— Here are my final thoughts — This internship has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. I accomplished far more than I thought I would and learned more than I bargained for. I met amazing people and made useful connections in the reforestation world and beyond. Now that I have this experience, […]
The Cultivation of 500 Artisanal Plants
Part of the Artisan project is to plant 500 artisanal plants for the artisans in the Peninsula. Throughout my internship I have been collecting and cultivating the plants that I have been studying. Now that I have built up a good amount of species and plants, the next step will be to find places where […]
Visit to Valleriquito
On July 5th, I traveled with the reforestation team to a town called Valleriquito (translated from Spanish it means “little rich valley”). While they were staking out a parcel (marking where the trees will be planted), My boss’ father (who was here to visit) and I, drove into the town to find Tonya, the Peace […]
Mapping Artisanal Plants
One of my deliverables to National Geographic will be a map of accessible artisanal plants in the Azuero Peninsula. The goal of creating the Artisanal Map is to provide an accessible source for the artisans of the Azuero Peninsula so that they can easily find and acquire natural artisanal fibers, dyes, and seeds. I want […]
Semillas Artesanal (Artisanal Seeds)
One of the workshops we hope to do in the future is about seeds. In many cultures around the world, seeds have been used to make jewelry like earrings, necklaces, or bracelets. Azuero Earth Project has a book on different seeds in Panama that can be used for jewelry. I have been doing a lot […]
Cultivating Pita and Junco in the Office
Throughout the Eco Artisan project, I have been gathering and cultivating different artisanal plants. The two most important plants, Junco and Pita, I have been growing since I first visited Bajo Corral. Eventually we hope to plant them in an artisanal garden or here, on the Project’s property, so that they can be easily accessed […]
Taller con Bajo Corral
On Wednesday (June 5th), we held another workshop for the artisans. This taller was a “share best practices” meet up with the artisans in Bajo Corral. Sandra picked up the ladies from Bajo Corral and brought them to the office. We had coffee, tea, and cookies for them. The artesanas in Bajo Corral have their […]
Taller de Junco y Pita
On Saturday, a few of the artisan women of Azuero joined us in Bajo Corral to learn about the artisanal plants, Junco and Pita. As explained in the previous blog, the Junco and Pita plant fibers are used to make the traditional Panama hats. Sandra and I drove the “happy van” around the peninsula to pick […]
Bajo Corral
Bajo Corral is a rural town stationed along the ecological corridor. First we met with the Peace Corps volunteer, Kiera, who is stationed there. Before we met with the landowners, we made queques with Esther a campo resident. They are made with miel (honey) and coco (fresh coconut). They are a good source of fiber […]
Beginnings: La Primera Semana
My first week was spent learning the ropes at Azuero Earth Project (ProEco/ProEco Azuero), practicing my Spanish, and getting oriented in Pedasí and I have already learned so much. ProEco is a small organization, located in Pedasí, Los Santos. Their focus is in reforestation and environmental education. From what I can tell, most of my […]