Trash Collection
Any good rocket foundation needs solid ground, so today (in honor of our dear, recovering-from-a-cold volunteer Barb) we started our Vivero work by cleaning up trash. I know Barb is smiling as she reads this as she is a weekly champion of our clean up efforts.
The kids have been educated as to why trash is so disrupting to our community's improvement efforts, yet somehow, trash shows up in our Vivero.
We collected 4 costales/bags worth of trash this morning.
No corner of our garden plot was left unturned.
Treasure
As luck would have it China (Polet) found a wonderful
ice shaver in mint condition. Obviously she was thrilled with her find.
Dark cloud-silver lining?
Compost
Our compost pile needed turning so Mino, Priscilla and Dr. Lalo got to work.
What we found was another treasure....beautiful, rich, dark compost!
We decided to take this moment as an opportunity to review composting with the youth
and so began another optimal moment of learning....from the removal of plants
not needed in the garden to green compostable waste to the Vivero compost pile
to compost....magic.
Pole Digging
The older youth got to work on completing the hard work of digging in our Vivero
hard clay soil, preparing for the 2nd metal structure's raising.
A hot house of sorts is expected as a use for this second metal structure.
New Bed Making
I noticed that the younger youth had completed their trash collection chores and were
hanging around in need of some snacks and direction. So after a snack of apples and mandarinas (their favorite fruits) we got to work preparing the recent Jamaica bed. We harvested the Jamaica last week so the bed was ready for preparation and planting.
Hormiguitas
I called this group Hormiguitas, because they worked like little ants. Likety split the
bed was cleared, soil prepped and was ready for amendment. Remember the compost?
Germinating
Azul waters our plantulas
This Saturday brought 4 new youth volunteers: Isis, Azul, Jesus (Chuy) and Jade.
Isis tending to our cuttings
Banana Bowls
Maestra Priscilla brought banana leaves to make natural, recyclable, sustainable bowls.
The kids took to the project like ducks to water and soon we had our bowls, ready for use.
Today was a special day as we were celebrating Job's 12th birthday with cake and agua de jamaica
from our jamaica plants.
As we sat enjoying a Dulce de Leche cake, we went around the table and said what we admired most about Job. He was stalwart, constant, true to his word and a dedicated worker. I think Job was touched by the testimonials.
Banana Bowls
A few of the kids and I read "Yo Soy El Chico Rinko Dinko". The story is about a boy who can change his size and flies on the back of a butterfly to Mexico. There he communes with the Monarca butterflies and feels free.
Surprise!
One of our longest standing Brigadistas is Fco. Fco. is one of our scholarship recipients,
attending the University of Guadalajara, majoring in Engineering.
Fco. does not have a computer at home, so he needed to do all his work at school, using
the school computers. When we heard this some of our adult volunteers gathered together
their pesos to buy Fco. a laptop.
Fco. had no idea that the gift/surprise was happening today.
Felipe showed Fco. how to configure the new laptop.
And Mino told Fco. how proud we all are of he and his accomplishments, to never give up
on his dreams and to continue flying toward the future.
Needless to say, Fco. was surprised and touched by the gesture.
After the initial surprise, Fco. ran home with the laptop so that it would
be tucked away safely.
Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible,
especially Mino, Felipe, Dr. Lalo and Priscilla.
Refreshments
After our work day is done, we gather to regroup and plan the future.
I'd say that the future looks bright.
Gracias to all the generous souls who help make our efforts a reality.
❤💓💗💖💕💝
Very cool Ted and Priscilla. :)
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