Sustainable Harvest International "La Cosecha" Fall 2010 Newsletter

8/9/2019 Sustainable Harvest International "La Cosecha" Fall 2010 Newsletter

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SUSTAINABLE HARVEST INTERNATIONAL

fALL2010www.SUSTAINABLEHARVEST.ORg

THE HARVEST

planting hope restoring forests nourishing communities

Fr Pr & Fr, Fr R:

I will always be very grateul to the

Peace Corps or the opportunity it

gave me to grow, learn and become

a better American and global

citizen. The Peace Corps does a

tremendous amount o good

or America and her people whochoose to serve overseas, and I eel

I made a lot o positive change during my two years as a

volunteer in Panama. However, i we set aside all the good

created by building bridges between our two cultures and

looked only at the most ecient and eective way to get

the job done, I have no doubt that a local person could

have succeeded at the work. I know that is not true across

the board with Peace Corps Volunteers, but that was my

experience.

I came back rom my service with a wealth o new

knowledge, and there were two key insights I recalled laterwhen I ounded Sustainable Harvest International in 1997.

First was the importance o a long-term commitment

or any program seeking to make a permanent change.

Second was the value o hiring local people to carry out

the work on the ground. Local people would work in

partnership with us gringos who could bring technical,

fnancial and other resources as needed. This is why, even

13 years later, the 44 sta working in the Sustainable

Harvest International feld programs are rom the

countries where we work and usually even rom the

same communities. They know the local language(s),

culture, environment and other realities better than anyoreign expert.

While I value the new ideas and perspectives that outsiders

bring to our feld work (heck, I even like to think I have a

good idea now and then), I remain committed to the

premise that our feld work can best be carried out by

local people who care deeply about their neighbors and

the natural environment in their own countries. This issue

o our newsletter is dedicated to those people.

MEET OUR

Local staff carrying out the SHI missionFIELD TRAINERS

...continued on page 2

Age 22, of Punta Gorda, Toledo, BelizeMEET ROBERT CHAVARRIA, JR.

I was born the oldest child in a amily o our. I graduated rom the

University o Belize with an Associates Degree in Natural Resource

Management. When I was younger, I assisted my grandather

at his arm in Laguna Junction where we planted corn, rice and

beans. Now Im coordinating my own garden at home with

dierent vegetables such as carrots, cabbage, cucumbers, lettuce

and more.

I enjoy working in the elds, providing SHI participants with the

technical advice and assistance they need. I love learning new

things and interacting with dierent people. My philosophy is that

good things come true through hard work and dedication. The

actions you take reect the lie you live. I am honest, committed,

hardworking and dedicated to SHI and my community.

RobeRts woRk is Funded by thesymPhasis Foundation and the

jouRney chaRitable Foundation.


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visit us online: www.sustainableharvest.org la cosecha fall20102

Field Trainers... continued from page 1

Age 49, of La Pintada, Cocl, PanamaI am married to Bernarda de Navarro and we have two children - one is a

college sophomore studying medical technology and the other attends an

agricultural high school. My wie has been working at a arm store or ve

years in Panama City.

I have been working or SHI-Panama or six months. Im working in twocommunities, San Juanito and Pagua, with thirty-nine amilies. I am most

motivated to work with SHI-Panama because it is an organization that

runs on ew resources and identies with people that have ew resources -

humble people in rural communities, just like me. Another important thing

is that SHI-Panama protects the environment. Ive always loved nature and

have always tried to protect her, so that makes me identiy with this job.

Even though I have not worked or SHI-Panama or long yet, I eel really good

because Im winning trust. Families have trusted SHI with their great hopes,

and because I work alongside them and get my hands dirty with them, that

has helped me gain their trust.

I learned that sustainability is a set methodology - a process where eachactivity depends on another. This is a good use o our community resources

- without the need to bring in outside resources and without causing

damage to our environment. In animal husbandry, or example, we obtain

several benets at once, since we can generate income and use the waste

(manure) to prepare compost or our gardens; it is an integrated system.

SHI-Panama is a small organization, but we are ocused on sustainability.

We have qualied, compassionate Field Trainers who teach, prepare and

monitor amilies or long-term success. It will be very important to reach

more amilies, but o course that depends on nancial resources, more

time, sta and planning. I have condence in this methodology because it

is eective, and it makes SHI dierent rom many other organizations. With

SHI, amilies take an active part in each project. Education plays a major role,

helping the individual orm an awareness o our mission. I tell donors to

have condence in SHI - their money is well spent - and to visit us, as they

are part o this process and should see the changes they make possible.

MEET MARIANO NAVARRO GONZLEZ

MEET DAYSBETH LOPEZ Age 22 of La Pintada, Panama

maRianos woRk is Funded by the

aleX c. walkeR Foundation.

I have worked or SHI-Panama or our years and I assist orty-ve amilies in two communitie

(Tranquilla Norte and Rincn Claro). Working or SHI-Panama is a great honor because I previously

cleaned houses to nance my studies since my amily could not aord to pay or school. Now

because o this job, I am in my third year o university ( Bachelor o Agricultural and Environmenta

Management) and I built a house that I share with my ather and sisters.

When I rst began, I had to learn about organics since my technical high school only taught traditiona

arming. They did not explain that it was damaging our health and our soil. At SHI-Panama, we wan

amilies to adopt organic arming techniques and reorestation so they can teach their neighbor

ater they graduate and become leaders in their communities.

Most young people go to Panama City or work because they eel they cannot live o arming, bu

now I see some returning to their communities. SHI-Panama has shown that with organic techniques

you can generate results and income without leaving your amily. We do not make amilies wealthy

but they now live better lives in a healthier environment.

daysbeths woRk is

Funded by bRown

enViRonmental.


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3planting hope restoring forests nourishing communities

Age 29, of Blueelds, NicaraguaMEET MAURA MEJA

I was born in Blueelds on the Atlantic Coast and studied Agroorestry

Engineering in school. I am a single mother with two daughters who are nine

and ten years old. I have worked or SHI-Nicaragua or three years in the Kukra

River region, where I help thirty amilies in our communities (El Naranjal, Cao

Azul, La Reorma and Poza Azul).

It hasnt always been easy. In the beginning, it was a big problem being a woman

working in an environment where only the men perorm agricultural activities

and make decisions. Our culture is very religious and male driven. I elt a

rejection rom the armers because they, as men, were not used to working with

women. Also, the wives were worried or their husbands who worked with me

because they thought that a woman could never lead a man, and that women

should never work in the elds but only on household chores.

But over the past three years, my thirty amilies have come to love, respect,

admire and support me. They now welcome me into their homes and share

with me. I also love and respect them. I work together next to the men, womenandchildren - amily integration has been achieved.

MEET JORGE RODRGUEZAge 36, of Pinalejo, Santa Brbara, Honduras

READ MORE & COMMENT ONLINE: www.sustainableharvest.org/tags/2010all

I am married and have two children - a ten-year-old girl in th grade and a ve-year-old boy

in kindergarten. My wie is a primary school teacher.

I have worked or SHI-Honduras or six years, and I assist sixty-eight amilies in ve

communities in the area o Concepcion Norte. Working or SHI is more than just earning a

salary. I have learned about environmental protection and amily nutrition. I have taught

these things to my children, and I can see the changes in my amily.

One o my greatest achievements has been the changes in our participant amilies since

improving their nutrition. In the beginning, the children and adults had almost no ood.

They told me that they put up with hunger every day. But now, they harvest radishes,

mustard greens, and other vegetables to eat nutritious and healthy ood throughout the

day. I can see their happiness because we ocus on ood security. The amilies are very

grateul and always want to share everything they are producing with me and visitors rom

SHI. That makes me very proud to be part o Sustainable Harvest International.

joRges woRk is Funded

by the newmans own

Foundation & the hancock

united chuRch oF chRist in

leXington, ma


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Busy in the Barrio


BELIZE HONDURAS PANAMANICARAGUA

FIELD PROGRAM UPDATES

Thouh the dry season is , m r , m.

Despite these environmentalchallenes, SHI-Belize hashelped to plant over 45,000trees and diversiy participantarms so that they can cultivate versus the usin miratorytechniques o others.

Alon ith the hardoods andruit trees planted, participantamilies are producin cash-crops, like cacao and iner.r, plantin the leuminous

drumstick tree (Moringaoleifera) in their aroorestrysystems to utilize their nutrientrich leaves in a iner tea/spicepoder. The tea is currently , expand that market elsehere .

SHI-Belize is also innovatinin areas that reduce costs andaste, such as a ne approach

to tree nurseries. Holloed sliced in 12 and 18 sections alternative to plastic nursery -transplant stress.

with the rains o the ne emere, SHI-Honduras ishopeul that harvests ill

the 500+ participant amilies , enerate additional income.

In addition to improvinthe nutrition and income orural armin amilies, SHI-Honduras successully plantedover 103,000 trees andinitiated ork in Sulaco, Yoro.families in Sulaco are alreadycompostin kitchen aste and ,

.t ,amilies in Sulaco are eaerto learn other means o soil armin.

folloin a to eek intensivecourse on permaculture,oranic armin andchromatoraphy, sta has trainins or their co-orkers

and proram participants. Additional emphasis on , -input armin systems ill reener uture or many oHonduras rural poor.

t , amilies orkin ith SHI-Nicaraua improved 1,000 armin, aroorestry andreorestation. families

planted a variety o treeand ruit species in theirmixed-use orests, includinavocado, oranes, star apple(Chrysophyllum cainito), , partride ood (Andirainermis). families are plantinreen manures and covercrops in and around their , , and taro, to improve nitroenlevels in the soil and reduceeed roth.

families in Nicaraua are and the techniques they have. i gzo El Panchon says, I havediversied my farm andimplemented organic farmingtechniques that benet myfamily.

Lastly, SHI-Nicaraua put 15.5 acre demonstrationarm, Center for the Family

and the Environment.s, c armin techniques tauht toparticipants.

SHI-Panama sta andamilies consider their recentcommercialization o produceas a monumental step orard.In the past, most amilies ould sell their produce or

hatever price a middle-man ould oer. No, seventeenamilies in El Entradero sell p c csa (cSupported Ariculture) inpartnership ith a local, Culantro Rojo.

SHI-Panama is settin thestae to open three ne rural El Entradero. Also, ith co- FundacionNatura, SHI-Panama is

p c wzone hich ocuses on homeardens and ood conservin. t a startin point or SHI-p this environmentally sensitivereion o the country.

SHI-Panama has recently 25 testin in the communities

o Paua and San Juanito. Inthe last year, SHI-Panamaparticipants successullyconverted 59 acres to ,hile reorestin 22 acres ith15,986 trees.

On March 6, 2010, ater many months o planning, we (members

o the United Church o Christ Chapel Hill) were nally on our

way to Honduras as volunteers on an SHI Smaller World Tour.

Two SHI trip coordinators and the SHI-Honduras Country

Director, Yovany Munguia, met us at the airport in San Pedro

Sula. We were soon on the road to the mountainous district

o Yoro, where SHI provides hands-on training in sustainable

agriculture to more than 300 amilies.

Our group enjoyed warm hospitality and delicious Honduran

are in homes o SHI arming amilies. Our rst stop was in

the small village o Barrio Abajo. We were so happy to see thehealthy and expanded goat herd, with its tidy house and new

encing, that volunteers rom our North Carolina community

had supported the previous year. Some o us hoed trenches o

animal eed while others dug post holes or encing. The othe

hal o our group built a chicken coop, started a garden, and

planted seedlings. Even with all o our projects, there was stil

time or a walk to a nearby stream beneath the ridge line o the

mountains. The scenery reminded me o our mountains back

home.

a nr cr rp p

f pr fr 2 hr

by volunteer Jill Edens


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planting hope restoring forests nourishing communities 5

EARTH UNIVERSITY:

o

development in many rural areas o

Latin America is the lack o access to

a practical education. One

c a

orkin to chane that is

EARTH University, located

in the heart o the tropics in

c

c r. t u

acilities, demonstration arms

and a sath o primary and

secondary roth rainorest here students rom Latin

a, c

a

and natural resources manaement.

The hands-on approach practiced at

EARTH University encouraes students

knolede that they ain in the classroom.

This unique curriculum has iven the

University an excellent reputation

,

,

the admissions department

oes out o its ay to recruit

student leaders rom rural and

underserved areas o the tropics,

85%

ith ull or partial scholarships.

t

payin o, as EARTH alumni areoverhelminly returnin to their

countries o oriin 86% o them

. t

minded initiatives they learned at EARTH

. t

earth u 20 a,

, earth

the University and riends to plant over

one million trees in 31 countries, a sin o

the natural environment.

Ater two nights it was a sad goodbye to the amilies in Barrio

Abajo and on to our next community, El Ocotal, where we

observed and helped with a wide variety o projects. I helped

build a wood-conserving stove - a beautiul adobe creation that

could heat the kitchen, bake bread and provide a hot surace or

tortillas and other stovetop cooking. This low-tech stove uses upto 50% less wood than the traditional stoves in the area and was

properly vented to improve the indoor air quality or the amily.

My husband, Rick, helped dig a tilapia pond that would provide

an additional source o protein or the recipient amily. I helped

plant seedlings or a reorestation project including everything

rom mahogany to cedar trees in a thoughtully planned projec

that would shelter the community watershed and provide

the amily with a sustainable income or decades to come

Other group members helped create a biogas digester which

transorms cow manure into usable methane gas - enough or a

amily to cook all their meals. The decomposed manure would

also serve as a valuable source o compost or the amily garden

Others built a water-catchment tank, while my group ended ou

stay by helping to plant cassava and plantains.

We were amazed at how many projects SHI and their loca

eld trainers had organized or us, and additionally, to see o

ourselves the proound dierence these low-cost, sustainable

practices can make or the well-being o communities. The

contrast between SHI communities and the arms around them

was easy to see. I am so grateul to have been the guest o ou

Honduran riends and to have had the opportunity to see the

eective work that SHI is doing among them. With a sad adios

we let or our nal days o sightseeing in Copan. We will loo

orward to our next visit!

LEARN MORE ABOUT OURSMALLER WORLD TOURS ONLINE:www.sustainableharvest.org/travel

a honduRan schoolboy

tRansPlants a tRee seedling

on the hillside.

FOR MORE

INFORMATION, VISIT:

ear th-u sa . o r g

In addition to an excellent academ

program, EARTH University provid

training for organizations, including SHI

Several years ago, the majority of our staff

from all four country programs learned a

tremendous amount during a week-long

course on organics at EARTH. On severa

occasions, SHI-Belize has beneted from

the four-month internship that all EARTHstudents complete during their third year of

studies. And, one of our programs has the

distinction of having a very special tie to

EARTH - the Board Chair of SHI-Nicaragua

is an EARTH graduate. We appreciate

EARTH Universitys efforts over the past 20

years and hope to work even more closely

with them in the future.

_______


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This spring, we released our much-awaited short documentary, Planting Hope, capturing

lie in rural Honduras rom the perspectives o SHI eld trainer, Juan Carlos, and SH

graduate armer, Don Cheyo (photo let).

Juan Carlos has worked or SHI or ten years and exemplies the commitment to community

and sustainable arming that is at the heart o SHIs mission. Watch as he visits rural villages

to provide assistance and advice to armers transitioning to sustainable techniques. Don

Cheyo provides a tour o his arm and insight into how his lie has changed since working

with SHI. He shows us that there is hope or change and stability in an oten degraded

landscape.

You can help spread awareness about this crucial work and start showing your community

the dierence SHI makes or the planet and its people! w r pr v

p sr Pr r r. Whether you

invite just a ew riends or your entire community, please take action today to help protect

our planet. We need your help now to continue planting hope in Central America!

WATCH IT ONLINE: www.sustainableharvest.org/hope

HOST A SCREENING PARTY: [email protected]

P

LANTINg

HOPE

Our Garden GrowsSHI was a recipient o the 2009 Dirigo Award or Non-Proft

Excellence rom the Maine Association o Nonprots. We

used the unds to expand our

organic community gardenat our Surry, Maine ofce. As

you can see, we have enjoyed

many delicious vegetables

rom the garden!

ABOVE: Vice President,Greg Field, digs in &

gets his eet dirty!

RIGHT: Authentic

Maine potatoes

ABOVE: Major GitsCoordinator, Randy Morrison,

takes a kale break.

BELOW: Young broccoli

well on its way to

becoming a ull head!

Planting Hope was produced by Myriad Media, who generously donated their time and resources to the project


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SUSTAINABLE HARvEST INTERNATIONAL779 NORTH BEND ROAD

surry, maine 04684 u.s.a.

address service requested

non-profit org.

u.s. postage

paiDbangor, me

zip coDe 04401

permit no.76

la cosecha is printed on recycled paper using soy-based inks. please enjoy it, then pass it on!

sustainable harvest international 779 north bend road surry, maine 04684 U.S.A.207.669.8254 [email protected] www.sustainableharvest.org

Join SHI in Belize!April 2010Now taking reservations!

Get more information:sustainableharvest.orgor call 919-967-3662

Sustainable Harest International c a .

acebook.com/sustainableharvestinternational

twitter.com/SHILaCosecha

CONNECT wITH SHI ONLINE!

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

1. m f t4. field Proram Updates4. Busy in the Barrio5. EARTH University6. Plantin Hope6. Our garden gros7. k c - r

REGISTER FOR SHIS FIRST

BEEKEEPINGWORKSHOP!!

May 22 - 30, 2011

TRAVEL TO HONDURAS

TO LEARN ABOUT BEES!

VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR THE FULL

SMALLER WORLD TOUR SCHEDULE:

SUSTAINABLEHARVEST.ORG/TRAVEL

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Sustainable Harvest International "La Cosecha" Fall 2010 Newsletter