June 4, 2014

Year End Visit to Loyola School  

On Friday June 6, 2014, the EcoHuertos program met with Diana Murcia who is in charge of the school garden at Loyola School. The progress of the garden throughout the school year was evaluated in preparation for the next term. 

Professor Murcia said the following:

1-The students worked enthusiastically in the garden and encouraged their parents to take an interest and help monitor and care for the garden. Several families, through their children, went on to create their own vegetable gardens at home or to revive old gardens that were already on their land. 

2-The school garden was used as a tool to support the development of skills while strengthening concepts as well as values. 

3-The garden served a practical purpose for recycling and reusing materials.  

4-Several teachers got involved in the gardening chores, which motivated others in the school to do the same. 

4-School Rector, Father Francisco Lluberes, S.J., viewed the vegetable garden as a very gratifying experience for the students who were involved and for the entire school in general. 

Professor Diana Murcia said her students gave her their own evaluation of the experience: “Everything we did in the school garden was really good. It didn’t matter that a few plants died or that some seeds never germinated. The fact that we planted them and took care of them, and that we were able to think and plan what we would do and resolve any problems, all that was important for us.” 

Santo Domingo, May 21, 2014

Some two hundred and forty public school students participated in the 46th Eco-Visits Program for Environmental Education and Recreation, promoted by the Dominican Ministry of Environment’s Department of Education and Environmental Training. The event, which was organized in coordination with GFDD/FUNGLODE, began 9:30 am singing the notes of our Dominican National Anthem. Followed by the song "A Resforestar " performed by students of Altos de los Naranjos school, accompanied by the author Claudio Cohen.

Santo Domingo, May 21, 2014

Some two hundred and forty public school students participated in the 46th Eco-Visits Program for Environmental Education and Recreation, promoted by the Dominican Ministry of Environment’s Department of Education and Environmental Training.

The event, which was organized in coordination with GFDD/FUNGLODE, began 9:30 am singing the notes of our Dominican National Anthem. Followed by the song "A Resforestar " performed by students of Altos de los Naranjos school, accompanied by the author Claudio Cohen.

Santo Domingo, May 16, 2014

Some two hundred and forty students will be participating in the 46th edition of the Eco-visitas program for Environmental Education and Recreation, which is promoted by the Dominican Ministry of Environment’s Department of Education and Environmental Training.

December 18, 2013

On Wednesday December 18, 2013, we undertook the planting of the Bernadina Agramonte family garden in Barreras Azul. The 30 x 20 foot garden is made up of thirteen walls located in the backyard of their home.

Members of the family took part in this activity including some children who make up the EcoHuertos Group of Las Barreras Early Education and Elementary School.

They planted the following: radishes, tomatoes, spinach, carrots, onions, okra, lettuce, celery, beets, eggplants, peppers, melons, cucumber, yellow squash and spinach.

The activity was carried out in a very pleasant and gratifying atmosphere, especially with the joyful energy of the participating children.

EcoHuertos welcomes the Agramonte family!

December 18, 2013

On Wednesday December 18, 2013, we donated material to Mr. Nicolás Matos Vargas and Mr. Leoncio Vargas in the community of Barreras de Azua.

The donation to this family consisted of a 250-meter barbed wire fence and small nails to assemble it around the family garden.

Nicolás and Leoncio are cousins and are getting their children, nephews and nieces involved in the cleanup work as well as breaking up the soil, removal of stumps and logs, building the fence and, finally, planting the garden.

Nicolás and Leoncio’s vegetable garden includes the planting of peppers, melon and patilla.

Welcome Matos Vargas Family to the EcoHuertos Program! 

December 18, 2013

On Wednesday December 18, 2013, we collaborated with Mr. Kenni Figuereo and his wife Mrs. Yumary Castillo in Barreras de Azua with a donation consisting of tubing and the necessary implements to transport water to the family vegetable garden. We also paid for the plumbers to set up the tubing. The also provided seeds, seedlings and organic fertilizer.

Mr. Kenni’s garden is 60 x 15 meters and is partially cultivated with bananas and taros.

The seeds we donated included radishes, tomatoes, spinach, leeks, carrots, okra, lettuce, celery, beets, eggplants, peppers, melon, cucumbers and yellow squash. We also donated chinola seedlings and oregano seeds.

Welcome Figuereo Castillo Family to the EcoHuertos Program!

December 18, 2013

Stalin Feliz Beltré is a 14-year-old boy who, in addition to going to school, has decided to plant a vegetable garden to help his family.

On various occasions, our EcoHuertos program has given him seeds, organic fertilizer and tools.

The seeds we gave him included: radish, tomato, spinach, leeks, carrot, okra, lettuce, celery, beets, pepper, melon, cucumber and beets.

The EcoHuertos Program welcomes Stalin – you are an inspirational example for Dominican youth!

January 17, 2014

On Friday January 17, 2014, an EcoHuertos garden creation workshop was held at the Fe y Vida Abundante Church Center Foundation, located in the Favidrio Residential Area in Madre Vieja, San Cristobal.

The group successfully put together and planted a vegetable garden made up of 19 flowerbeds bounded by concrete blocks and stones that were already there. In addition, aromatic and medicinal plants were also planted inside several used tires, which were then painted by members of the center.

Members of the religious community who previously took part in the EcoHuertos Induction Workshop on October 25, 2013 were also involved in this activity.

The following fruits and vegetables were planted: melons, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, beets, carrots, eggplant, okra, spinach, celery, cubanela peppers, lettuce, radish, passion fruit and chili peppers. The herbs and spices included: oregano, sage pennyroyal, basil, lemon balm as well as seeds for such ornamental plants as Garden Four O’clock  (Mirabilis jalapa, Nyctaginaceae).

The event was held in a pleasant and fun atmosphere, with the enthusiastic participation of the centers children.

December 11, 2013

On Wednesday December 11, 2013 an EcoHuertos program garden creation workshop was held at the Unión Panamericana Secondary School in Santo Domingo.

Students from the November 11th EcoHuertos Induction Workshop took part in this activity.

A vegetable and fruit garden was created in the western part of the school directly on the ground with planters measuring 19.69 x 13.12 feet. With the help of a carpenter, students set up a perimeter fence around the garden, which was constructed out of recycled wood pallets.

Students also worked to set up the space before planting, which included pulling out weeds and unwanted growth, preparing the substrate, and delineating the outer edges of each planter with the use of rocks and stones collected on school grounds.

Once ready, the students planted seeds to grow the following vegetables and fruits:  tomatoes, basil, lavender, cilantro, beets, leeks, chili peppers, cubanela peppers, parsley, eggplants, green beans, garlic, garlic, okra, squash, melon, carrots, lettuce and celery.

At the entrance of the vegetable garden ornamentals meant to beautify the space were also planted, including Mirabalis jalapa seeds (the four o’clock flower or marvel of Peru), passion fruit seedlings and oregano.