Agricultural Field Trip

On September 16 our class went on the second field trip. The theme was Agriculture, and I was clueless were would they take us. We visited Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization, or simply ECHO. It is an experimental, 21-acre garden devoted to researching farming techniques usable in (as they say) "developing" countries. It was the most creative working farm I had ever experienced. Sines it is a Christian organization, they made me so proud of our Christian volunteers and their developing to what they do. I never knew such organizations existed. From the short clip that we watched at the beginning of our tour I remember the phrase: if you give man a fish - you will feed him for a day, teach him how to fish - and you will feed him for life. This organization travels all around the world and teaches poor people how to plant gardens in the places where gardening seems impossible.They have six different settings of the Global Farm, such as rain forest, mountain, urban and much more.

 

Here are the bamboo trees. It is very reusable resource. People make flooring, housing and even clothing out of it. 

I found this was an interesting fact: Neem leaves can be soaked in water and used as insect repellent. People also chew on its branches in order to have healthy teeth, and it can heal the skin.

Duck/Tilapia System is pretty amazing also. They feed ducks, and then tilapia eats duck’s waste. I have never seen a house for ducks above the lake.  

That same day, my husband (who is from north) asked me if we have banana trees in Florida. Here is the answer. By the way, banana trees are not real trees: it is grass. It’s great source of potassium and also animals can eat its leaves.

ECHO introduced us with system of rice intensification. They encourage single seedlings with less flooding which results in higher yields. Some nations depend on rice. And it is very interesting discovery which can save people from starvation.

I really like this picture. It simply shows how beautiful and innocent our nature is!

This is a primitive level. People who plant on the mountains use such levels in order to plant in the straight line. Out professor is demonstrating how they use it.

There are very weird chickens that I have never seen before. They do not have feathers on their neck so that they can withstand heat.

This is one of the typical Haitian schools for the student in the developing countries. When I was sitting there, it made me think of how lucky we are to be able to study in normal conditions.

These are Bio gas Digesters. They remove methane gas from manure, providing an alternative energy source for cooking.

And this is the most fascinating part of the tour for me. There is actually such thing as urban gardening. They can grow plants of the tops of the roof. And you can use any kind of garbage for it. It made me want I own little garden.

This is green onion that grows in garbage, using old tire. This is amazing!!!
I enjoyed this field trip. I learned  a lot of useful information there. Go ECHO!