WWOOF BRAZIL: Recanto Natureza Divina
After a year away from the Urban Roots farm, I thought I'd throw on my UR t-shirt and set out for some tropical farming in Bahia, Brazil. I spent 2 weeks WWOOFing in a tiny town (who's name I am still unsure of) near Igatu (another, slightly less tiny town) in Chapada Diamantina (a magnificent national park) in the state of Bahia, Brazil. There I met Naya (the owner and primary farmer of the land) and the beautiful Recanto Natureza Divina. Naya is commited to tending the land with care and respect, using permaculture, biodynamics and lots of singing to maintain hundreds of pineapple plants, and a vast orchard of everything from mangoes and bananas to ipín and xuxu! Together we cooked meals, laughed, swam in a nearby waterfall, were bitten by mosquitoes, were chased by bees, harvested fertilizer (I'll let you figure out what that entailed), rearranged the irragation system (daily), ate great meals and discussed everything from the politics of sustainable living to the joys of dancing! I arrived at Recanto thinking that I would stay for a month, and ultimately left two weeks ahead of schedule. It was an amazing and wild adventure, and I am very happy about the time weeks that I offrered to that very special community of plants, animals, insects and people. I am also very grateful that my time in the still and the quiet of the Chapada also gave me some clarity about the next steps in my professional and personal paths. So, stay tuned! WWOOF Brazil is affiliated to the International WWOOF Association, and is a part of a world-wide effort to promote organic farming, sustainable agriculture and responsible consumer habits. It links travellers with organic farms in Brazil, offering WWOOF members the opportunity to learn by doing. www.wwoof.org
