Summary by Kevin and Alondra based on group reflection…
Today was all about food!
This community lives and eats in ways that are closely tied to the local environment. Most of the foods that we have eaten have come from the area.
We began the day with a visit to a small dairy very close to where we are staying. We watched and participated in milking the cows before sampling some of the things they make from the milk, including fresh milk (that had been boiled), sweet bread, and cheese. In our discussions, Hannah remarked how interesting it was to see these traditional ways preserved. Matteo commented about how those of us that live in cities often do not think as much about where our food comes from. As our guide noted, even the cows have a good life here, as these traditional farms allow the cows to roam in nature.
We then had the opportunity to attend a cooking class to learn more about the foods that we have been eating. As Kenzie noted, it was important “that we were taught how to make the food that we have been eating to understand how much time goes into it.”
Finally, our service today involved planting yuca, lime trees, a type of apple tree, banana trees, and a number of species that provide food to wildlife. We discussed how even small herb gardens increase our connection to nature and to the food that we eat and how these can be relatively simple acts that we can take upon our return home.