Thousand Colors of Lamas project

THOUSAND COLORS OF LAMAS PROJECT

We are looking for artist that want to participate in this beautiful project.The Province of Lamas is located in the San Martin region of the Northern high Amazon of Peru.The objectives of the project are:

1- Contribute to promote the Culture values.
2- Promote the Cultural Values and bring the history to the local youth.

Goal of the project: Painting 120 mural with desings that describe the history, the traditional Culture and landscapes of Lamas.The sizes of the mural are approxameteky:
Wide: 6 mts High: 3 mts.
Your talent and creativity are greetly appreciated.We will provide you with housing and food in exchange for your help. For further information write to us at:manchas44@hotmail.com

Hosted by Sachaqa Center of Art

View over Lamas

Leila's Finca, San Isidro, Ecuador

Finca San Pablo de LEA

San Pabalo de LEA is a milk farm located an hour or two east of the beaches of Jama, Canoa and Bahia. I spent two weeks here with Leila an energertic mother of two beautiful daughters Estephania and Amber. There are four generations on the farm and Leilas mother would cook us a traditonal and tasty lunch each day.

The work here was hard because of the heat but Leila is super laid-back and never made us work for too long when it was hot. Most of the work consisted of cutting pasto for the cows, milking the cows and creating a living fence out of Piñon tree. She also taught us how to make chocolate, cheese, ceviche from snails, and sweets from watermelon.

This is a living fence made out of Piñon trees. They are a laxative so the cows don't eat them and they can also be used as biodeisel. They are really easy to propogate just cut a branch and stick it in the dirt and they will grow roots very quickly. Fast, easy and pretty fence

We got some practice milking cows, it's a lot harder than it looks. Leila laughs a lot at our awkward and cluless attmepts at various tasks such as milking cows, cooking madura (a.ka burning bananas), and struggeling with the bugs with a cow poo, sweat and bruises...

Family and Friends

There are 4 generations of girls here at the farm. Leila explained to me that she makes about 170 litres of milk a day. From that she gains $24 and after paying the two workers at her farm she makes about $5 a day. Big companies like Nestle also come in and pay half of what the milk is worth. Despite this, compared to all the farms I have been to, she asked the least of us and gave the most. I also noticed that although there are difficulties with not having a stuffed bank account she has an incredibly rich life full of family freinds and food.

She also told me that a lot of the farmers here in San Isidro who grow yucca and watermelon are barely making any money. The soil is in bad shape now and the chemicals they need to buy to keep the plants gowing and the bugs away are very expensive. Without some help learning to make compost here I would think in a short time the soil will be no good at all.

Sleep over at the finca. A few times a week at least Leila or her girls have a gathering with lots of food.

This is a drink called Queidmada by setting fire to aguardiente and sugar. It is really really strong and good

More freinds at the house. The town of San Isidro is pretty small. Leila can walk next door to get the milk processed, across the street to get eggs and all the stores are within 6 blocks. There are two "clubs" for dancing in town, it is really safe and I like it better than the cities here.

Below a freind holds Amber's son, Adriano. Amber is young and the father is too. Another girl who lives at the farm is 14 and married with a baby as well. Although some young girls do not go to college who have babies Amber does because there is a ton of family and freind support the help with the baby. Abortion is also illegal here in Ecuador although a lot of people do it illegaly and probably at great risk to thier health. Here the whole family helps take care of the baby, the young guys here also seem to adore holding and being with the baby..something I definitly don't see too much in the states.

The other volunteer Ariana feasting on fresh crab at Leila's house.

Recipies

Ceviche de snail

Collect snails and feed flour to clean them out.

Then cook in bioling water for a minute de-shell and cut off the guts. Clean with lemon. Chop meat into bits and serve with onion, tomatoe and lemon

The left over guts..mmm

Cheese

Cheese is too easy to make. You just put a special packet of store bought bacteria in raw milk and let sit. Stir a bit and strain.

Chocolate

To make chocholate powder (for hot chocolate) and bars first we collected the Cacoa fruit. The seeds inside are covered by a white flesh that is really sweet, you can suck it off then roast the seeds stirring them in a pan or in the oven for an hour or so. Or alternativly you can let them dry in the sun for a few days.

Once they are evenly black you peel the shells off

Then you grind the beans with a ginder or you can use a blender or rock. Add a bit of egg, sugar and spices like cinnamon and 5 star anise.

Below Kasie, a peace corps volunteer who lives at the house, is using the grinder. She teaches health to the community and helps in a juvanile garden in town as well.

Then to make the bars you rool the mixture flat and let it dry a day. You can also add milk.

Watermelon peel candy

Just thinly slice the peel and cook in water and sugar...really good.

Animals at the farm

PicassoHatchi the ugliest cutest dog you´ll ever seeMinuit and Hatchi

Some things nearby

http://www.3malliance.org/

A reserve helping to protect the last remaining 2% of the most diverse coastal forests in Ecuador. You can volunteer here in a permaculture program for 1 or 2 months for $14/day.

Rio Muchacho Organic Farm

30 min drive from Canoa, you can book a day and night for $20 or just stop by. It's a bit pricy but you can also volunteer here for $15 a day or so.

Diseño Grafico en Quito

Here are some logo versions I created for a non-profit Mano a Mano in Venezuela. They work like a CSA giving produce directly from local farmers to residents and educate the communtiy about the importance of organic and local farming!

Rhiannon Community, peace and love

Rhiannon is a small cozy community in a small town San Juan, Malching, just 1.5h northeast of Quito. Everyone lives in the same house making it one big singing, praying, farming, vegan, warm and free-loving family.

When I arrived at night with 3 friends from Quito we were invited directly into a Tamascal ceremony. This would be my third experience and this time I actually liked it. Everyone was in their b-day suits, we didn't get the memo unfortunately, but at a lot of communities I have been to people are not as comfortable with this. Rhiannon is a bit different though, more relaxed. It is a very young community owned by British couple Nikki and Helen. Nikki has heaps of love and energy that is contagious throughout the community. This energy has fueled the project there since it began two years ago. I have to say they have been really successful so far being in desert climate with only 4 permanent residents and about 10-20 volunteers at a time.

One thing that is super rare now is that they are not out to get your money. They just ask for $25 a month for food. They get up about 5 work from 6 to lunch then relax. One thing I learned , though don’t take my work for it, is if you invest 25k in property in Ecuador you get citizenship along with it, not a bad deal.

After the Tamascal and prayers we had a jam session with a violin, guitar, drums and glass bottles. At this point there was no electricity but I have a hard time imagining the hosue without the charm of the candleight.

Inside is warm and cozy

When I first arrived it was at night. Sitting in the pitch black, steamy warm Tamascal with my mind drifting off to the end of the universe, I did not realize that Rhiannon sits at the edge of the earth with the most fantastic view of Quito, snow topped volcano of Cotopaxi and beyond.

Projects

Solar panel project made from reclaimed steel to hold large solar panels, generating enough power for the house.

They are fixing a waste water pond because it has been leaking. This pond will break down the communities waste and let the water at the top evaporate out just like the one at Arcosanti.

greenhouse

orno

They move the chickens and pigs around the farm to graze the land and will use the manure for a biogas generator they plan to build. There are gardens with veggies the feed the community, a greenhouse and awesome dry toilets with hot showers from solar power.

They also have about 7 dogs and a few cats :)

Here's a link to a friend who is staying there he's got good pics and info.

Fundacion Viracocha

I recommend Virachocha to everyone looking to do permaculture farming. It's not on the woofing sites because it's too popular already and most people stay for months. Not only is it one of the best places to work but it has a great cause and is located in one of the most interesting towns in Colombia. The work is similar to WOOFING but days are from 7 to 12 with free room, lunch and all the veggies you can pick. You can work longer if you like and earn a bit of money. It is located in San Agustin, one of the largest and most important archeological sites of pre-colombian artifacts. The vision of Viricocha is simple and clear: to grow organic food to feed local children in poverty or with familial issues.

It was founded by Estephan, a German and his Colombian wife. Estephan truly has a pure heart and welcomes everyone with open arms. One thing that makes this place so successful is his attitude of respect for everyone's ideas, He allows volunteers to contribute their ideas and inspirations to the farm and sustainable building. Everyone is comfortable, everyone feels at home eveyone works hard and stays for a good time.

http://www.fundacionviracocha.org/

Below Estephan is addressing the volunteers, family and friends at Christmas, thanking everyone for thier efforts in helping him realizing his dream. He says that this foundation is only one of many dreams he has.

Christmas dinner everyone made a dish from thier country. We has dishes from from France, Argentina, Germany, the States and Ecuador.

Most rooms are nice and cozy but they were doing some remodeling and I got moved from my sunny nice room with delicious smells from the kitchen waking me in the morning into this horrible, cold damp spare room. But with a little love and help from friends we made it awesome.

There are three volunteer houses this is one of em.

The permaculture farm.

Work was hard but not too long. We spent time cleaning the teraces, planting seeds, making compost, picking coffee and constructing more of the volunteer house.

The views from the farm are ridiculous

Estephans b-day party. All above the age of 40 danced form 8 until 5 am in the morning all below 40 could not keep up.

When I was having some issues, Estephan taught me two lessons here that I won't forget.

First he asked me,

"Do you know the law of attraction"

".......mmm not sure."

"It is that we receive the same energy we put out."

"And can you tell me the first rule in travel?"

"Nope."

"Don't panic."

Nearby Virachocha is a nice hostel se llama, Casa del Sol Naciente. It has permaculture gardens and the owner will teach you if you commit a month. She designed all the sustainable architecture herself and is selling it to move closer to her mum. You can have it if you got 150k. The views are unbelievable.

Gardens

Casa de guadua

The view in the morning from the rooms!

The town of San Agustin itself is so great, not sure where to begin. It feels very safe here, there are a few small bars for dancing and tons of history. The neighbors are so nice. I would go on walks, get lost meet hente del campo who invited us for coffee, then lunch, then to pick all the oranges and lemons, cidra we could carry back. I had a friend I met in Armenia whose family lives here. They took me in like a daughter, stuffed me with food and even gave me a christmas present. The people of Colombia are so generous and loving.

Not to mention the history here too much to write.

Eureko is a little buddy we friended in San Agustin. The plan is start him off on his travels and pass him to other travelers. Friend Eureko San Agustin on facebook and follow his travels :)

Some of the nature here.

San Agustin has the third largest waterfall in South America

I want to be back here.