Updates from the Field: September 2015

By Sabrina Kerin, Program Coordinator

The past three months have been full of the buena onda (good vibes!) and awesome visitors and volunteers that this place tends to attract, as well as some monumental steps for new projects at Bona Fide. We had the pleasure of hosting some 35 volunteers from around the world, we had our first student group from Madison University join us on-site, we welcomed the arrival of our new Animal Husbandry and Medicinal Garden Interns, and we hosted a one-week visit from one of our favorite gap-year programs, Where There Be Dragons.

We’ve also had a BIG team push to get our new Farm-to-Clinic Ometepe medicinal herb project funded, off the ground, and running. The medicinal herb garden plot is located at the very bottom of Bona Fide’s property, across the main road near the lake. We had a very successful June Fundraising Campaign on GlobalGiving.com that raised nearly 70% of the projected budget for the project’s first full year and rewarded us a permanent listing on Global Giving’s website. We’re still feeling the gratitude for everyone that played a role in this fundraiser’s success.

To stay up-to-date on the Farm-to-Clinic updates, check out the project page:
Farm-to-Clinic: http://www.globalgiving.org/projects/farm-to-clinic-ometepe/

Sacuanjoche, the national flower of Nicaragua

September is moving fast, the rains have returned after a longer-than-usual canícula (brief mid-wet-season drought), and the farm is blossoming in every corner. This is a majestic time here on the farm and on the island in general. It’s a low season for tourism and a high season for rainfall, making this island’s wild lushness evermore present. With lower numbers of volunteers and interns on the farm, it’s an ideal time for increased self-reflection, assessment of current and pending projects, and infrastructural maintenance that’s accessible with lower site occupancy. Mango and avocado season has come to an end, starfruit and calala (passionfruit) are dropping all around us, and we’re anxiously waiting the ripening of the citrus that are poppin’ off all over the place!