Escuela Segunda Unidad Botijas #1 - Www.agroecologiapr.org

Through the experience of growing food, children can start to relate to the land. And they begin to have an experience with Nature that is unique for them. It forms them, and changes them. It strengthens and empowers them, and helps to improve their self esteem. I believe somewhat that it increases their confidence, because in some way, they are being protected by Nature. But at the same time, it imposes a commitment. That is, if Nature protects me, then I should also protect Nature. Try to eat it without thinking that you are eating green beans. Imagine that you are eating a candy. And it tastes delicious! It?s good! I don?t like it! So, we ate a rice that tasted?? Yummy! yummy, yummmmmmy... Before this, who never ate green beans? Me. You didn?t like them? And now, do you like them? Yesss! How do we start working, what was our first task? We have to weed with a hoe. Who wants to show us the hoe? So they can see which garden tool it is. This is called a hoe. It is used to weed, and prepare the soil. The Project is called ?Agriculture in Harmony with the Environment.? It is part of the agricultural education program that in turn is part of the Department of Education. It is a vocational program, and each teacher can initiate an innovative project. We chose agroecology. Did you see? Now, for a short time, what do I do? Student: Clean the plant. I clean up the plants. After all, this product is going to represent us. Do you remember when we covered the seedlings? Okay, now we are going to do the same thing. And we are going to add fertilizer. What are we going to fertilize the plants with? Do you remember? Student: Compost. We are going to fertilize the beds again with compost, and we are going to cover the base of the plants with more soil. And this little plant will grow again, and is going to give us up to three harvests. Isn?t that fantastic? This Project is thirteen years old, although the agricultural education program here in the school is more than 85 years old. We are going to enter into a world of..? Magic! We are going to enter into a world of..? Magic! Where everything is?? Working! Where everything is?? Working! The Puerto Rican boa constrictor. The Puerto Rican boa constrictor swallowing the rodents that damage our crops. The bees. The bees that gather pollen to make honey. Worms. The worms that make compost. The centipedes. The centipedes that make earth. Every one of these children learn to respect each and every one of these organisms here in the agrosystem. And if you learn to respect every one of these organisms, then with all possibility, you can transfer this to daily life, and you can respect every living being that accompanies you. Sifted woodchips turned into compost. Put it right in the middle of the rows. Near the carrots, but not on your carrots. Near the carrots, but not on top of the carrots. What is this for? Student: Like we did with the coriander... Just like we did with the coriander. If we add compost, the carrots will be able to withstand the heat. We protect the soil, and give nutrients to your carrots. Then we use a hard rake to level the ground. This is called a big hoe, and it's used to break the soil and make the holes to be able to plant. These images that we have here remind or they let us know of agriculture around the world. Other people doing farming. And it gives us a model. Looking at the photos, we can visualize, and we can imagine what it would be like at harvest time. In some way, we fix this model in our minds of something that is not around us, but yes, it is on the wall. And it sends us into the future, toward the harvests that we hope to have. Students: Pull! Pull harder!! (sounds of joy) Show it to the teacher! Miss! Look, it?s the earth that is giving us food! It is our duty to teach children how to produce food, and I understand that this should be taught in each and every Puerto Rican school. And if we could, we should extend it to the entire world! Agriculture is good because one learns to... to harvest, to farm. We learn to eat healthy food that comes directly from the earth. We don?t have to always go to the supermarket to buy beans. Supermarket beans aren?t freshly picked. It?s like the teacher says about food that travels from far?. That travel in packages and aren?t as good as those that come right out of the soil. Filmed in Orocovis, Puerto Rico.