After I took my PDC and began the journey into and beyond sustainablity, I realized that I know very little and that there are many in the world who know much more than I do.  Since moving to Costa Rica, I have watched so many foriegners come here and declare that they knew more and that they needed to help these poor mislead people.  Perhaps, I have thought that way at times. 

  Having spent some time with Costa Rican farmers, called camposinos, or workers of the land, I have learned so much.  They are so capable, and know so much.  Yes, some are misled by farm companies who sell chemicals for ease, but in my expereince there are those gems, who remember the days when all they could eat was what they grew and who have a genuine love for the earth and all the beings upon it.  It often happens that these camposinos are the ones who grew up poor and had to grow their own food to survive.  We are blessed to have one such person at Finca Fruicion, he is an amazing being, who respects the land and knows so much about the plants here.  His name is Albis and he is a shining example of a camposino. 

  Yesterday, we had another gem of a camposino here, his name is Marcos and he sells his fruits and vegitables at the farmers marekt.  Marcos uses orgaic methods and deeply resepcts the land.  What he can't grow, he outsources through other camposinos with simular organic morals.  Marcos believes planting with the moon, both through the movement of a moon cycle and a day.  He says that we can watch the tides and that as we plant with the tides, we support the plant in its natural rythm.  He also shared which native plants to use for building optimal compost and which plants benefit the soil as well as which ones deplete it.  He showed us ways to eliminate the evasive cow grass, that chokes out other plants and how to grow anuals in our climate through organic sprays, both compost tea and insect repellent.  Albis soaked up all the information and shared some of his own.  He knew which plants Marcos spoke of and shared some things about each one. 

  Albis once told me that book knowledge and expereincal knowledge are very different.  If I were to ask a Permaculture teacher to put a post in the ground here in this climate and ask Albis to do the same, which would be the better post.  It would depend on the teacher, of course, but if that person lacked in experience and practice, that Albis' post would be the sterdier of the two.  It is so important that as we go out into the world and share our knowledge of permaculture, that we do so with humility.  We must also learn through practice and experience so that our posts may be sterdy and our foundations strong.

  I am filled with gratitude for people like Albis and Marcos, who remember to listen to the whispers of nature, plant with the moon, and meditate through their work with the land.  Now, I have decided to give back by opening up our land for a community garden for those who share our oganic morals and want to plant the seeds for their wellbeing.  I look forward to learning so much from them.