Greetings! It feels odd writing a welcome note as my last blog entry, but I have some explaining to do. This blog was written for 2 different audiences. One audience is my family and friends who, curious where I disappeared to for the summer, want to hear about my adventures. The other audience is for those of you who are interested in Luna Nueva in any way, shape, or form. Thus, this blog has proven itself useful threefold; not only do I get to keep in touch with my loved ones and get people excited about Luna Nueva, but I also get to release, reflect, and remember my journey as an intern on a biodynamic farm in Costa Rica. I only hope that this blog, this digitalized diary, is capable of portraying even a microscopic glimpse into my incredible experience. And on this simple desire, please read my unabashed discoveries, shocking stories (or so I'd like to think), and wonderous realizations that I wrote over the course of my 10 weeks in Costa Rica.
Peace, love, and coconut water,
Mara
Sunday, August 17, 2008
The Last Day
I am sitting on my perfectly made bed at the Casa Luna, with a small smirk on my face and a blank comment box mocking me. What can I possibly say right now? There is nothing appropriate to describe such mixed emotions and swirling changes. Tonight is my last night at Luna Nueva, and it couldn't be more....bittersweet.
These past 2 weeks have been a whirlwind of creative expression. Stricken by a desire to give back to my experience, I've been drawing like crazy. I was eventually recruited by Iti and Rebeca to make the jam jar labels for our homemade lubi lubi, carambola (starfruit), and mandarin jam. I couldn't have been more stoked. Deciding on a bright, rainbow theme for the labels, I am proud to say that if you are ever to experience the joy of Luna Nueva jam, you'll get to see my legacy... ;)
I ended this last perfect day, 100% content. Today's weather was the perfect display of "green season" weather: the morning was hot with patchy blue sky, and the afternoon unfolded into a heady thunderstorm. And today I led not one, but 2 tours. I led the first group through the farm and the Sacred Seeds Garden. Then I came back to Luna, promptly downed a glass of water, and headed out with group #2. Good thing I was warmed up- with 14 shiny faces, this was my biggest group ever. I took them on the Rainforest tour and through Sacred Seeds Garden again. I will never tire of the Sacred Seeds. We got back just in time to witness the thunderstorm hit while we downed some fine Costa Rican roasted coffee. I can think of no better way than to end my stay than that: walking through the farm, one last time, making a tribute of gratitude to Luna by educating and sharing with others what I have learned. And let me tell you- it will never, ever get old for me to watch people squirm with the idea of eating a termite. I'd even lead a 4-hour tour through scorching heat if someone promises to gulp down a termite. Priceless.
Here is a quick review of what I have learned these past 10 weeks...
-what is a rainforest and why it is so cool
-what is the dynamic part of biodynamic farming
-the quirkiness of the sloth
-the sheer determination of the army ant
-the tastiness of the termite
-how to manage a hotel (or at least look like I have everything under control)
-how to drive a golf cart(!)
-how to survive if I get lost in the rainforest
-how to tell if a snake is poisonous
-why we should all eat copious amounts of ginger and turmeric
-what is compost and why we like worm poop
-how to pronounce cecropia, katuk, momon chino, and guanabana correctly(and study them intimately)
-how to write a blog (I think I've come a long way since that first one...)
-a few Tai Chi poses
-how to market a hotel through tantalizing, seductive writing
-how to read astrology
-how to answer the phone. In Spanish.
-the alchemy of beer-making
-why some Arizonans support the right to bare arms (an odd conversation with a few inebriated guests)
-how to get 14 people as stoked on leaf-cutter ants as I am
-discotechs in La Fortuna are dubious by nature
-how to walk through a garden, munch on leaves as I pass them, and not poison myself
-how to call a taxi for a man named Woody who is stuck at a bar called "the Chicken" in the middle of a thunderstorm (a hilarious situation)
-why fermentation is swell
- how to be a more conscious person in thought, action, and intenton
So how do I end this tribute to Luna? I am, once again, struggling to express my admiration and gratitude. All I can hope now is to leave here and spread the good news, that a biodynamic ginger and turmeric farm in Costa Rica is doing great things to save this planet. I am also happy in my confidence that when I return to Luna, I'll be welcomed with open arms, hearts, and with one or three ginger cookies fresh and ready for me....
These past 2 weeks have been a whirlwind of creative expression. Stricken by a desire to give back to my experience, I've been drawing like crazy. I was eventually recruited by Iti and Rebeca to make the jam jar labels for our homemade lubi lubi, carambola (starfruit), and mandarin jam. I couldn't have been more stoked. Deciding on a bright, rainbow theme for the labels, I am proud to say that if you are ever to experience the joy of Luna Nueva jam, you'll get to see my legacy... ;)
I ended this last perfect day, 100% content. Today's weather was the perfect display of "green season" weather: the morning was hot with patchy blue sky, and the afternoon unfolded into a heady thunderstorm. And today I led not one, but 2 tours. I led the first group through the farm and the Sacred Seeds Garden. Then I came back to Luna, promptly downed a glass of water, and headed out with group #2. Good thing I was warmed up- with 14 shiny faces, this was my biggest group ever. I took them on the Rainforest tour and through Sacred Seeds Garden again. I will never tire of the Sacred Seeds. We got back just in time to witness the thunderstorm hit while we downed some fine Costa Rican roasted coffee. I can think of no better way than to end my stay than that: walking through the farm, one last time, making a tribute of gratitude to Luna by educating and sharing with others what I have learned. And let me tell you- it will never, ever get old for me to watch people squirm with the idea of eating a termite. I'd even lead a 4-hour tour through scorching heat if someone promises to gulp down a termite. Priceless.
Here is a quick review of what I have learned these past 10 weeks...
-what is a rainforest and why it is so cool
-what is the dynamic part of biodynamic farming
-the quirkiness of the sloth
-the sheer determination of the army ant
-the tastiness of the termite
-how to manage a hotel (or at least look like I have everything under control)
-how to drive a golf cart(!)
-how to survive if I get lost in the rainforest
-how to tell if a snake is poisonous
-why we should all eat copious amounts of ginger and turmeric
-what is compost and why we like worm poop
-how to pronounce cecropia, katuk, momon chino, and guanabana correctly(and study them intimately)
-how to write a blog (I think I've come a long way since that first one...)
-a few Tai Chi poses
-how to market a hotel through tantalizing, seductive writing
-how to read astrology
-how to answer the phone. In Spanish.
-the alchemy of beer-making
-why some Arizonans support the right to bare arms (an odd conversation with a few inebriated guests)
-how to get 14 people as stoked on leaf-cutter ants as I am
-discotechs in La Fortuna are dubious by nature
-how to walk through a garden, munch on leaves as I pass them, and not poison myself
-how to call a taxi for a man named Woody who is stuck at a bar called "the Chicken" in the middle of a thunderstorm (a hilarious situation)
-why fermentation is swell
- how to be a more conscious person in thought, action, and intenton
So how do I end this tribute to Luna? I am, once again, struggling to express my admiration and gratitude. All I can hope now is to leave here and spread the good news, that a biodynamic ginger and turmeric farm in Costa Rica is doing great things to save this planet. I am also happy in my confidence that when I return to Luna, I'll be welcomed with open arms, hearts, and with one or three ginger cookies fresh and ready for me....
Thursday, August 14, 2008
A Smattering of Fun
I can't believe my time at Luna is coming to an end... its strange how time always seems to speed up at towards the end, leaving in its wake a dust of confusion and nostalgia. But this past week, besides being full of computer malfunctions, was action packed and nothing short of fabulous.
For the first week of August, the first intern at Luna, named Ruth, came back to visit and finish up a few projects. This girl is the definition of good karma: at 29, she is fluent in 12 languages, is getting a PHD at Berkely in anthropology and ethnobotany, and has been to more countries than most people even know existed. Basically, I found my role model. We explored the Sacred Seeds Garden, which was invaluable; Ruth knows her plants. She showed me her favorite plant, Buddha's Belly(podagrica), and I immediately fell in love with its stout green leaves and blazing red flowers. Good thing she warned me that the plant was poisonous, because I was still in grazing mode from the edible berries she had shown me earlier. There is nothing like taking 2 steps, sampling a Jackass Bitter(neurolaena lobata), deciding that its antibacterial benefits are not worth its...well, bitterness, and then taking another 2 steps to wash it down with 3 different types of oregeno. Or if perhaps that is not doing the trick, I could just coat my mouth with the magic fruit(synsepalum dulcificum) that can even turn a glass of straight-up lemon juice into the sweetest orange juice of your life. Wandering through the garden with Ruth reinvigorated my love for medicinal herbalism, reminding me just how freakin' cool plants are.
Another cool cat was here for a few days, Luc, from New Chapter. He's the "beer guy." Luc came down with a toolkit that looked nothing short of a bag for alchemy; with tubes, unawakened animals(yeast), recipes, and elixirs, Luc got to work right away. Tapping palm trees and using jackass bitter(uck!) instead of hops, the plan was to make a "Luna Nueva Jackass-BitterGinger Beer." Although he explained the beer-making process to me several times, the precision of temperatures, pressure, and proportions lost me just like a lab in chem class. Regardless, I got to try some of the pre-made honey, echinacea, and green tea mead he brought down with him, and let me tell ya, if this Luna Nueva concoction he made tastes anything close to that good, we'll be seeing Luc's medicinal beers hit mainstream in the near future. Mmm beer.... I feel like Homer Simpson!
Iti left for San Jose yesterday, which means that I am "la jefe" of Casa Luna. Until I leave in a few days, I am the hotel manager/receptionist/hostess/tour-guide/golfcart driver of Luna. Considering that I still get time to do yoga with the guests, write about my adventures, and continue to marvel at what I've learned along the way, I still consider myself living the "pura vida..."
For the first week of August, the first intern at Luna, named Ruth, came back to visit and finish up a few projects. This girl is the definition of good karma: at 29, she is fluent in 12 languages, is getting a PHD at Berkely in anthropology and ethnobotany, and has been to more countries than most people even know existed. Basically, I found my role model. We explored the Sacred Seeds Garden, which was invaluable; Ruth knows her plants. She showed me her favorite plant, Buddha's Belly(podagrica), and I immediately fell in love with its stout green leaves and blazing red flowers. Good thing she warned me that the plant was poisonous, because I was still in grazing mode from the edible berries she had shown me earlier. There is nothing like taking 2 steps, sampling a Jackass Bitter(neurolaena lobata), deciding that its antibacterial benefits are not worth its...well, bitterness, and then taking another 2 steps to wash it down with 3 different types of oregeno. Or if perhaps that is not doing the trick, I could just coat my mouth with the magic fruit(synsepalum dulcificum) that can even turn a glass of straight-up lemon juice into the sweetest orange juice of your life. Wandering through the garden with Ruth reinvigorated my love for medicinal herbalism, reminding me just how freakin' cool plants are.
Another cool cat was here for a few days, Luc, from New Chapter. He's the "beer guy." Luc came down with a toolkit that looked nothing short of a bag for alchemy; with tubes, unawakened animals(yeast), recipes, and elixirs, Luc got to work right away. Tapping palm trees and using jackass bitter(uck!) instead of hops, the plan was to make a "Luna Nueva Jackass-BitterGinger Beer." Although he explained the beer-making process to me several times, the precision of temperatures, pressure, and proportions lost me just like a lab in chem class. Regardless, I got to try some of the pre-made honey, echinacea, and green tea mead he brought down with him, and let me tell ya, if this Luna Nueva concoction he made tastes anything close to that good, we'll be seeing Luc's medicinal beers hit mainstream in the near future. Mmm beer.... I feel like Homer Simpson!
Iti left for San Jose yesterday, which means that I am "la jefe" of Casa Luna. Until I leave in a few days, I am the hotel manager/receptionist/hostess/tour-guide/golfcart driver of Luna. Considering that I still get time to do yoga with the guests, write about my adventures, and continue to marvel at what I've learned along the way, I still consider myself living the "pura vida..."
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Rainforest speed racer!
Ah, how I love the golfcart. I have determined that there is nothing more exhilarating than zipping down gravel hills in the middle of the rainforest in a golfcart. Even as I blast from Casa Luna up to Casa Sombra, I have to marvel at the funniness of such an experience. If a guest is staying up at the Individual Bungalows or at Casa Sombra, I get to drive them and their luggage to their rooms, joking that the golfcart is my favorite part of the internship. A few weeks ago, I was Miss Popular with the kiddies, becoming their personal transport service. 3 times a day, I gladly took them for a ride, only giving into their "faster!" once we were out of their parents' earshot. Every night, I drive Iti home to her bungalow, which is when we gossip about the day's guests and about muchachos.You know how there is that joke about little men needing big trucks? Well, just give me a golfcart, and I feel like I am on top of the world.
A Tribute to Food
Have you ever felt that buzzing, energetic contentment that you get after an incredible meal? I feel that every day, 3 times a day, thanks to the Luna Nueva kitchen. I realized that I have been alluding to the fine dining facilities of Luna for some time now. Such an uncomparable experience deserves attention from lovers of food worldwide.
I roll out of bed each morning just in time to make an appearance for the 8am breakfast bell. Unlike the diverse spreads for lunch and dinner, I have come to appreciate the consistency of my favorite breakfast options. Each morning, guests can choose from beans, rice, scrambled eggs, toast, jam, fruit, cheese, yogurt, and granola. If production is large enough, the eggs will be from our farm hens, but the cheese and yogurt is always homemade. Unusual but scrumptous, the fresh yogurt has come to be my staple breakfast (as well as an after-dinner snack). I pour the yogurt into one of the over-sized coffee mugs, add freshly picked and chopped papaya, banana, mango, and pineapple, a few spoon-fulls of granola, and lastly a dollop of honey. Delightful. And the richness of our jam must be addressed- for starters, it's called Lubi Lubi jam. I mean, with a name like that, its gonna be fun. Tastier than the tastiest strawberry or blackberry jam you can imagine, this dark purple spread only requires the lubi lubi fruit and a little brown sugar to add decadence to your morning toast or pancake experience. And the plantains. With a drizzle of melted cheese stuffed inside, you will find me indulging in 1 or 4 of these treats. If I'm not too full, I've taken up the awefully wonderful habit of an after-meal cup of coffee. Organic, local, and potent, the coffee at Luna has converted me from coffee adversary to addict.
Right before 1pm and 6pm, you will find me salivating with anticipation for lunch and dinner. It would take a full book's length to provide the descriptions of each dish, but I'll give you the general layout. Always a meat dish, beans, rice (beans and rice for every meal; it's a Costa Rican custom), usually 2-3 vegetarian sides, and finally the magnificent rainforest salad, no one can possibly leave the table hungry. The food is laid out buffet style, allowing for everyone to pig-out on thirds. And without fail, a bowl of dessert will be brought out. I usually find the magical contents in this bowl almost too aesthetically pleasing to disturb. Almost, but not quite. Some of my favorite lunch and dinner dishes include: tilapia covered in ginger sauce, ceviche made with steamed plaintains and salsa, chia steeped in garlic and onions, and the rainforest salad, which is so bursting full of spicy, sweet, savory, and nutty leaves from the garden, I don't even need to put our homemade turmeric and garlic dressing on it. And if I do go for the beans and rice, I make sure to add the spicy halapeno and habanero sauce that Ana (one of my favorite chefs), has to prepare with a face mask and closed eyes. That hot sauce is no joke. My favorite dessert options is: coconut anything (especially home-churned icecream and pound cake), pineapple flan, candied mangos, and of course, the ever-present ginger cookies. The cookies can always be found kicking it at the kitchen counter, satisfying the whimsies of everyone's snacking dreams.
It is obvious to me why all this food tastes and above all, feels, so darn good: its grown either organically or biodynamically, and then cooked only in the healthiest methods and with love. About 90% of the food is grown on the farm itself, and the 5 permanent chefs are superwomen in my eyes. Even though I plan to copy down and take back with me some of my favorite recipes, I know that this tribute and celebration to whole, living food at Luna Nueva can never be quite reproduced.
I roll out of bed each morning just in time to make an appearance for the 8am breakfast bell. Unlike the diverse spreads for lunch and dinner, I have come to appreciate the consistency of my favorite breakfast options. Each morning, guests can choose from beans, rice, scrambled eggs, toast, jam, fruit, cheese, yogurt, and granola. If production is large enough, the eggs will be from our farm hens, but the cheese and yogurt is always homemade. Unusual but scrumptous, the fresh yogurt has come to be my staple breakfast (as well as an after-dinner snack). I pour the yogurt into one of the over-sized coffee mugs, add freshly picked and chopped papaya, banana, mango, and pineapple, a few spoon-fulls of granola, and lastly a dollop of honey. Delightful. And the richness of our jam must be addressed- for starters, it's called Lubi Lubi jam. I mean, with a name like that, its gonna be fun. Tastier than the tastiest strawberry or blackberry jam you can imagine, this dark purple spread only requires the lubi lubi fruit and a little brown sugar to add decadence to your morning toast or pancake experience. And the plantains. With a drizzle of melted cheese stuffed inside, you will find me indulging in 1 or 4 of these treats. If I'm not too full, I've taken up the awefully wonderful habit of an after-meal cup of coffee. Organic, local, and potent, the coffee at Luna has converted me from coffee adversary to addict.
Right before 1pm and 6pm, you will find me salivating with anticipation for lunch and dinner. It would take a full book's length to provide the descriptions of each dish, but I'll give you the general layout. Always a meat dish, beans, rice (beans and rice for every meal; it's a Costa Rican custom), usually 2-3 vegetarian sides, and finally the magnificent rainforest salad, no one can possibly leave the table hungry. The food is laid out buffet style, allowing for everyone to pig-out on thirds. And without fail, a bowl of dessert will be brought out. I usually find the magical contents in this bowl almost too aesthetically pleasing to disturb. Almost, but not quite. Some of my favorite lunch and dinner dishes include: tilapia covered in ginger sauce, ceviche made with steamed plaintains and salsa, chia steeped in garlic and onions, and the rainforest salad, which is so bursting full of spicy, sweet, savory, and nutty leaves from the garden, I don't even need to put our homemade turmeric and garlic dressing on it. And if I do go for the beans and rice, I make sure to add the spicy halapeno and habanero sauce that Ana (one of my favorite chefs), has to prepare with a face mask and closed eyes. That hot sauce is no joke. My favorite dessert options is: coconut anything (especially home-churned icecream and pound cake), pineapple flan, candied mangos, and of course, the ever-present ginger cookies. The cookies can always be found kicking it at the kitchen counter, satisfying the whimsies of everyone's snacking dreams.
It is obvious to me why all this food tastes and above all, feels, so darn good: its grown either organically or biodynamically, and then cooked only in the healthiest methods and with love. About 90% of the food is grown on the farm itself, and the 5 permanent chefs are superwomen in my eyes. Even though I plan to copy down and take back with me some of my favorite recipes, I know that this tribute and celebration to whole, living food at Luna Nueva can never be quite reproduced.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Who is Luna Nueva?
The people who work at Luna Nueva can be likened to the the anatomy of a human body: they are the legs, mind, and heart of Luna. By supporting each other, always innovating a better way, and pouring soul into this beautiful place, it is no wonder that Luna Nueva is so special. There are around 30 full-time workers on the farm and at the lodge, and each one deserves a world of thanks and recognition for their hard work. Now that I have been here for a few months and truly appreciate everyone's contributions, I want to focus on how frickin' cool 3 people that I work the most with are: Iti, Rebeca, and Steven.
Iti. What a woman. You can always tell that she is coming with the tell-tale sound of the golf cart and gravel. It is a running joke among us that we bought the cart before she got here, knowing that it would turn into her personalized transport service. Iti is the hotel manager, and I have never met another person who has perfected the balance between cracking down and lightening up when it comes to efficient management. It is impossible not to like her- with her long, curly main and stylish shoes, Iti is the go-to woman behind a sunny smile. Everything, from reservations to food menus to ant-free rooms, Iti is the goddess of Luna Nueva.
Rebeca. I love Rebeca. She is the assistant hotel manager, and although she is slender, young, and dazzling, do not be fooled by her angelic appearance. There is nothing Rebeca can't do. In a tight situation, her badass demeanor will shine through. Heck- if a city went up in flames, I bet she could evacuate the entire population within minutes. With a hilarious accent (no, "word" and "wart" do not mean the same thing...) and witty comebacks, she adds comedic relief wherever she goes. I will always cherish the memory of Rebeca's efforts during our ant raid. Blasting ants to smithereens with a garden hose, I was glad there were no army recruiters nearby-she would be in charge of the bazooka. Of all Luna Nueva's staff, I know that me and Rebeca will be buddies for years to come.
And now for Steven. Truly a remarkable human being. The humblest man I have ever met, he rarely lets people know that Luna Nueva would not exist if it weren't for him. His title, Farm Manager, does not do justice to his omnipotent importance at Luna. When I first met him, his white beard and kind eyes reminded me of Dr. Burt from Burt's Bees. A farmer and botanist through and through, you could virtually point in any direction on the farm and ask him "What's that?" Likely, you'll get its scientific name, its place of origin, and an intriguing tidbit on its unique codependency with the rainforest. Steven has a lived a life no less fascinating than Paul McCartny and has succeeded in embodying the change that he wants to see in this world: saving the beauty of our natural resources through conservation, education, and pure admiration.
Iti. What a woman. You can always tell that she is coming with the tell-tale sound of the golf cart and gravel. It is a running joke among us that we bought the cart before she got here, knowing that it would turn into her personalized transport service. Iti is the hotel manager, and I have never met another person who has perfected the balance between cracking down and lightening up when it comes to efficient management. It is impossible not to like her- with her long, curly main and stylish shoes, Iti is the go-to woman behind a sunny smile. Everything, from reservations to food menus to ant-free rooms, Iti is the goddess of Luna Nueva.
Rebeca. I love Rebeca. She is the assistant hotel manager, and although she is slender, young, and dazzling, do not be fooled by her angelic appearance. There is nothing Rebeca can't do. In a tight situation, her badass demeanor will shine through. Heck- if a city went up in flames, I bet she could evacuate the entire population within minutes. With a hilarious accent (no, "word" and "wart" do not mean the same thing...) and witty comebacks, she adds comedic relief wherever she goes. I will always cherish the memory of Rebeca's efforts during our ant raid. Blasting ants to smithereens with a garden hose, I was glad there were no army recruiters nearby-she would be in charge of the bazooka. Of all Luna Nueva's staff, I know that me and Rebeca will be buddies for years to come.
And now for Steven. Truly a remarkable human being. The humblest man I have ever met, he rarely lets people know that Luna Nueva would not exist if it weren't for him. His title, Farm Manager, does not do justice to his omnipotent importance at Luna. When I first met him, his white beard and kind eyes reminded me of Dr. Burt from Burt's Bees. A farmer and botanist through and through, you could virtually point in any direction on the farm and ask him "What's that?" Likely, you'll get its scientific name, its place of origin, and an intriguing tidbit on its unique codependency with the rainforest. Steven has a lived a life no less fascinating than Paul McCartny and has succeeded in embodying the change that he wants to see in this world: saving the beauty of our natural resources through conservation, education, and pure admiration.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Just another day in paradise
Apart from witnessing a tidal wave of millions of army ants pour over Casa Luna this morning, today was just another day in paradise.
Let me breif you on a little Costa Rican army ant info. There are over 200 species that fall into the army ant category, but the ones that invaded Luna were the eciton burchelli, characterized by their black and red abdomens and impressive pincers. Because they have no colony to return to, these nearly blind ants are always on the prowl, catching and killing every small creature they find in their path. I should have recognized the signs; all morning, insects were leaving from the south in droves, fleeing for their lives. I couldn't help but compare the experience to a scene in Harry Potter with the Forbidden Forest and Aragog, the house-sized spider king.
I don't know what it is with me and Costa Rican insects, but this morning I found myself, with shoe-turned-weapon in hand, fending off a wall of relentless ants. We had been awaiting their inevitable progression towards the hotel all morning, and now the invasion was full-blown. As I smacked the first few scouts with an uncharacteristic "Die!", Steven, brandishing a broom by my side, explained that all you need to do is kill just 3 of them. The pheramones excreted will serve as a warning for the others to forage elsewhere. After killing 3, then 12, then 60, Steven and I collaboratively decided that we were dealing with a far more ambitious enemy. I held down the entreeway while Steven brought out Plan B: salt. It confused them for roughly 8.5 seconds. Plan C: cayenne pepper mixed in water. This effectively worked as a barrier, but our rejoicing was cut short when we saw the army ants' new direction of intent: up the ballisters and onto the 2nd floor. Bummer. I learned an invaluable lesson through this experience: if salt and cayenne water just isn't doing the trick, you can always resort to a blow torch.
We had a dude come in with a fire-gun device strapped to his back. Needless to say, we won't be seeing the e. burchelli until next year, when they come raiding our neck of the woods once more.
Once the war was won, I rewarded myself with a glass of freshly squeezed starfruit juice and marveled over my single ant bite. I then overheard Steven explaining to a little girl visiting that the ants weren't trespassing on our property; we had taken up residency on their lands. They were only doing what everything else in nature must do, which is the art of listening to life's instincts. We are all connected by this simple, undeniable pilgrimage towards survival, and we in fact have much to learn from our ant friends about selflessness, commitment, and sheer determination. The little girl ran off, yelling "Thanks, Farmer Steve!" I thought a more fitting name would have been "Farmer Buddha."
Let me breif you on a little Costa Rican army ant info. There are over 200 species that fall into the army ant category, but the ones that invaded Luna were the eciton burchelli, characterized by their black and red abdomens and impressive pincers. Because they have no colony to return to, these nearly blind ants are always on the prowl, catching and killing every small creature they find in their path. I should have recognized the signs; all morning, insects were leaving from the south in droves, fleeing for their lives. I couldn't help but compare the experience to a scene in Harry Potter with the Forbidden Forest and Aragog, the house-sized spider king.
I don't know what it is with me and Costa Rican insects, but this morning I found myself, with shoe-turned-weapon in hand, fending off a wall of relentless ants. We had been awaiting their inevitable progression towards the hotel all morning, and now the invasion was full-blown. As I smacked the first few scouts with an uncharacteristic "Die!", Steven, brandishing a broom by my side, explained that all you need to do is kill just 3 of them. The pheramones excreted will serve as a warning for the others to forage elsewhere. After killing 3, then 12, then 60, Steven and I collaboratively decided that we were dealing with a far more ambitious enemy. I held down the entreeway while Steven brought out Plan B: salt. It confused them for roughly 8.5 seconds. Plan C: cayenne pepper mixed in water. This effectively worked as a barrier, but our rejoicing was cut short when we saw the army ants' new direction of intent: up the ballisters and onto the 2nd floor. Bummer. I learned an invaluable lesson through this experience: if salt and cayenne water just isn't doing the trick, you can always resort to a blow torch.
We had a dude come in with a fire-gun device strapped to his back. Needless to say, we won't be seeing the e. burchelli until next year, when they come raiding our neck of the woods once more.
Once the war was won, I rewarded myself with a glass of freshly squeezed starfruit juice and marveled over my single ant bite. I then overheard Steven explaining to a little girl visiting that the ants weren't trespassing on our property; we had taken up residency on their lands. They were only doing what everything else in nature must do, which is the art of listening to life's instincts. We are all connected by this simple, undeniable pilgrimage towards survival, and we in fact have much to learn from our ant friends about selflessness, commitment, and sheer determination. The little girl ran off, yelling "Thanks, Farmer Steve!" I thought a more fitting name would have been "Farmer Buddha."
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Here is a quick debrief on what I did today:
I climbed a tree.
I fell out of a tree.
It was embarrassing.
My desire for its fruit intensified.
Four 9-year old boys came to the rescue.
I employed them as bag-holder, tree-shimmier, limb-grabber, and moral support boy.
Mission accomplished.
I tested out the jacuzzi in the master suite to ensure that it would provide a relaxing bath experience.
I did yoga on a new yoga mat to test its support and compatability with our tile floors.
After much deliberation, I concluded that the jacuzzi and the yoga mat will do just fine. You must be wondering how I manage to do it all...
I climbed a tree.
I fell out of a tree.
It was embarrassing.
My desire for its fruit intensified.
Four 9-year old boys came to the rescue.
I employed them as bag-holder, tree-shimmier, limb-grabber, and moral support boy.
Mission accomplished.
I tested out the jacuzzi in the master suite to ensure that it would provide a relaxing bath experience.
I did yoga on a new yoga mat to test its support and compatability with our tile floors.
After much deliberation, I concluded that the jacuzzi and the yoga mat will do just fine. You must be wondering how I manage to do it all...
My mom likes my blog!
Imagine 2 middle-aged gringas, sporting harried capris and perspiring brows, rolling their suitcases onto a sketchy cargo boat. This image of my mother and my dear friend Sally defines my past week of mini-travels through Costa Rica. Out of their element, but enthusiastic and carefree, these two wonderful women came to visit me, bringing laughter, beach adventures, and beautiful memories in their wake.
I had been preparing for my mom's visit for over a month, excited about showing off my newly acquired plant knowledge. When they got to Luna Nueva, Sally and my mom settled right into the laidback beauty of the surrounding rainforest, but met the constant, communal exchange of knowledge with passion as well. Each meal at Luna is held around a long, 20 person dining table, which inevitably brings everyone together in a celebration of fabulous food and brilliant discussion. It was cute- my mom and Sally chatted with Stephen and Iti, telling them how incredible Luna Nueva was, how thankful they are that I am here. My mom also turned to me and shared proud she was of my blog. I made a joke, thanking her, as my mom, for thinking my blog is neat. You gotta love moms and their unconditional support.
Sally and my mom were the ideal guests to take on tours. We had time to go on all three tours through the rainforest, the organic farm, and through the Sacred Seeds Sanctuary. They "oohed" and "aahed" at all the appropriate rainforest statistics and fun animal facts I had ready for them. For instance, I believe that the sloth sighting profoundly impacted them. They were incredulous when I mentioned that a sloth only comes down once a week (the coming down process may take up to 24 hours!) in order to bury a nutrient-rich terd underneath the cecropria tree from which he/she is feeding on. They are mini-farmers, fertilizing their food-source. Also, between the 2 and 3-toed sloth species, 8 different types of moths plant eggs and then feed off of the moss growing on the back of a sloth. Talk about symbiosis. What is more, the cecropia leaves, one of their staple food sources, has mild sedative properties. So basically, sloths are kicking it up in their tree, a bit stoned and livin' the pura vida.
The three of us stayed in rooms at the Casa Sombra. Marveling at the dark woodwork supporting the building (all taken from fallen trees from the nearby rainforest), my mom and Sally loved the clean, woody smell and its classy, thoughtful decor. Before we left for the Pacific Coast a few days later, it goes without saying that I heard a few more "You are so lucky!' and "Let's trade lives" comments. No way Jose.
I had been preparing for my mom's visit for over a month, excited about showing off my newly acquired plant knowledge. When they got to Luna Nueva, Sally and my mom settled right into the laidback beauty of the surrounding rainforest, but met the constant, communal exchange of knowledge with passion as well. Each meal at Luna is held around a long, 20 person dining table, which inevitably brings everyone together in a celebration of fabulous food and brilliant discussion. It was cute- my mom and Sally chatted with Stephen and Iti, telling them how incredible Luna Nueva was, how thankful they are that I am here. My mom also turned to me and shared proud she was of my blog. I made a joke, thanking her, as my mom, for thinking my blog is neat. You gotta love moms and their unconditional support.
Sally and my mom were the ideal guests to take on tours. We had time to go on all three tours through the rainforest, the organic farm, and through the Sacred Seeds Sanctuary. They "oohed" and "aahed" at all the appropriate rainforest statistics and fun animal facts I had ready for them. For instance, I believe that the sloth sighting profoundly impacted them. They were incredulous when I mentioned that a sloth only comes down once a week (the coming down process may take up to 24 hours!) in order to bury a nutrient-rich terd underneath the cecropria tree from which he/she is feeding on. They are mini-farmers, fertilizing their food-source. Also, between the 2 and 3-toed sloth species, 8 different types of moths plant eggs and then feed off of the moss growing on the back of a sloth. Talk about symbiosis. What is more, the cecropia leaves, one of their staple food sources, has mild sedative properties. So basically, sloths are kicking it up in their tree, a bit stoned and livin' the pura vida.
The three of us stayed in rooms at the Casa Sombra. Marveling at the dark woodwork supporting the building (all taken from fallen trees from the nearby rainforest), my mom and Sally loved the clean, woody smell and its classy, thoughtful decor. Before we left for the Pacific Coast a few days later, it goes without saying that I heard a few more "You are so lucky!' and "Let's trade lives" comments. No way Jose.
Saturday, July 19, 2008
Adventures in the Kitchen and in the River
Yesterday morning I was awoken from my mid-morning siesta by unfamiliar voices. Popping up from the couch/my office, I turned to see a group of women who were looking around disconcertedly. The predicament then dawned on me; we must have forgotten that a group was scheduled for the Rainforest Tour tour today. Thankfully Roberto, our eco-tourguide, was available for the impromptu tour, but we had told all the kitchen staff to take the day off. Rebecca, the young assistant hotel manager, and I looked at each other, realizing the inevitable. Lunch is always served at the conclusion of every tour, so we were going to have to put our chef hats on.
I certainly didn't forget to bring my awkwardness around kitchen appliances with me to Costa Rica. Upon watching me manhandle the stove with a glove, Rebecca recognized my ineptitude and delegated me as su-chef. Grateful to be away from things that were hot, I accepted my position of peeling tomatos and chopping veggies. I only got a few eye rolls in response to my sorry looking potatos and my slow chopping methods. Thanks to Rebecca being an efficient and natural problem solver, between the 2 of us we served up chicken breasts in ginger sauce, a rainforest salad, beans, rice, mashed potatos a la Casa Luna, and chia. Chia was what I spent most of my time chopping. This dark, leafy green, when raw, is full of cyanide and high consumptions are not recommended. But when you sautee it, in this case with olive oil, garlic, and onions, it tastes better than spinach and has twice the iron content, not to mention a smattering of other vital nutrients. I was quite proud of how the chia turned out. Once we saw that everyone was starting to clear their plates, we brought out naranja ice-cream. The only comparison I can think of to this delicacy is an orange-creamsicle sorbet, but healthier and lighter. Ok I confess- the ice-cream had been made the night before by the real cooks... but we sure made it look appetizing by scooping it into crystal china dessert bowls. As the group was leaving, they all came up for one last ginger cookie or 3, making sure to applaud us for our fine cooking. Rebecca and I just smirked at each other and kept washing and drying the dishes.
About a half an hour after our cooking escapade, Roberto came up to me and asked if I would have time this afternoon to help him identify some trees on a new rainforest path. Unable to hide my ecstatic grin, I enthusiastically whipped out some boots and grabbed my camera, binoculars, and notebook. Mosquito repellent was a must as well. We trekked on out of Casa Luna, first passing the cacao grove and the water buffalo. Thinking we were going to head on the usual path to the pot-belly pigs and goats, I was surprised when Roberto delicately stepped off the path between thick undergrowth, revealing a well-worn footpath through primary rainforest. 'Whoa' I marveled. 'I didn't think this place could get any cooler, but now a whole new area of secret paths and beauty has opened up to me..." Roberto and I would stop at trees that had tagged numbers on them, about 30 in total. At each one, he'd tell me its name and why it was so cool (usually something such as its medicinal benefits, if it was good for building, its spiritual associations, etc). I would snap a picture and take notes rapidly. The plan is to get signs on the path, identifying each tree by its scientific name. After 10 minutes or so of tree discusssions and frog spotting, I followed Roberto off the beaten trail, creating a new one through the dense forest floor. After 5 minutes or so of trudging through decaying leaf mass, bark, and trippy vines on the side of a hill, I was beginning to doubt Roberto's promise of a truly marvelous tree ahead. Never doubt Roberto. Suddenly before us, I witnessed the biggest tree I've ever seen. Truly awe-inspiring with its snakelike buttresses (a tree trunk with a widening base), I gazed up at a tree that would ilicit a treefort-building desire at any age. Roberto snapped a few photos of me posing inbetween the buttresses. I couldn't help but entertain the thought that these areas would be perfect for jaguar families, or better yet, anacondas, to be sheltered from the elements. With one last lingering look behind me, I snapped one more photo. Sadly, a camera simply cannot capture the regal stoicism of such a tree.
The next leg of our adventure ended at the riverbanks of the Chachagua River. Think classic, gorgeous creek winding through a fern-gully, and you have the Chachagua River spot on. I was a sweaty mess from keeping up with Roberto's gait, so a quick dip in the river's swirling pools was more than perfect. Although I had put my swim suit on that morning with the pool in mind, I was grateful for my pre-planning as I jumped in. It was the perfect temp: just cool enough to be refreshing, but the description "cold" is far from accurate. We floated around and chatted for awhile, finding natural slides and welcoming an ensuing downpour. When you're wet, more water just adds to the experience. Eventually, we struggled back to the lodge, water-blogged and happy as can be. From endeavours in the kitchen to unwinding in rainforest rivers, I considered the day to be one big adventure, Costa Rican style.
I certainly didn't forget to bring my awkwardness around kitchen appliances with me to Costa Rica. Upon watching me manhandle the stove with a glove, Rebecca recognized my ineptitude and delegated me as su-chef. Grateful to be away from things that were hot, I accepted my position of peeling tomatos and chopping veggies. I only got a few eye rolls in response to my sorry looking potatos and my slow chopping methods. Thanks to Rebecca being an efficient and natural problem solver, between the 2 of us we served up chicken breasts in ginger sauce, a rainforest salad, beans, rice, mashed potatos a la Casa Luna, and chia. Chia was what I spent most of my time chopping. This dark, leafy green, when raw, is full of cyanide and high consumptions are not recommended. But when you sautee it, in this case with olive oil, garlic, and onions, it tastes better than spinach and has twice the iron content, not to mention a smattering of other vital nutrients. I was quite proud of how the chia turned out. Once we saw that everyone was starting to clear their plates, we brought out naranja ice-cream. The only comparison I can think of to this delicacy is an orange-creamsicle sorbet, but healthier and lighter. Ok I confess- the ice-cream had been made the night before by the real cooks... but we sure made it look appetizing by scooping it into crystal china dessert bowls. As the group was leaving, they all came up for one last ginger cookie or 3, making sure to applaud us for our fine cooking. Rebecca and I just smirked at each other and kept washing and drying the dishes.
About a half an hour after our cooking escapade, Roberto came up to me and asked if I would have time this afternoon to help him identify some trees on a new rainforest path. Unable to hide my ecstatic grin, I enthusiastically whipped out some boots and grabbed my camera, binoculars, and notebook. Mosquito repellent was a must as well. We trekked on out of Casa Luna, first passing the cacao grove and the water buffalo. Thinking we were going to head on the usual path to the pot-belly pigs and goats, I was surprised when Roberto delicately stepped off the path between thick undergrowth, revealing a well-worn footpath through primary rainforest. 'Whoa' I marveled. 'I didn't think this place could get any cooler, but now a whole new area of secret paths and beauty has opened up to me..." Roberto and I would stop at trees that had tagged numbers on them, about 30 in total. At each one, he'd tell me its name and why it was so cool (usually something such as its medicinal benefits, if it was good for building, its spiritual associations, etc). I would snap a picture and take notes rapidly. The plan is to get signs on the path, identifying each tree by its scientific name. After 10 minutes or so of tree discusssions and frog spotting, I followed Roberto off the beaten trail, creating a new one through the dense forest floor. After 5 minutes or so of trudging through decaying leaf mass, bark, and trippy vines on the side of a hill, I was beginning to doubt Roberto's promise of a truly marvelous tree ahead. Never doubt Roberto. Suddenly before us, I witnessed the biggest tree I've ever seen. Truly awe-inspiring with its snakelike buttresses (a tree trunk with a widening base), I gazed up at a tree that would ilicit a treefort-building desire at any age. Roberto snapped a few photos of me posing inbetween the buttresses. I couldn't help but entertain the thought that these areas would be perfect for jaguar families, or better yet, anacondas, to be sheltered from the elements. With one last lingering look behind me, I snapped one more photo. Sadly, a camera simply cannot capture the regal stoicism of such a tree.
The next leg of our adventure ended at the riverbanks of the Chachagua River. Think classic, gorgeous creek winding through a fern-gully, and you have the Chachagua River spot on. I was a sweaty mess from keeping up with Roberto's gait, so a quick dip in the river's swirling pools was more than perfect. Although I had put my swim suit on that morning with the pool in mind, I was grateful for my pre-planning as I jumped in. It was the perfect temp: just cool enough to be refreshing, but the description "cold" is far from accurate. We floated around and chatted for awhile, finding natural slides and welcoming an ensuing downpour. When you're wet, more water just adds to the experience. Eventually, we struggled back to the lodge, water-blogged and happy as can be. From endeavours in the kitchen to unwinding in rainforest rivers, I considered the day to be one big adventure, Costa Rican style.
Sunday, July 13, 2008
A mid-morning snack
This morning, I convinced 13 people to eat termites. After watching their squeemish faces gulp down live insects, I couldn't hide my smugness....my work here was done.
When leading groups on the farm trail, I always make a point to stop at the large termite nest and see who is up for a high protein snack. The nest is found at the end of the tour, just before the cocao plantation. Today I lead 2 families, comprised of parents, flighty girls, and macho boys: the perfect specimens. I nonchalantly paused at the tree, waiting for the crew to gather around. Gently brushing off the crumbly outer layer, I heard several gasps from behind as its inhabitants were exposed. Poking my finger into the ensuing chaos, I allowed a few termites go charging up my hand. I then turned back to some uneasy stares, explaining that if a person is lost in the jungle for days, it is possible to subsist soley on vines for water and termites for food. With that, I raised my colonized hand to my mouth, finding the small crunch and woody taste most satisfying. Shocked, the group made a few jokes, saying that they would go home and tell their friends that a crazy, hippy tourguide from Costa Rica wore facepaint (from the lipstick tree) and ate termites. But after a bit of chiding, coaxing, and straight up dares, I had the whole group munching down on jungle termites. The two moms even went back for seconds :)
When leading groups on the farm trail, I always make a point to stop at the large termite nest and see who is up for a high protein snack. The nest is found at the end of the tour, just before the cocao plantation. Today I lead 2 families, comprised of parents, flighty girls, and macho boys: the perfect specimens. I nonchalantly paused at the tree, waiting for the crew to gather around. Gently brushing off the crumbly outer layer, I heard several gasps from behind as its inhabitants were exposed. Poking my finger into the ensuing chaos, I allowed a few termites go charging up my hand. I then turned back to some uneasy stares, explaining that if a person is lost in the jungle for days, it is possible to subsist soley on vines for water and termites for food. With that, I raised my colonized hand to my mouth, finding the small crunch and woody taste most satisfying. Shocked, the group made a few jokes, saying that they would go home and tell their friends that a crazy, hippy tourguide from Costa Rica wore facepaint (from the lipstick tree) and ate termites. But after a bit of chiding, coaxing, and straight up dares, I had the whole group munching down on jungle termites. The two moms even went back for seconds :)
Friday, July 11, 2008
Now I know why Costa Rica is called the Rich Coast
I ventured out from the farm for the first time a few days ago. Swallowing my fears of starving outside my beautiful world of daily organic food, I randomly chose a town after hearing that is was a surf mecca: Jaco (pronounced with an accent over the o). For the first time in my life, I am grateful for letting my cheapness mold my decisions- I hopped on the local buses to get to this little beach town. For about 7 bucks, I journeyed 6 hours to the Pacific Coast, having to switch buses twice. With no companions and no clue where I was going to spend the night, I put my game face on and whipped out my Spanish Dictionary, determined to make friends with some fellow Ticos. In the San Ramon bus station, I received some weird looks from other passengers as I ate my grapefruit-sized avocado with a straw (something more normal, say a utensil, was not to be found). So far, so bad with me fitting in and making friends...
I wound up having to stand for the 2-hour, windy drive from San Ramon to the port town Puntarenas. But that, along with my ridiculous aviator glasses, ended up being a blessing in disguise- a crew of 5 Costa Rican surfers were standing as well and immediately dug my shades. Although none of them spoke a word of English, my limited Spanish must have been entertaining enough for them to want me to stick around. After much discussion over our family, pets, and favorite colors (the topics that I was really strong in), we got off in Jaco and found a hostel together. Jaco is bizarre in a timeless, lazy way. Thanks to Jaco, I truly understand the definition of "painting the town red" and what ex-pats are.
When I had settled on Jaco back at the dining table at Casa Luna, I was advised by Iti and Rebecca, the two Tica hotel managers, that Jaco was dirty in every sense of the word. With their description, I half-expected to get drug offers and dubious looks from prostitutes the moment I got off the bus. The long main street of Jaco was actually quite colorful and mellow- a classic beach town to the max. You could tell it has definitely seen its fair share of drunken packs of tourists, but the sun-kissed youths heading to/returning from the beach gave the place a decided "vacation from life" feel. After asking a few gringos on the streets where they were staying, my new friends and I stumbled upon Da Haan Inn, a $10 hostel greeting us with a faded mural of a chicken surfing a pipeline. For a surfer looking for a crashpad less than 50 meters from the beach, Da Haan Inn was tacky in all the right ways.
My stay in Jaco was a whirlwind of bath-temp. ocean dives, conversations with surf-bums, and sipping on coconuts. The next day I left to go back to Luna, but one of my buses was late, which resulted in me having to stay in San Ramon (2 hours from Luna) that night. As my incredible fortune would go, I had befriended an Ethiopian jewelry-maker on the bus named Valentino. He lived in San Ramon and upon hearing my situation, insisted that I have a cup of coffee with him and his family. Later that night, I marveled at the situation that surrounded me; here I was, sitting with 4 Tica women and Valentino, in an apartment in San Ramon Costa Rica, sipping on Tutti Frutti tea and watching a telenovela on their purple sofa. It was great. Valentino's wife insisted that I spend the night instead of finding a hotel, which I gratefully accepted. Leaving early the next morning, I promised my new friends that if I returned to San Ramon, they would need to get the Tutti Frutti tea ready for me.
After one more gorgeous busride through the rainforest, and then a drive up the 2 mile stretch to Luna in the back of a pick-up truck, I was home. I came stumbling up to Casa Luna, meeting Iti and Rebecca's quizical looks with an exhausted, yet blissful grin. Then seeing that Ana, one of my favorite chefs, was starting to bring out a rainforest salad and marinated tilapia for lunch, I couldn't help but smile.
I wound up having to stand for the 2-hour, windy drive from San Ramon to the port town Puntarenas. But that, along with my ridiculous aviator glasses, ended up being a blessing in disguise- a crew of 5 Costa Rican surfers were standing as well and immediately dug my shades. Although none of them spoke a word of English, my limited Spanish must have been entertaining enough for them to want me to stick around. After much discussion over our family, pets, and favorite colors (the topics that I was really strong in), we got off in Jaco and found a hostel together. Jaco is bizarre in a timeless, lazy way. Thanks to Jaco, I truly understand the definition of "painting the town red" and what ex-pats are.
When I had settled on Jaco back at the dining table at Casa Luna, I was advised by Iti and Rebecca, the two Tica hotel managers, that Jaco was dirty in every sense of the word. With their description, I half-expected to get drug offers and dubious looks from prostitutes the moment I got off the bus. The long main street of Jaco was actually quite colorful and mellow- a classic beach town to the max. You could tell it has definitely seen its fair share of drunken packs of tourists, but the sun-kissed youths heading to/returning from the beach gave the place a decided "vacation from life" feel. After asking a few gringos on the streets where they were staying, my new friends and I stumbled upon Da Haan Inn, a $10 hostel greeting us with a faded mural of a chicken surfing a pipeline. For a surfer looking for a crashpad less than 50 meters from the beach, Da Haan Inn was tacky in all the right ways.
My stay in Jaco was a whirlwind of bath-temp. ocean dives, conversations with surf-bums, and sipping on coconuts. The next day I left to go back to Luna, but one of my buses was late, which resulted in me having to stay in San Ramon (2 hours from Luna) that night. As my incredible fortune would go, I had befriended an Ethiopian jewelry-maker on the bus named Valentino. He lived in San Ramon and upon hearing my situation, insisted that I have a cup of coffee with him and his family. Later that night, I marveled at the situation that surrounded me; here I was, sitting with 4 Tica women and Valentino, in an apartment in San Ramon Costa Rica, sipping on Tutti Frutti tea and watching a telenovela on their purple sofa. It was great. Valentino's wife insisted that I spend the night instead of finding a hotel, which I gratefully accepted. Leaving early the next morning, I promised my new friends that if I returned to San Ramon, they would need to get the Tutti Frutti tea ready for me.
After one more gorgeous busride through the rainforest, and then a drive up the 2 mile stretch to Luna in the back of a pick-up truck, I was home. I came stumbling up to Casa Luna, meeting Iti and Rebecca's quizical looks with an exhausted, yet blissful grin. Then seeing that Ana, one of my favorite chefs, was starting to bring out a rainforest salad and marinated tilapia for lunch, I couldn't help but smile.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Healthy crops, Healthy craps!
I am making vast advances in my Spanish speaking abilities. A few days ago another group of college students visited the farm from Earth University. I was stoked- 18 kids my age just landed on my doorstep to learn about biodynamic farming. They came right before dinnertime, so we all gathered around the table, and their professor asked that we hold hands as quick words of welcome and intention were announced. Then he handed it over to Stephen, who also said some stuff in Spanish. Next, the spotlight turned on me, as the hostess, to say something to the group. Luckily, I had mentally rehearsed ahead of time and an elementary, sing-songy response came out:
“¡Estoy muy emocionada para mis amigos nuevos!”
My speech (I am very excited for my new friends) was met with laughter and cheers. I felt like a rockstar. The students, Stephen, and I all then proceeded to scarf down a leisurely dinner. After our hunger was attended to, one of the students, nicknamed Bob (I suspect for his killer dreads and rasta demeanor) gave a presentation on Biodynamic farming. It was conducted in Spanish, so I had a bit of a hard time catching everything, but regardless, I learned a lot. Honestly, before I got here I couldn’t tell you what exactly constituted the “bio” part, and what practices were considered “dynamic.” But thanks to Bob’s presentation on Rudolf Steiner’s work, I can classify the two as so:
Bio-Dynamic Farming Practices
Biological Practices
Green manures
Special compost preparations
Cover cropping
Special foliar sprays
Composting
Dyanic Practices
Planting by calender
Companion Planting
Peppering for pest control
Integration of crops and livestock
Homeopathy
Tillage and cultivation
Radionics
Intriguing, eh? I was lucky enough to go with the students the next morning to observe arguably the most esoteric practice of bio-dynamics: field preparation #500. We went up to the area of the farm called Juan’s Garden, which is where most of the fruits and veggies are grown that we cook at the lodge. Upon hearing what we were about to do, I was incredulous. With shovels in hand and sweat on our brows, we dug up a bunch of cow horns. The horns were buried last autumn and were placed 40-60cm below the surface. I noticed how the horns where not just just chucked into a pit; actually, the 15 or so horns neatly outlined the pit in a circle. Inside the horns was a potent humus mixture that was prepared by filling the horn with cow manure. Looking into the horn at the decomposed brown stuff, I was shocked when the students were excitedly smelling the month-old cow terds. When a German student insisted that it wasn’t bad, I took a whiff. It smelled like the rich, earthy dirt you would find in the heart of a forest. It was right then that I became a believer in Prep. #500.
Yesterday I was informed by Steven that the “damn toucans are eating all our Old Spice fruit!” Enamored by the surreal-ness of picking tropical fruit on a farm in Costa Rica, I jumped at the chance to solve this debacle. Me and a friendly farmhand named Jose headed down the road to the Old Spice tree (known as Jamaica) with a ladder and plastic baggy in hand. Sure enough, Costa Rica’s version of a wild turkey was munching away at some of the fruits on the top branches. We shooed it away and got to work. Old Spice fruit looks like small blue-berries that bunch together in the hundreds at the end of a tree limb. With Jose in the tree and me on the ladder, he would grab the elastic limbs and swing their bountiful ends towards us. Me and Jose didn’t fool around with that Old Spice- we filled our bag in less than 10 minutes. I was particularly efficient because I had forgotten bug repellent and was eager to return with less than 50 pock marks. I walked back to the Casa Luna and got to work drying the fruit. After dabbing the moisture off of them with paper towels, I delicately laid them out in an 8-layered, old school dehydrator. Tomorrow morning when I take them out, they should be just bursting with a scent that I think is similar to a cross between Christmas and masculinity. I am going to try to combine the old spice with citronella, vanilla, and some good ol' vodka to make a perfume that simultaneously acts as a natural bug repellent... I don't know about you, but I am down to attract some muchachos and repel some insectos in one spray!
“¡Estoy muy emocionada para mis amigos nuevos!”
My speech (I am very excited for my new friends) was met with laughter and cheers. I felt like a rockstar. The students, Stephen, and I all then proceeded to scarf down a leisurely dinner. After our hunger was attended to, one of the students, nicknamed Bob (I suspect for his killer dreads and rasta demeanor) gave a presentation on Biodynamic farming. It was conducted in Spanish, so I had a bit of a hard time catching everything, but regardless, I learned a lot. Honestly, before I got here I couldn’t tell you what exactly constituted the “bio” part, and what practices were considered “dynamic.” But thanks to Bob’s presentation on Rudolf Steiner’s work, I can classify the two as so:
Bio-Dynamic Farming Practices
Biological Practices
Green manures
Special compost preparations
Cover cropping
Special foliar sprays
Composting
Dyanic Practices
Planting by calender
Companion Planting
Peppering for pest control
Integration of crops and livestock
Homeopathy
Tillage and cultivation
Radionics
Intriguing, eh? I was lucky enough to go with the students the next morning to observe arguably the most esoteric practice of bio-dynamics: field preparation #500. We went up to the area of the farm called Juan’s Garden, which is where most of the fruits and veggies are grown that we cook at the lodge. Upon hearing what we were about to do, I was incredulous. With shovels in hand and sweat on our brows, we dug up a bunch of cow horns. The horns were buried last autumn and were placed 40-60cm below the surface. I noticed how the horns where not just just chucked into a pit; actually, the 15 or so horns neatly outlined the pit in a circle. Inside the horns was a potent humus mixture that was prepared by filling the horn with cow manure. Looking into the horn at the decomposed brown stuff, I was shocked when the students were excitedly smelling the month-old cow terds. When a German student insisted that it wasn’t bad, I took a whiff. It smelled like the rich, earthy dirt you would find in the heart of a forest. It was right then that I became a believer in Prep. #500.
Yesterday I was informed by Steven that the “damn toucans are eating all our Old Spice fruit!” Enamored by the surreal-ness of picking tropical fruit on a farm in Costa Rica, I jumped at the chance to solve this debacle. Me and a friendly farmhand named Jose headed down the road to the Old Spice tree (known as Jamaica) with a ladder and plastic baggy in hand. Sure enough, Costa Rica’s version of a wild turkey was munching away at some of the fruits on the top branches. We shooed it away and got to work. Old Spice fruit looks like small blue-berries that bunch together in the hundreds at the end of a tree limb. With Jose in the tree and me on the ladder, he would grab the elastic limbs and swing their bountiful ends towards us. Me and Jose didn’t fool around with that Old Spice- we filled our bag in less than 10 minutes. I was particularly efficient because I had forgotten bug repellent and was eager to return with less than 50 pock marks. I walked back to the Casa Luna and got to work drying the fruit. After dabbing the moisture off of them with paper towels, I delicately laid them out in an 8-layered, old school dehydrator. Tomorrow morning when I take them out, they should be just bursting with a scent that I think is similar to a cross between Christmas and masculinity. I am going to try to combine the old spice with citronella, vanilla, and some good ol' vodka to make a perfume that simultaneously acts as a natural bug repellent... I don't know about you, but I am down to attract some muchachos and repel some insectos in one spray!
Monday, June 30, 2008
To Kill a Toucan
I have a crazy story.
So currently, a wonderful group of tropical biology students are visiting from Prescott University (pronounced "priscitt," like biscuit... ?) with their professor. Yesterday, we spent the day cruising along the rainforest trail, pointing out baby sloths, heleconias, passion flowers, and turtle-tail mushrooms. Showing them the trail was particularly rewarding because we were both able to teach each other things- I was able to point out my favorite trees/plants and their indigenous uses, and they were able to share their expansive knowledge of Costa Rican birdlife. After the trail, we scarfed down another fabulous dinner, and then the craziness began.
As the group was leaving to retire to their rooms, a high-pitched, siren noise started to howl from a nearby tree. Startled, we all walked onto the road with our flashlights and tried to see who, or rather what, was in so much pain. At first, I almost thought it was a squealing pig caught in a fence, but the desperate noises where clearly coming from above. One student suggested that it was a porcupine. Apparently they live in trees here. After several more moments of excruciating cries, we located some movement up in the tree. The beady eyes looking back at us belonged to none other than an opposum. But why was it shreaking?
After watching the opposum swing down to a lower branch, someone noticed that there was something odd about the opposum's face. It looked like it had a large, yellow beak. Then it dawned on us:
the opposum was eating a toucan
What?! I can't even begin to imagine how that was possible. Me and all the tropical biology dorks were jumping up in down in excitement. Poor toucan did not go down easily. I mentally added this as yet one more marvel to my experience. I am hoping that future Costa Rican surprises won't be quite as destructive...
So currently, a wonderful group of tropical biology students are visiting from Prescott University (pronounced "priscitt," like biscuit... ?) with their professor. Yesterday, we spent the day cruising along the rainforest trail, pointing out baby sloths, heleconias, passion flowers, and turtle-tail mushrooms. Showing them the trail was particularly rewarding because we were both able to teach each other things- I was able to point out my favorite trees/plants and their indigenous uses, and they were able to share their expansive knowledge of Costa Rican birdlife. After the trail, we scarfed down another fabulous dinner, and then the craziness began.
As the group was leaving to retire to their rooms, a high-pitched, siren noise started to howl from a nearby tree. Startled, we all walked onto the road with our flashlights and tried to see who, or rather what, was in so much pain. At first, I almost thought it was a squealing pig caught in a fence, but the desperate noises where clearly coming from above. One student suggested that it was a porcupine. Apparently they live in trees here. After several more moments of excruciating cries, we located some movement up in the tree. The beady eyes looking back at us belonged to none other than an opposum. But why was it shreaking?
After watching the opposum swing down to a lower branch, someone noticed that there was something odd about the opposum's face. It looked like it had a large, yellow beak. Then it dawned on us:
the opposum was eating a toucan
What?! I can't even begin to imagine how that was possible. Me and all the tropical biology dorks were jumping up in down in excitement. Poor toucan did not go down easily. I mentally added this as yet one more marvel to my experience. I am hoping that future Costa Rican surprises won't be quite as destructive...
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Insects 500, Mara 0
The mosquitos are brutal down here. They must have heard that the gringa was arriving, because I am getting destroyed from the knees down while everyone else is going itch-less. Perhaps it is from all the sweet juice I've been drinking... I am going to have to tighten up on my repellent applications fast if I don't want to get a blood transplant.
The bugs in the rainforest have it out for me too. Yesterday, I thought it'd be cool to go visit my favorite tree on the farm by myself. This tree is in the middle of primary rainforest (trees that have never been cut down/deforested) and has giant, and I mean huge, vines stretching up to the life-giving sun above. Some of these vines can easily be as thick as my torso. What is the coolest thing about this grandfather tree (Jacaranda copaia) is that in all of its vastness, what really drew me in were the small ferns, electric mushrooms, and bromeliads that had taken up residency around the tree's base. Gorgeous. I decided to be true to my Californian roots and give the tree a hippy hug. But the damn bugs sabotaged my moment of zen! Something zoomed into my hair and started making a highpitched clicking noise. Fearing the worst (some sort of Bob Marley festation) I let out a yelp and madly batted at my head. At that moment, another creepy-crawly flew down my shirt and bit me on my chest. Now I have never been a pansy around bugs, but who knows what kind of eggs and deadly bacteria these jungle bugs could be planting in me? I made a made dash for the forest exit, swiping at my head the whole time.
I feel so lame as I write this- 2 little bugs kicked me out of the rainforest. I am going to need to hone in on my masculine side or something. Here's a wild rainforest statistic to depart on:
Every second, 1 acre of rainforest around the world gets cut down. That means by the time I end this sentence ten acres of rainforest will have been cleared....
The bugs in the rainforest have it out for me too. Yesterday, I thought it'd be cool to go visit my favorite tree on the farm by myself. This tree is in the middle of primary rainforest (trees that have never been cut down/deforested) and has giant, and I mean huge, vines stretching up to the life-giving sun above. Some of these vines can easily be as thick as my torso. What is the coolest thing about this grandfather tree (Jacaranda copaia) is that in all of its vastness, what really drew me in were the small ferns, electric mushrooms, and bromeliads that had taken up residency around the tree's base. Gorgeous. I decided to be true to my Californian roots and give the tree a hippy hug. But the damn bugs sabotaged my moment of zen! Something zoomed into my hair and started making a highpitched clicking noise. Fearing the worst (some sort of Bob Marley festation) I let out a yelp and madly batted at my head. At that moment, another creepy-crawly flew down my shirt and bit me on my chest. Now I have never been a pansy around bugs, but who knows what kind of eggs and deadly bacteria these jungle bugs could be planting in me? I made a made dash for the forest exit, swiping at my head the whole time.
I feel so lame as I write this- 2 little bugs kicked me out of the rainforest. I am going to need to hone in on my masculine side or something. Here's a wild rainforest statistic to depart on:
Every second, 1 acre of rainforest around the world gets cut down. That means by the time I end this sentence ten acres of rainforest will have been cleared....
Hasta luego
Monday, June 23, 2008
Tai Chi and Mariposa Bailando( dancing butterflies)
These past 2 days have been action packed. Yesterday morning, my buddy Ruth (the VP of New Chapter) and I met up at 5Am and we went to a secret location on the farm that is teaming with wildlife: Mariposa Bailando. We decided to call this mysterious area Mariposa Bailando because of its most dynamic and prominent wildlife: blue morphus butterflies. These butterflies, which have electric blue wings the size of my hands, would flit by us, occassionally pausing to swirl in descending spirals with 2 to 3 of their companions. Magical. We also saw a few snakes and 2 strawberry poison dart frogs. It was hard to imagine that such a cute red frog with blue legs was so poisonous... and as for the birdlife...inexplicably loud and happenin. Oh and I saw a damsel fly! Who knew those existed?? This special spot (I am not allowed to give away its location because its biosphere is too delicate for heavy visitation) is one of the many sensational places I've explored at Luna, and when I think of the word "harmony" from now on, the visual of the dancing blue butterflies at Mariposa Bailando will always flit through my mind...
This morning was the first (hopefully of many) yoga sessions I shared with the guests. Me, 5 girls, and one courageous man got together at 6:30 and got our stretch on. As the tropical rain pounded down only feet away from us in our converted studio (the Casa Luna common area), we took turns sharing our favorite practices and poses. We decided to start off with a few Tai Chi movements, which was kickass. The act of focusing all my attention and energy into one or 2 joints unquestionably released any and all unknown tension that had manifested there. We did this one where we just flicked our wrists up and down for a solid minute, and I'm not going to lie, it felt quite odd while doing it, but when we stopped there was this healing blanket of warmth that coursed through them. Way cool. Now I am going to head back to my Tico household for some sleep because I want to be alert for the session manana.... buenos noches!
This morning was the first (hopefully of many) yoga sessions I shared with the guests. Me, 5 girls, and one courageous man got together at 6:30 and got our stretch on. As the tropical rain pounded down only feet away from us in our converted studio (the Casa Luna common area), we took turns sharing our favorite practices and poses. We decided to start off with a few Tai Chi movements, which was kickass. The act of focusing all my attention and energy into one or 2 joints unquestionably released any and all unknown tension that had manifested there. We did this one where we just flicked our wrists up and down for a solid minute, and I'm not going to lie, it felt quite odd while doing it, but when we stopped there was this healing blanket of warmth that coursed through them. Way cool. Now I am going to head back to my Tico household for some sleep because I want to be alert for the session manana.... buenos noches!
Friday, June 20, 2008
Settled in
I am rounding on day 5 here at Luna Nueva, and I can already see that it's going to be hard to write down all that I am up to. In classic Mara-ness, I forgot the chord that connects my camera to the computer, so it may take a few more days for me to upload some photos. It looks like I'll have to just be highly descriptive for the time being...
This morning I discovered my new morning ritual: a few laps in the pool at 7:30 AM. Sure, that sounds a bit hardcore, but I swear it's heavenly. By the time I walk the 5 minutes through the Sacred Seed Garden, I've already built up a little sweat because this area is always at a steady 85 degrees F. I'm out of the pool at 8 and ready for a breakfast of eggs, fried bananas (my fav!), fresh watermelon, yoghurt, and, of course, some version of rice and beans. All of it was made that morning by ingredients on the farm. I don't think it gets more organic and local than that.
In my blogs, I want to share a few of the awesome trees or plants I have been learning about. Thanks to the 2 resident sloths on the farm, I quickly got acquainted with cecropia treees. They can get quite tall, have candalabra-shaped crowns, and are the first trees to make comebacks from forest clearings. A sloth can latch on to a single cecropia for weeks at a time and only comes down once a week to bury his poop. I think this is wild because the sloth, in exchange for eating 20% of the trees' leaf mass, loyally plants fertilizer that only the tree can benefit from. Soo cool! Another favorite tree of mine is the bixa orellena, which is commonly known as the lipstick tree. When I passed by it with Stephen the other day, he plucked a quarter-sized seed pod from the tree and said, "Hold out your hand." He dropped several ordinary, brown seeds into my palm and instructed me to rub my hands together. Immediately, my hands turned a blazing orange-red color. Seeing the shocked look on my face, Stephen explained that indigenous women of Latin America used it as lipstick. I was even more surprised when he said that several big-name cosmetic brands were looking to market it on a global scale. I pretended not to be surprised when Stephen joked that orangy-red wasn't quite his shade though :)
I received a few plant manuals from the other rainforest tourguide, Robert. I am stoked to become an expert on all the ones we have at the farm. I am hoping within a month or 2 to become a tourguide too. I mean, when else am I going to get to say
and to your left, we have the Boussingaultia baselloides. Check out those rhizomes!
Equally as colorful as the scenery are the guests and workers at the farm. I am learning almost as much by conversing with the people who are attracted to such a special place. From Whole Food natural connosiers, to company presidents, then former Costa Rican rockstars, and finally to architect professors from Texas, I can't believe all the walks of life I am encountering. If this is what is going on in less than a week...?
My friend Kristin is not going to believe this- I might start leading yoga sessions at the bamboo garden every morning...
more soon! kjlas d; (i just wrote that because a toad just jumped on my foot and i thought it was funny so I'm going to leave it)
This morning I discovered my new morning ritual: a few laps in the pool at 7:30 AM. Sure, that sounds a bit hardcore, but I swear it's heavenly. By the time I walk the 5 minutes through the Sacred Seed Garden, I've already built up a little sweat because this area is always at a steady 85 degrees F. I'm out of the pool at 8 and ready for a breakfast of eggs, fried bananas (my fav!), fresh watermelon, yoghurt, and, of course, some version of rice and beans. All of it was made that morning by ingredients on the farm. I don't think it gets more organic and local than that.
In my blogs, I want to share a few of the awesome trees or plants I have been learning about. Thanks to the 2 resident sloths on the farm, I quickly got acquainted with cecropia treees. They can get quite tall, have candalabra-shaped crowns, and are the first trees to make comebacks from forest clearings. A sloth can latch on to a single cecropia for weeks at a time and only comes down once a week to bury his poop. I think this is wild because the sloth, in exchange for eating 20% of the trees' leaf mass, loyally plants fertilizer that only the tree can benefit from. Soo cool! Another favorite tree of mine is the bixa orellena, which is commonly known as the lipstick tree. When I passed by it with Stephen the other day, he plucked a quarter-sized seed pod from the tree and said, "Hold out your hand." He dropped several ordinary, brown seeds into my palm and instructed me to rub my hands together. Immediately, my hands turned a blazing orange-red color. Seeing the shocked look on my face, Stephen explained that indigenous women of Latin America used it as lipstick. I was even more surprised when he said that several big-name cosmetic brands were looking to market it on a global scale. I pretended not to be surprised when Stephen joked that orangy-red wasn't quite his shade though :)
I received a few plant manuals from the other rainforest tourguide, Robert. I am stoked to become an expert on all the ones we have at the farm. I am hoping within a month or 2 to become a tourguide too. I mean, when else am I going to get to say
and to your left, we have the Boussingaultia baselloides. Check out those rhizomes!
Equally as colorful as the scenery are the guests and workers at the farm. I am learning almost as much by conversing with the people who are attracted to such a special place. From Whole Food natural connosiers, to company presidents, then former Costa Rican rockstars, and finally to architect professors from Texas, I can't believe all the walks of life I am encountering. If this is what is going on in less than a week...?
My friend Kristin is not going to believe this- I might start leading yoga sessions at the bamboo garden every morning...
more soon! kjlas d; (i just wrote that because a toad just jumped on my foot and i thought it was funny so I'm going to leave it)
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
As I begin to write my first blog ever, I can't help but become distracted by a jurassic butterfly outside my open-aired window. I marvel at its fierceness as a sudden rain starts to pound the earth. Little moments of wonderment like this have occurred roughly 1000 times since I arrived at Luna Nueva 2 days ago. I have been given the opportunity to stay as an intern at Luna Nueva for 10 weeks, and if the next 68 days or so compare at all to my experience thus far, well, I will be more than stoked. So, I arrived at the airport, unsure of who, when, or where I would be picked up, but was comforted to see a kind Costa Rican man holding a sign with my name on it. Using my rusty Spanish, I introduced myself to Leo and quickly became his good friend for the remainder of the 2 and 1/2 hour bus-ride to the farm. Upon arrival, I could not quell my excitement- the pictures on the website did not even do Luna Nueva justice! (here is where I start to sound like I am selling something because of the necessary clichés…) I was hit by all colors of the rainbow, dynamic architecture, and smiling faces. Stephen Farrell, the farm manager, and Tom Newmark, the CEO of New Chapter. Both welcomed me with open arms to join them for what was to be my first taste of excellent Costa Rican cuisine. I thought to myself “Score! I came just in time for lunch…” The food was not only extremely healthy and tasty, but there was plenty of vegetarian options too. I was not the only guest at Luna Nueva that afternoon; also eating in the main common area were 30 or so employees of the Whole Foods "Whole Body" department in the Southwest Region of CA and TX. After getting a bit settled in, I was introduced to the woman, Guiselle, whom I would be staying with. Her house is quaint and representative of a typical Costa Rican household; I am staying with her mother, her uncle, her husband, and their five year old daughter (who is a fire-cracker). After moving in my things, I went back for dinner and got to know some of the Whole Foods people and realized that I had met several of them before at a New Chapter Probiotic conference with Nancy Angelini. They were all extremely chill people. Exhausted, I passed out by 9:30. All i could keep repeating in my mind was:
I am in frickin Costa Rica!
The next morning, I had the pleasure of meeting Rafael O'campo, a leading ethnobotanist in neotropical plant knowledge. He led me and the Whole Foods group on a tour through the "Sacred Seeds Sanctuary." Me, in a classic college nerdiness, scribbled down notes attentively. The plants are wild: there are over 240 medicinal herbs in the garden! I am making sure I get to know as many as possible while I'm here.
I am making friends quickly here at Luna Nueva. All the workers are completely understanding of my gringa accent and that I have much to learn when it comes to Spanish. I have found that a sweet smile and "no se" works quite well when I have no idea what is going on...
So for now I get to learn the ropes of what is required of a “agro-tourist coordinator.” My main concert at this point is controlling myself and not getting fat off of the incredible food! More soon...
I am in frickin Costa Rica!
The next morning, I had the pleasure of meeting Rafael O'campo, a leading ethnobotanist in neotropical plant knowledge. He led me and the Whole Foods group on a tour through the "Sacred Seeds Sanctuary." Me, in a classic college nerdiness, scribbled down notes attentively. The plants are wild: there are over 240 medicinal herbs in the garden! I am making sure I get to know as many as possible while I'm here.
I am making friends quickly here at Luna Nueva. All the workers are completely understanding of my gringa accent and that I have much to learn when it comes to Spanish. I have found that a sweet smile and "no se" works quite well when I have no idea what is going on...
So for now I get to learn the ropes of what is required of a “agro-tourist coordinator.” My main concert at this point is controlling myself and not getting fat off of the incredible food! More soon...
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