KAYLA SINOTTE
My first week on St. Croix at the Sustainable Farm Institute has been amazing so far to say the least! So much as happened I’m not even sure where to start.. Check out more about the Farm and the Ridge to Reef program at http://www.visfi.org/
Ridge to Reef
The first two nights here, the farm hosted a slow down dinner. People from the island came to enjoy a six course meal made from all locally grown organic food. It was an amazing experience to be able to share our food and knowledge to the community of St. Croix. I am here to take a six week permaculture certification course and emerge myself in a sustainable lifestyle. The farm grows their own food, produces their own energy, and continuously hosts programs to educate the community.
Slow Down Dinner
Locally grown organic six course meal
Day to Day Life of the Farm:
The day begins at 6am, we work out in the field doing anything and everything from building a compost pile, planting seeds, transplanting crops, mulching, weeding, etc. We break at noon for lunch, preparing freshly grown food we have harvested ourselves; and then right back out to the fields until dinner. We do this everyday.
One of the Gardens
The farm is like its own little community; there are nine of us who live and work on the farm. We have a schedule for feeding animals, harvesting the chickens eggs, and cleaning the common spaces. The community center is the heart of the farm; it is our gathering space where we all hangout, prepare and cook food, and take class some days.
Community Center
Three of us are taking the Ridge to Reef permaculture certification course while on the farm. We meet for ‘class’ three times each week to discuss different principals and topics. Most of our learning is from hands-on experiences, working out in the field, with our hands. A person cant expect to understand and practice sustainable living without actually living it. Each of us doing the program must complete a permaculture design project during our six week time here in order to obtain the PDC certificate. We must design, construct, and present our project to the farm.
Permaculture Project
The project I have discussed and finalized to be my permaculture project will be to obtain the National Organic Certification for the farm. This includes mapping out the entire property and establishing all the different zones and sectors overlaying all the different elements. It also requires a written plan which describes everything from our cropping process and rotation to each ingredient we use.
Swale 2
Back to Work
I have enjoyed every minute working on the farm, and I am excited to think I have five more weeks of this. Internet access is limited and forget about cell phone service. I had to stop transplanting tomato plants to write this blog so everyone can keep up to date on my time here. As much fun as this has been, Its time to get back to work.
In the Field
Transplanting parade onions
Until next time,
Kayla Sinotte