San Pedro Itzicán - 2nd Visit - June 23rd, 2017

Our second trip to San Pedro Itzicán on Friday June 23rd, 2017 was a beautiful reunion.  We were met and warmly welcomed by Robert of the Escuela Telesecundaria "Esteban Baca Calderon" in San Pedro, the local volunteer Brigadista leader Anita Torres Guerrero, all the eager students and youth volunteers.

Beautiful Anita at the school garden showing a gift from Jack West 

to the cause...a newspaper maceta maker

Brad "Mulch" Mowers

We were also joined by Master Gardener, Brad "Mulch" Mowers who brought his experience and knowledge to share with our new gardeners.

Brad reviewing the new bean plantings on the 2nd tier

 Demonstrating garden weed maintenance

Brad spoke to us of the effectiveness of garden mulching for soil enrichment and weed control. Robert was a keen listener and promised to use the ficus tree leaf clippings as mulch on the newly planted garden.

Christian Listening

Our other new guest/volunteer was Christian Robertson.  Christian is a new venture business entrepreneur, an arts advocate and a motorcycle rider.  Christian rode his motorcycle from Chapala to San Pedro Itzican that day.

Doris Wakeman gets busy

 We were happy to see the 2nd and 3rd tiers planted and thriving

Always requested...a group foto

Once our lesson is taught, everyone gets to work

Moringa Tree - Post Leaf Cutter Ant Visit

One casualty of the garden was a moringa tree that had recently been visited by leaf cutter ants.  These ants can strip a plant in a day or night, feeding off the tender leaves.  Apparently their favorite leaves in our garden are the moringa leaves.

Brad shared with us his experience with leaf cutter ants and methods that have proven effective to deter the ants from eating our crops.  Robert promised to implement several of these methods.

 School Mural

Everyone Lends A Hand

Tomato Plantings in the 3rd Tier

New Friends

Brigadista's Truck

 Mezcala Home Base

Anita showed our new guests the Brigadista Home Base in San Pedro and also took us to their new location in Mezcala.

The Brigadista Home Base is used for many purposes.  It functions as a meeting space, work space, recycling collection center, classroom, lunchroom, etc.  Talk about effective use of minimal space!

Reforestation Project

While at the Brigadista Home Base, Anita had a surprise for us.  She casually motioned for us to go outside and witness the arrival of 300 trees that will be used in the town's reforestation and beautification project, led by the Brigadistas.

Everyone from guest to regular volunteers, from the town's children to Brigadistas lent a hand to unload the truckload of beautiful trees.

Brigadista Nursery

Brad Comments On and Likes The Vertical Planting System

Plantings

You were designed for accomplishment, engineered for success,

and endowed with the seeds of greatness. 

--- Zig Ziglar