Will Work for A Free Bed

Hola!
Last couple days have been pretty crazy!

Before I left Boca Brava, I had to re-enter the real world for a couple minutes and pay some bills. I realized that I wasn´t going to have much cash when I got into South America if I didn´t go soon or find a way to save some money, so was thinking about that a bit.

Decided to stock up on some more groceries and get some laundry done in David before heading to the Lost and Found Lodge so I headed over to my laundry and lunch spot. Was a little disconcerted when one of the ladies said they were spraying around the church down the street for Dengue! Apparently there was a bit of an outbreak up the carribean coast. The taste of that spray with my lunch wasn´t pleasant but better than getting Dengue.

Grabbed a bus to the lodge and was dropped off on the side of a road with a small fruit stand and a sign. The only way to get to the lodge, is a 15 minute hike up the mountain. My Baru hiking mentality kicked in but it was a little more challenging as I was now carrying my backpacks, about 35 lbs. Finally made it up and was greeted by Piera, a very chill North Carolinan, who offered me some water and showed me around. The lodge is litterally in the middle of the jungle but they have a pretty nice layout, with some gardens, their own little coffee plantation, a bar, hiking trails, etc. They sell food, snacks, veggies and fruit and everything is on the honor system, you have a sheet and tick things off as you take them. They didn´t have room for me so they set me up in the volunteer dorm (a sign?) and I found a seat with some swiss guys.

Woke up the next day to go to an organic coffee farm. We met Don Cuni, who was an amazing man. He has had his farm for over 30 years and started out using chemicals and pesticides to focus on making money. About 10years ago, a german company came in to try to teach him and the local farmers some other ways of farming and controlling the insects...as long as he bought their chemicals. He learned from then but could no longer affor their chemicals so he used some of their science and his own knowledge to develop un-heard of methods for true organic farming. Everyone in the town called him ´el Loco´as he was chosing to give up larger yeilds and profits to be organic. After a while he embraced the term and decided to start calling himself and his farm loco and equate loco with organic. I can´t even start to explain some of the things he is doing to maintain this organic lifestyle and farm, with no regard for how it will profit him later. There are also a lot of politics behind it as he only has squatter rights on his farm and Panama says he will never have the opportunity to truely own his land. He has no sons and hopes that his only grandson will want to maintain the farm or he will lose it.

We toured the farm and he showed us all of the various plants, fruits and crops he had and how he developed ways to work with nature to maintain everything. He even developed some of his own bushes and plants by putting them together to control insects and prevent erosion. He actually scored 51 out of 80 in an international coffee certification, which is remarkable with the methods he uses. The coffee we drink in the US, on the high end only scores 40 and under. One day he hopes to have one of the best coffees in the world. Sadly, he does not have enough yeilds to make a major profit so he relies on the tours and coffee sales by The Lost and Found lodge for his lively hood. He also has organic wine that he tought himself to make. We saw the entire coffee making operation from beginning to end and I bought a pack of his coffee for $3! One of the highlights was using his tree tools to extract sugar cane juice to make us lemonade. I´ve never had anything so good in my life!

I was awed by listening to his story and seeing the farm. It also made me think of how little I know about some of the hardships that farmers and other people have in my own town that I have no idea about.

I was feeling good about the Lodge and mentioned to Ken, one of the managers, that I was thinking of sticking around a couple weeks. Later, the owner pulled me a side and told me normally they require two weeks but they needed help in the bar if I could start right away. Wow, I now have a job!!! I stock, bartend and post tabs nightly. When I say bar, we have a mini fridge and 3 different kinds of alcohol. Everynight, after everyone has had time to play with the Kinkaju (honey bear) Rocky, I ring the bell to start happy hour and we close when people are done. Definately not something I planned on doing but it feels good to contribute and have a purpose, at least for a while. In return, i get to stay for free. It is a good feeling but wierd at the same time.

Hate to cut it short but i´m here with my 2 English girl and irish volunteer friends in town to get some groceries and get some internet time. Pics are up from Boca Brava and the coffee farm. Oh yeah, was sitting on the perch looking at the clouds over the mountains and saw a monkey!

Miss you guys!