This picture is of some of the astounding diversity given to me by proud farmers as a gift. Much of it I cant bring back into the states, so I took some pictures to remember.
Included here are potatoes, oca, ulluco, amaranth, Quinua, faba beans, Aji, Rocotto, and Nuna beans.
Beautiful huh
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Saturday, May 9, 2009
Update
Hello Everybody.
I have posted my photos from my last week in Peru to flickr. You can access through the link on the right. I also just discovered you can click on photos on my blog to enlarge them.
Thanks for those who have emailed me and dont hesitate to write with any questions or comments. Im sorry if I dont write back sooner. My email is forbesfarmer@yahoo.com
Soo, I have left Peru and am currently settling into life in Greece. There is sooo much I could tell and I hope to organize my thoughts today and write more soon. My last week or so in Peru was spent touring Quinua fields, eating my way through markets, chatting with as many old women as possible, going to agricultural festivals, and viting the International Potato Center. Each day was packed and I am happy to end my Peruvian adventure on such a high note. Even three hours before my plane I was eating Quinua and Apple Juice, and boiled potatoes on the street. As always it was whirlwind trip from Peru and I was filled with a mix of emotions - excited for Greece, but very sad to leave Peru (its people, the Quinua, the potatoes, and of course the magical Andes)
I am currently on a beautiful Island called Ikaria in Greece. The scenery in stunning and I am taking some language classes to learn basic Greek. The food is wonderful and it is a very rugged island which has resisted much of the development in the rest of Greece. Nonetheless, it is a bit of a hard transition for me to be in a developed country. I miss Peru and am continually shocked by the price of things here, stylish clothes, abandoned farm fields, etc. Most people dont get what Im studying and people do not all greet each other on the street and chat like in the Andes. In Peru, many times I had to turn down countless invitations by farmers or villagers for dinner, work, or tea. Now, Im just another nameless tourist in Greece.
I will write more when Im a little more settled or less confused I guess.
I hope you all are well and are resisting the swine flu and economic collapse.
Keep smiling and know that anything is possible in this world!!
Adam Read More......
I have posted my photos from my last week in Peru to flickr. You can access through the link on the right. I also just discovered you can click on photos on my blog to enlarge them.
Thanks for those who have emailed me and dont hesitate to write with any questions or comments. Im sorry if I dont write back sooner. My email is forbesfarmer@yahoo.com
Soo, I have left Peru and am currently settling into life in Greece. There is sooo much I could tell and I hope to organize my thoughts today and write more soon. My last week or so in Peru was spent touring Quinua fields, eating my way through markets, chatting with as many old women as possible, going to agricultural festivals, and viting the International Potato Center. Each day was packed and I am happy to end my Peruvian adventure on such a high note. Even three hours before my plane I was eating Quinua and Apple Juice, and boiled potatoes on the street. As always it was whirlwind trip from Peru and I was filled with a mix of emotions - excited for Greece, but very sad to leave Peru (its people, the Quinua, the potatoes, and of course the magical Andes)
I am currently on a beautiful Island called Ikaria in Greece. The scenery in stunning and I am taking some language classes to learn basic Greek. The food is wonderful and it is a very rugged island which has resisted much of the development in the rest of Greece. Nonetheless, it is a bit of a hard transition for me to be in a developed country. I miss Peru and am continually shocked by the price of things here, stylish clothes, abandoned farm fields, etc. Most people dont get what Im studying and people do not all greet each other on the street and chat like in the Andes. In Peru, many times I had to turn down countless invitations by farmers or villagers for dinner, work, or tea. Now, Im just another nameless tourist in Greece.
I will write more when Im a little more settled or less confused I guess.
I hope you all are well and are resisting the swine flu and economic collapse.
Keep smiling and know that anything is possible in this world!!
Adam Read More......
Quinua Seeds
This family spent over an hour with me teaching me everything about growing quinua, harvesting, and cooking. They prepared an excellent Quinua lunch for me with onions, and their own cheese and milk spread on top.
At the end the joyfully handed me a large bag of their best seeds to use in the States. I now have a permit to bring back a small amount of seeds! Yeah!
Every country or region I visit, I think I have found the most kind and hospitable people in the world. However, I am continually amazed at how kind farmers are to me when I walk up to their house and say I want to studied their seeds. For over 9 months now, farming families have fed me, housed me, healed me, and taught me an immense amount about farming and how to live a decent life. I wish there was someway I could repay them and often feel guilty for taking so much from these kind people. They have given me hope, knowledge, and shown me who I really am and what my purpose is in this crazy world. For that I cant thank them enough!!
I am sad to leave the Peruvian people!
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At the end the joyfully handed me a large bag of their best seeds to use in the States. I now have a permit to bring back a small amount of seeds! Yeah!
Every country or region I visit, I think I have found the most kind and hospitable people in the world. However, I am continually amazed at how kind farmers are to me when I walk up to their house and say I want to studied their seeds. For over 9 months now, farming families have fed me, housed me, healed me, and taught me an immense amount about farming and how to live a decent life. I wish there was someway I could repay them and often feel guilty for taking so much from these kind people. They have given me hope, knowledge, and shown me who I really am and what my purpose is in this crazy world. For that I cant thank them enough!!
I am sad to leave the Peruvian people!
Read More......
Large Quinua fields near Jauja.
Our car got stuck in the mud over 12 times, but we finally got to see these glorious fields of Quinua, for market. These fields are said to all be one distinct variety, but you can still see there is a great diversity in color.
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Quinua Diversity Experiment
A very educational morning spent with INIA - A Peruvian government agency. This field is an experiment with 28 different Quinua collections. The seeds were collected from all over Central Peru last year and were grown out this year. They will now be tested for yield, pest and disease resistance, seed size, nutrient quality, protein, saponin content, etc. Over the next 5 years they hope to select a native variety which will work best for small scale farmers in this region and can be sold commercially.
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Potato Breeding
This photo is also from the International Potato Center in Peru. I spent a few days with them learning about their work and seeing the other side of how native potatoes are used. It was really interesting to learn about the importance of some of the rare local varieties in their breeding work. They are working on breeding potatoes resistant to late blight and numerous others diseases or stressors. While not perfect, more emphasis is being put on developing varieties that will actually work for marginal farmers. My spanish was much better by this point and I got to talk to many of the breeders, scientists, and staff about their work.
This visit emphasized the point again how farmers and scientists can work together in a way that benefits both. We owe all of our worlds food system to the anicent farmers who have developed, selected, and kept crop diversity alive. Now, many of them need our helped and suscessful strategies can be implemented if we value traditional knowledge, but work to improve it slightly with modern techniques.
Many more scientists and policy makers are starting to see the value of in-situ crop conservation (keeping divsersity growing and alive in farmers fields). It is widely recognized that the crops growing in farmers fields and their genes will be crucial if we hope to survive the impending climate change. By keeping native or traditional varietes growing in farmers fields, they can keep evoloving and adapting to the changing conditions (droughts, floods, heat, early frost, etc).
We need both the work of the worlds susbsistence farmers and the work of groups like the International Potato Center.
Read More......
This visit emphasized the point again how farmers and scientists can work together in a way that benefits both. We owe all of our worlds food system to the anicent farmers who have developed, selected, and kept crop diversity alive. Now, many of them need our helped and suscessful strategies can be implemented if we value traditional knowledge, but work to improve it slightly with modern techniques.
Many more scientists and policy makers are starting to see the value of in-situ crop conservation (keeping divsersity growing and alive in farmers fields). It is widely recognized that the crops growing in farmers fields and their genes will be crucial if we hope to survive the impending climate change. By keeping native or traditional varietes growing in farmers fields, they can keep evoloving and adapting to the changing conditions (droughts, floods, heat, early frost, etc).
We need both the work of the worlds susbsistence farmers and the work of groups like the International Potato Center.
Read More......
Aeroponic Potatoes at International Potato Center
This photo is of some of the aeroponic potatoes being grown by the International Potato Center in Peru. It is a method they have developed to grow disease free tubers for breeding, experiments, and distribution to farmers.
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Potato Diversity at the festival in Jauja
Many farmers featured their potatoes and their was a contests to see who grew the most unique varieties. Many more photos on my flickr site.
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Grain/ Flour diversity
My favorite part of Andean cities was wonderign the markets, tasting and talking to sellers. I was blown away by the range of products they have from their native grains. This photo shows some of the flours, flakes, cereals, and other products made from their Andean grains (quinua, kiwicha, kanihua, barley, etc.)
I spent an hour talking to this woman and hearing how each is used.
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I spent an hour talking to this woman and hearing how each is used.
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Potato Diversity in the City
Only a fraction of the native potatoes make it to the markets in the cities. Many of the varietes I saw and ate in Choppca are grown only by a few families for their household consumption.
Studies by a number of researchers have shown no genetic erosion in the native potatoes in many parts of the Andes. However, some believe the area which many of the native varieties are grown on has shrunk greatly.
Every family I interviewed grew both monoculture fields of modern varieties and mixed fields of their native varieties. Everyone I spoke to was passionate about continuing to grow their native diversity for flavor, strength, ceremonies, starchiness, and diverese uses.
One thing is for sure, the large majority of the Andean potato varieties are kept alive only by the passion and love of a few farmers.
Read More......
Studies by a number of researchers have shown no genetic erosion in the native potatoes in many parts of the Andes. However, some believe the area which many of the native varieties are grown on has shrunk greatly.
Every family I interviewed grew both monoculture fields of modern varieties and mixed fields of their native varieties. Everyone I spoke to was passionate about continuing to grow their native diversity for flavor, strength, ceremonies, starchiness, and diverese uses.
One thing is for sure, the large majority of the Andean potato varieties are kept alive only by the passion and love of a few farmers.
Read More......
Peru Fruit
My last day in a Peru market - trying to eat every color food possible and taste anything I hadnt tried yet!
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