Alternative Spring Break at La Gran Vista, Costa Rica
Each year, CofC students anxiously plan their spring break destinations to vacation hotspots,excited for some sun, beach and relaxation. But what if you want to do something different? The Office of Civic Engagement has developed a program for students to do spring break the “alternative” way. This past break, I had the opportunity to work on an agroecological farm for a week in beautiful San Isidros, Costa Rica, with the College’s Alternative Break program. The trip centered on seeing aspects of sustainability at work in the farming systems and practices, experiencing the Costa Rican culture, and developing our own opinions and ideas regarding the topic of sustainable farming and the environment.
As we rode up the rocky mountainside to Don Villalobos’ farm, La Gran Vista, we passed by slopes covered in sugar cane. It was a hauntingly beautiful sight. From our windows, we saw breathtaking forested mountainsides in the distance. Closer were the vast fields of green stalks alternating with charred stubble of harvested sugarcane. Smoke and ash rose from where the field workers burned away pests and weeds in preparation for harvest, supplemented by the sugar cane factory visible at the bottom of the valley. At the top of the mountain, we entered the gates of La Gran Vista and were enveloped by fruit trees, a very social flock of chickens hopping up the hillside, and terraces of vegetables, medicinal plants and flowers.
The first morning, Don took us on a tour of his farm. What I expected to be a 30 minute stroll turned out to be a four hour wildlife excursion. We began in the garden, where we munched on various treats, like peppers, stevia leaves, lettuces and tomatoes, while Don explained his open air green houses that enable year round growth. Then we headed back to the wood shed where we literally uncovered Don’s prized collection of California Redwood Worms, which are from the Redwood Forest and are speedy soil converters. We made our way to the energy source of the farm, the two little piggies that generate enough biogas to cook all meals on the farm. My favorite part of the farm was the delicious fruit orchards of citrus and starfruit that brimmed along the terraces, which were constructed to reduce soil erosion. We learned of Don’s background which is in environmental engineering, which brought him to a job with Costa Rica’s federal department of agriculture, as the sustainability director. Through this job, the microcosms of sustainable agriculture that compose the farm are projected and integrated into agriculture throughout the country.
As much as Don taught us, even more valuable was what he and his staff showed us. One can take classes and read textbooks, but it is an entirely different learning experience to eat breakfast off a tree or wrap your lunch in a banana leaf. As members of the group, we each noticed our understanding the relationship between humans and nature grow and change throughout the week. Economics, Arts Management, Business and Geology students alike took away their own valuable lesson applicable to their area of study.
-Lisa DeAlmeida