Wasn’t very hard).

Vishnu’s commerical potatoe fields needed to be harvested. He was one of the lecturers at Govinda’s farm during the workshop. We got a chance to repay his kindness by helping him harvest his humungous farm. Just fields and fields of potatoes. Even though he  lectured at the permaculture farm, he needed commercial farming and so used chemicals. He knows the detrimental effects, but it’s the only way to provide locally grown potatoes in the local region. Otherwise, potatoes aren’t naturally grown in Nepal. We got to work alongside family and friends of Vishnu. It was quite a humbling experience as people older than us tear up the ground as we struggle to keep up with the work.

Vishnu’s fields

After our 2 weeks of living at the farm, we exchanged very bittersweet goodbyes. Our experience was over, but not forgotten. It was a very rewarding experience that will sit with us through our lifetime. Our eyes turn over to the peaks in the Everest mountain range. Onward, journey!