Weeding and Paddling
Meg:
On Wednesday we helped with farm work, led by the intern here, AC (who hails originally from Queens, NYC). He talked to us about the importance of organic farming techniques both for the environment and for consumption, as well as the importance of providing locally-sourced vegetables and fruits to the islanders. Sadly, most of the vegetables in the markets here is imported, even though St. Croix is ideally suited for agriculture. R2R provides weekly fresh produce to the local schools, has a weekly CSA, and monthly Slow Food Dinners which are designed to educate people about organic food and sustainable agriculture, as well as raise funds for the St. Croix community. Here is AC talking to the group:
We then headed out to the fields and weeded two long rows of vegetables:
On Thursday we headed up to the Salt River to go kayaking with Virgin Kayak. They use peddle-powered kayaks which we found we liked. We explored all around the estuary, learning about local flora and fauna. We then went in to Christiansted and had lunch at a local restaurant, then hung out in the park while waiting for our taxi driver. While waiting, who should we see but Jen, the cook from the Roseway! We had a grand time hanging out with her, and then we also saw two other crew members who were heading out in a small boat to get ice for their Sunset Sail. That was quite fun. Kaya, our driver, finally picked us up and brought us back to the farm, or at least most of the way. The farm van expired as it was heading down the drive, so we walked the last 1/2 mile to the farm. Rebecca and I decided we’re going to stay at the farm until we leave on Sunday, given the transportation issues. It is also just a relaxing lifestyle here that works well for our students.
