Chapaya, a community meal, a fuel efficient stove, and chestnuts Meals in the Communities Let's talk about the most fundamental part of life in the communities (and everywhere)- food! In the top left photo is a plate of food we were given by a family who fed us during a community visit. There is pasta, chayote squash, and chapaya. I had never tasted Chaya before. It grows in clusters on a species of palm tree in Mexico. It's the long stringy pieces you see in the soup, whose

A beautiful river running through forests and fields During our travels, I am always surprised by how each region of Chiapas is very distinct. In the North of Chiapas we visit a region where they speak the indigenous language Ch'ol. During a family visit, I spoke to a young girl who mixed Spanish with Ch'ol as she spoke, and I couldn't tell when she was speaking which. Her older sister laughed and said, "Here, we grow up speaking Espan-chol!" Agroecology Organizing Before vis

Cutting green organic matter for the compost When I think of compost I think of kitchen scraps and dried leaves and grass from the yard....

La cocina de la iglesia donde preparamos el alimento de pollo Taller de Alimento Natural para Pollos Esta fue la segunda visita y la...

A mural in the community that says "For the defense of the land and territory. The land belongs to those who work it." The mural above covers a large wall in the community we visited today. It reads: "For the defense of the land and territory. The land belongs to those who work it." This is a common slogan in the region of Chiapas that reflects the local movements for indigenous autonomy and land rights. This is the basis of everything because if communities don't have access

Pilgrimage and protest of indigenous communities for Father Marcelo Chiapas wasn't a context I was familiar with when I arrived to Mexico. I've lived in Nicaragua mostly, and I know much more about Central American countries than Mexico. However, the context of any place is incredibly important to the agroecology movement and any movement seeking social and environmental change. Trying to simplify social and environmental issues down to a technical fix and the ideal sustainab

Morning mountains in the Lacandona Jungle We drove down long mountainous roads to arrive to a rural community in the Lacandona jungle of...

Here are some fruits we've seen during our community visits. It's interesting to see their evolution from flower to fruit. Do you know...

Native corn varieties Workshops with the Seed Guardian Network in Chiapas Rural producers from across Chiapas make up a network called...

The community health clinic Community-Run Health Clinic In this community clinic, jars of plant-based tintures, balms and ointments fill...

Day of the dead altars in Berriozábal Day of the Dead is celebrated on November 1st, and I realize that I am posting this in May, but...

Harvesting coffee cherries Coffee Harvest Season! January and February are the peak of coffee season, and in rural Chiapas, red coffee...

Harvesting cassava, pumpkins, mandarines and corn from the milpa During this visit to rural communities in Tumbalá, Chiapas, we saw an...

Sometimes field visits move at the pace of the community. When we arrive to give workshops and check up on projects like the home...

Me and my grandpa in Kentucky My grandfather grew up on a family farm in rural Kentucky where his parents and siblings produced what they needed for their subsistence. They grew corn, peanuts, tobacco, sugar cane, beans, grapes, apples, peaches, strawberries, and a variety of vegetables in the garden. They canned and dried food for the winter, made their own clothing, and made their own soap from animal fat. I've been reading my great-grandmother's memoire, and I'm amazed by

Today we visited a community on the coast of Chiapas where a small group of concerned community members are organizing around...

Chico sapote fruit and tree Visiting a Family Ranch and Farm on the Coast of Chiapas Today we were welcomed into a loud and lively home...

A group of women developing home gardens and milpa systems joined a workshop about Super Plus Fertilizer. We started off by collecting...

Maize ready to harvest in Los Altos, Chiapas I recently began an internship with a rural development organization in San Cristobal de Las...

When I first started learning about agroecology, I was introduced to the preparation of Mountain Microorganisms for the first time. Now,...