Agrokasa, Ica, Peru

After time spent with the villagers, our class went along our way to meet one of the world's largest asparagus growers in Ica, Peru at one of his farms. Our bus met Pepe Chlimper, who also was previously the Agriculture Minister in Peru about 10 years ago and he served as our tour guide. We also met Tony & Gisela- my contacts down here that helped make the village project and this tour possible.

First when our bus arrived, I went off the bus to meet Pepe, Tony and Gisela and greet them. Pepe first off said, "OK, level with me. I'm going bumper to bumper with California asparagus and avocado growers- who is on that bus?" From the bat he wanted the straight deal. We told him that he should not worry, we don't have any competitors here, we are here just to learn. He relaxed, and said, "OK... I know how to proceed."

We first toured a smaller ranch of his, and looked at his biological control program. He hatched various insects to use an integrated pest management strategy to help decrease the amount of bug pressure in his fields so he only uses minimal pesticides. Pepe explained how he started out in the industry in the early 90's, and how he has grown to the size he is today. He essentially bought some desert land and completely transformed it to the productive farm it is today.

We next went to another ranch, this one that produces table grapes, asparagus and avocados. We drove around the endless miles of asparagus fields, hearing Pepe talk about how he's turned into the largest grower today, which retail markets he targets and how he feels his biggest competitor is broccoli, not other asparagus growers. We had a falcon hunt exhibition, as he has a large amount of bird pressure in his vineyards and uses Peregrine Falcons to keep the other birds out.

We looked at vineyards, his irrigation system, and all of his packing sheds. He wasn't harvesting on this ranch at the time so it was rather empty. They only take three weeks off from harvest on this ranch, so he said our timing was perfect.

We soon left the company of one of Peru's richest men and headed back to Lima. What a contrast we've seen this day- the poorest of villages in the foothills of the Andes to one of the more affluent Peruvians around. Our class had some very lively discussions on the trip back to Lima. We were running behind schedule, but that seems to be par for the course on this trip.

Huamani, Peru

Where to begin, I don't have the words to express all the emotions I felt this day. I have planning this day for months, and the excitement was building.

We woke very early and met Claus with his crew and some vans he had rented for us (our bus probably couldn't make it). We crammed in the vans with our school supplies and strapped the wheelchair on the top of the van. I went with Claus in his SUV. We drove through the city of Ica- which was in pretty bad shape still from the earthquake years ago. There was so much poverty in all directions, it really made me appreciate what I have. We are very spoiled in America.

We took the windy dirt road up into the mountains. The mountains are devoid of any vegetation, with the valleys very lush due to the intricate irrigation canals. We finally arrived at our destination- Huamani. We first walked up on the mountain, overlooking the village. It was much as I expected (I had also seen the pictures, and was partially prepared). I could see the etchings in the dirt of a basic rake- these people were very excited to have us here and host us for the morning. We learned about how the village will take place from Claus's associate Vicente- with a member of our class (Jose) acting as the interpreter.

We then walked back down to village and went to the school. The professor I had been in communication with was there to greet us. We took the bags of supplies in to the school and placed them on a table (the only table in the school). It was absolutely overflowing with goods. We took out the soccer balls, inflated them and passed them out to the children. One of us actually brought a football (he must have misread my email to bring a futbal!) and was soon showing the boys how to throw a perfect spiral. It was very overwhelming for the children... they didn't know what to say or do.

After we met at the school, it was time to roll up our sleeves and get to work. We walked down to the south side of the village where the adobe bricks were being constructed. There we had a quick overview on the construction process. Before I knew it, I was rolling up my work jeans and helping mix the adobe mud with my feet, stomping around like we were making wine. The adobe then was soon brought down to the forms and we then helped make the bricks. A few bricks were broken- but hey, we're rookies.

We cleaned up as much as we could and headed to the central meeting area of the village, which essentially is just a large concrete slab. We had a formal presentation of giving the mesh to the villagers. I spoke a few words (translated via Jose) and thanked the villagers for the opportunity and thanked Claus for assisting us in this process. The village leader spoke a few words back to us- she talked about how fortunate they were to have us come there. She said that since the earthquake, things have been very hard, as many of the homes were destroyed. She thanked us for helping them at a time where everyone else has forgotten about them. They expressed that anytime we wanted to come back, we would always be welcome with open arms. We concluded the ceremony with a toast.

It was just starting to drizzle, in an area that gets absolutely no rain. The villagers were smiling, we were smiling but we had one more important duty. We got the wheelchair for the girl and went to her house. You could tell she was nervous, yet excited. We presented her with the wheelchair. Her mother was there and the tears streaming down her face touched everyone in the group. She was picked up and placed in the chair, and you could see her trying to hide her smile. It was overwhelming for her to have 26 Americans staring at her in her new chair. She spent much of her time in a plastic chair, she now was able to get out and move around the village almost like any of the others.

From this we all went back to the vans and squeezed back in. The villagers lined the streets and waved to us as we left the village, smiles from ear to ear.

Adios gringos!!!

Adios, Huamani.

Lima to Ica, Peru

Lima Peru, February 15, 2010

Buenos Dias Lima!

We woke early and had a quick breakfast in the hotel. We boarded the bus at 7:00 AM and went directly to SENASA- the national security for public health and agriculture (loosely translated).

We had a presentation about agriculture in Peru from a representative from the USDA. Gene Philhauer is the FAS director for Peru, Ecuador and Bolivia. He discussed the Peru free trade agreement with the United States. We also learned about exports from the United States also now have zero tariffs. The main exports for Peru include soybeans, corn, wheat, sorghum and some beef. Other specialty products include beer and wine. He felt that there was potential in more exports for wine to Peru, although there is much competition from Chile and Argentina. Currently all wine exports go to the restaurants.

Some of the largest challenges Peru faces in its agricultural infrastructure largely are based on transportation, lack of research and disregard for the laws. There are laws in place, but the government does not enforce them. He is also hoping to obtain a Spanish speaking extension service position to share information to subsistence farmers in the highlands. He also discussed the main areas of large-scale agriculture operations, located in the coastal desert areas, and also discussed the highlands and its subsistence farmers.

Next we had a discussion on the political climate of Peru from the political advisor to the US Embassy. He talked about the lack of confidence in elected officials. As of this morning’s paper, there was 81% of the general public who felt like they are not represented by their government. Many in our class felt the same way. They also had over twenty presidential candidates. Another interesting aspect in Peru is that elections are mandatory for adult citizens. As they vote, they obtain a stamp. The stamp is essential for registering your car, obtaining loans or participating in government programs in the future.

We then had two speakers from environmental NGO’s. They discussed the issues with Peru and its biodiversity. They also explained how land ownership works and property rights. The take home message here is that there may be environmental laws on the books but nobody is there to enforce it.

Our class then went to the International Potato Research Institute. We had a talk regarding all of the different potato varieties- over 4,000 domesticated varieties are found in Peru yet only 50 varieties can be found in stores. They have sent 50,000 germplasm samples to 153 countries world-wide from that facility. They conducted outreach with local Peruvian subsistence farmers and helped them add value to their products and assisted them in obtaining organic certification. This has been vital in marketing their crops and maximizing profitability.

Our class ate lunch consisting of chicken and french fries (some compare it to Woolgrowers at Los Banos). We had some Chichamorada (purple corn soda). A select few of us after lunch went to the supermarket to pick up supplies to make sandwiches for the next day.

We then started south on the Pan-American Highway. We were soon out of the affluent areas in Lima and into the hard reality of most Peruvians- poverty. The many dwellings were primarily shanty homes and shacks. The area was devoid of any vegetation- we were officially in the arid desert of Peru, overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

We saw many different examples of agriculture along the drive, processing tomatoes, chicken houses, grapes, asparagus, yucca, banana, peppers and cotton.

After the long trek through the desert, we finally arrived at Tacama Winery at sunset. Nearing the winery, our bus was nailed by water balloons by a few kids perched in a tree. We had a tour of the winery and had a presentation of Peruvian prancing horses. We had some Pisco and were soon on our way- late for dinner at Juanita’s Pot.

We finally met Claus (I've been emailing him for months now...), the main contact for the housing project. We had a presentation on the project and enjoyed some very authentic Peruvian food (again!). We learned about the future plans of Huamani and that our fundraising accounted for materials for 30 homes! We thought that we were only going to get enough funding for two homes, but the mesh we purchased was enough for 30!!!!!! We then went to the hotel, took a quick dip in the pool and went promptly to bed, in anticipation of being up very early the next morning.

Lima, Peru Part II

Wow, what a day... we took a city bus tour this afternoon. The first stop, we went to a beach near Miraflores. There was a large amount of people in the park, with a small concert going on. The sun was at it's peak in the sky, and it was very intense. Any exposed skin was getting fried on the spot. I'm glad I brought my SPF 45 with me this time...

We then boarded the bus again, and headed around the town. We toured a few city squares and heard about the different parts of the city. Our tour guide presented us with a variety of information on Lima, the history to the present.

Plaza Mayor with Cathedral in the background

We were dropped off at the Plaza Mayor, deep in the city's historic heart. This area is thick with Spanish history, as this particular site was chosen to house a Cathedral by Francisco Pizarro himself. The government palace is also located at this location. We walked around the square, and then walked towards the Monasterio de San Francisco.

Our guide pointed us in the direction of a very historic bar- the Bar Cordano, which was 105 years old. Very authentic bar and I had a great pork sandwich with a Cuscueno beer- it hit the spot. They had a lot of Tacama wines lining the shelves, which makes me excited for our winery tour of Tacama tomorrow. We then toured the Monasterio de San Francisco, a great example of the Spanish's influence here in Peru. We were led through the catacombs, and looked upon the bones of tens of thousands of people. What an eerie experience.

We hopped back on the bus, back to the hotel. We had a two hour discussion on the history of Peru by a local expert. Then our class broke apart into small groups and dispersed back into the city for dinner. My group ended up at this large pedestrian mall area with a bunch of restaurants. The one we chose was packed- and for a good reason. The fish I ordered was absolutely amazing. Whole garlic cloves, potatoes... wow, these Peruvians know how to cook. Others at my table were willing to share, and none of us were disappointed with our food. Back to the hotel- tomorrow is going to be another busy day!

Lima, Peru

We made it! We landed last night very late in Lima, as soon as we got off the plane the humidity hit me. Haven't felt this in a while... going to take a bit to get used to it. We got the wheelchair through customs (took quite a bit of patience) and finally boarded the bus and made it to the hotel. What a long day!

Woke up this morning to breakfast in the hotel, and a few of us went out for a walk around town. It wasn't too hot yet... but the heat soon we be on us. We are located in the district called Miraflores- a very affluent part of Lima. It is almost just like walking around in Santa Monica... nothing in Shasta County is even this nice! We walked around the covered mall area, with great views of the ocean. We then walked around some neighborhoods and admired the beautiful homes.

Covered Mall in Miraflores

We went to lunch and had a great pork style sandwich. Once we left lunch, the sun was at it's peak and it was hot! We did a little shopping (I bought a hat... yes, I will be on a safari this trip, thank you). I am already feeling sunburnt, so all fashion sense is out the window (as if I had any in the first place).

Beach near the Miraflores District

Well, after walking around some more, it is back to the hotel and get ready to meet the rest of the group. We have a tour of the city a little later this afternoon. Enjoying a little air conditioning, water, shade, and of course, a little wireless internet.

Saludos!

Ready or not, Peru here I come!

Wow, I'll be out of Shasta County in less than 24 hours. I think I've got work pretty well dialed in... for now. When I'm gone I'm sure things are going to get crazy, but hey, it's out of my control.

We got the last minute things put together with the village project. The money was wired to Peru, the mesh was being delivered. Other details are nailed down, or at least I hope they are.

Tour of Tacama winery- check.
Dinner reservations- check.
Hotel- check.
Vans to get our group to village- check.
Wheelchair for girl in village- check.
Loads of school supplies for children- check.
Soccer balls galore for children- check.
Asparagus production facility tour- check.
Gifts for Claus and Tony- check.

I'm the type to obsess over details I'll forget about the basics. I recall when Laura and I went to Germany last year, I left my passport in the truck. Oops! I think I've got it all covered this time... at least I hope I do. Ready or not, Peru here I come!

Too much to do, too little time

Argh! The pile of belongings I'm taking to South America continues to grow. I have a big heap in the corner of my office. The stack of papers on my desk continues to grow as well... I've been burning the candle at both ends to get everything accomplished before my trip. Strawberry plant sales. Organic certification questions. Beef questions. More strawberry plant sales. Peru questions. My email inbox keeps getting new messages all the time- my poor blackberry can't keep up! Sleep is rare in my house (especially with the new baby)... the bags under my eyes are nearly as big as the duffel bag I'm taking on the trip!

My life has been consumed with helping the village of Huamani, a very small agricultural community in the foothills of the Andes, just outside of the city of Ica. My portion of our trip was to plan our service project, and indeed I've been planning. This village was hit hard by an earthquake in 2007, with many homes completely devastated. A group has formed to help rebuild these homes in an earthquake-proof fashion. Our class has come together and secured many donations to purchase materials for these homes. Later today, we'll be wiring money to Peru to purchase these materials, so they can be shipped well in advance of our arrival in Huamani next week. While we are in the village, we will roll up our sleeves and help out- this will be next Tuesday.

In typical over-achiever fashion, helping rebuild a village to me just isn't enough. I was able to get the contact information for the principal of the school as well, and our class has been out collecting school supplies for the children. I also love to play indoor soccer (at Big League Dreams) and have been soliciting donations of soccer balls as well. A member of our class, Josh, has a brother who is the women's soccer coach at Simpson University. Later today I'm going to drop by Simpson and pick up some old used balls of theirs and be able to take them with us to donate to the children.

If that wasn't enough, I heard that there was a woman in the village that is handicapped. Her wheelchair that she currently has is in very poor shape, and my contact down there asked if we could find one that be suitable for her. This quest started me down the path to Northern Rehab & Respritory on South Market street. I needed to find a chair that could be used off pavement (this village doesn't have any pavement at all!). They didn't have anything that would work, but did provide me of a contact who manufactures wheelchair wheels, Skyway, and guess what, they are located here in Redding. Small world! I drove up to the Mountain Lakes business park, found Skyway and introduced myself. Working with them, they directed me to contact a non-profit group down in Hollywood- Wheels for Humanity. Skyway donates a lot of wheels to this organization. I was set up with the president of the non-profit, and he has helped get a wheelchair constructed that fits this woman EXACTLY! One of my classmates in the LA area is going to pick it up later this week. How cool is that?

Writing on this blog isn't helping whittle down my to-do list... better get back to work!