Hola amigos!

This is Andrea and Kayla and we were the LÍderes del Día for working like a local. Early in the morning, we headed towards a farm on the outskirts of Guaranda owned by Oscar Garcia and his family. Across the street from the farm, they owned a restaurant, La Tarabita, which serves organic food harvest straight from their own farm. We got to explore the labor that gets put into growing and maintain crops. First, Oscar’s 83-year old father, Juan Garcia, taught us how to level out the ground using a variety of tools, including shovels, wheelbarrows, hoes, and pickaxes. We tilled the ground, made rows to prepare the soil for growing crops, and learned how to plant and cover seeds using hoes. After hours of working on the farm, a couple of volunteers milked a cow guided by Oscar’s mom. Throughout this experience as a group, we gained a greater appreciation of the work that gets put into harvesting organic produce.

This opportunity to see where our food actually comes from has helped the group self reflect on their own personal lives. We discussed the harmful effects of eating chemically produced fruits and vegetables. Our discussion sparked sustainable changes in our own lives, such as learning where own produce comes from and how bigger corporations take advantage of family businesses for their own profits. Juan Garcia talked about the slow poisoning of these chemicals, which motivated him to create his own organic farm. Eighteen years after starting his organic journey, he is completely off any medications at 83-years old. This story inspired us to go to our local farmers’ markets to buy produce that benefits our bodies and the local farms.

Being the leaders of today taught us how to organize and control a group spread throughout different places. We were separated between groups so it was a challenge to communicate with each other to get messages to the whole group. It was a morning of tough physical labor which tired us out, as well as the entire group. It was our job to keep everyone motivated and healthy. This was a challenge! We learned that communication is the key to the group’s success.

Overall, today was inspirational. The experience was very thought-provoking and it brought us closer together as a group!

Buenas Noches,

Andrea y Kayla