Planting seeds in the Earth can teach our children to grow, blossom — and heal | Opinion
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The agroecological movement
Agroecological farmers aim to work hand in hand with nature, reducing dependence on external materials, like purchased seeds, and shunning synthetic chemicals used in
conventional farming.
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During my teacher training at the Agricultural Education Program of the Puerto Rican Education Department — and for three subsequent decades — I loved participating in the annual graduation ceremonies. I liked using PowerPoint presentations to show images of students doing their work and showing the skills learned. For many years we had used slides because we did not have the marvels of PowerPoint or videos.
The images sparked pride, especially among the relatives present, as well as the students. But it took me a lot of work to get them accepted.
“The agriculture teacher wants to show some photos of the students working in the school farm …” We always added exquisite music that ennobled life in the countryside and agricultural work. We finished with a round of applause, and everyone was proud of their children.
During the presentations, I always asked, “What do we really want for our sons and daughters?” “What do we hope that life will give them?” And there was the parallel question I asked students during classes, and especially when they were working on their “Reflexive Diaries,” which included these open questions: “I learned this …,” “This impressed me …,” “I want …,” leaving them room to write their individual and collective experiences.
I got answers like: “I was impressed when the carrots came out of the ground.” “I was impressed by the color of the carrots, because they looked like they had tiny pieces of gold.” “I felt happiness.” “I felt love.” “I felt like a hero that cannot be stopped by anyone or anything.”
That’s when I understood that learning the names and uses of tools, how to weed, how to plow by hand or with a light plowing machine and how to cultivate and harvesting, bore other fruit of profound significance for those boys and girls.
And that was the question for the mothers and the fathers: What do we want for our children?
The students learned these skills starting in the third grade. And while working on the school farm, we encountered a range of living organisms in the agroecosystem — spiders, frogs, snakes, toads, earthworms, millipedes, birds. We were experiencing the biodiversity around us and we understood the values of respect for life and peace.
We started to become better human beings. We learned to enjoy healthy food, cultivated and harvested through our own efforts. We discovered different flavors, fresh, new smells, different textures and tastes. At the same time, we discovered our power to change our reality. Agroecology gave us that power.
I teach agroecological production because it’s important. My students started to respect the life around us, as well as the elements of nature that make that life possible. Decades ago, the boys and girls at the Botijas School learned agriculture in harmony with the environment.
Out of their joy and experience came “Teaching of the Earth,” where we declare: “Knowing how to produce healthy food should be considered a human right for the boys and girls of Puerto Rico.”
Now we know that we must recognize this human right for all people, protected by the laws of each country and people.
Will we learn that all children are children of the world? They are all the same. They are love. They are enthusiasm. They are smiles.
When you see one who is reluctant to smile, you will know the child’s soul is damaged. In the best case, perhaps it’s only a scratch. Then you put those little hands in the Earth. You give them seeds.
When those seeds sprout you will see the start of a tiny smile. As the plants grow you will continue to see small smiles, and you will know that you are on the right road. And when there’s a harvest, you will see the eyes shine and full smiles. Then you will know the soul has healed. And when the soul, for any reason, is again touched, the memory will return and the soul will heal again.
The Earth heals.
Dalma Cartagena is a teacher and agroecological farmer from the mountain town of Orocovis, Puerto Rico.
This story was originally published October 3, 2021 at 6:00 AM.