Saturday, October 24, 2009

SANDIA is coming out of my ears

so these pics are backwards, look at the one on the bottom first. oh and maybe read the blog that is below the pics first.
the piles after the sticker has been put on ready for the truck
cutting off the stem and washing the watermelon



passing the sandia


the cart full of sandia, i think there were 10 carts full



picking the watermelon off the vine





How Many Times is a Watermelon Lifted??

1. The watermelon is picked off the vine after 3 months of love and care then carried to a pile.

2. The watermelon is picked up out of the pile and put into a cart that is pulled by two ox.

3. The watermelon is lifted out of the cart and put into the arms of a person who then puts the watermelon in its place, for now.

4. The watermelon is picked up and put on a table to be washed.

5. The watermelon is washed picked up and handed to a person to get weighed.

6. The watermelon is put on the machine to weigh, picked up again and handed to a person to get a sticker put on with the weight and producer code.

7. The watermelon now is handed to the¨runner¨ to put in the correct weight group.

8. The watermelon sits for a bit, then is lifted to put into the truck. At this point its usually an assembly line, so therefore there are more watermelon passed quickly in the hands of many.

9. The watermelon is placed in the truck and taken to Argentina, the case of my cooperative.

10... Not really sure how many more times its lifted before its on your table, but probably at least 10 more times.

So from now on when you go to the grocery store because you have the craving for a juicy, red, delicious watermelon, think to yourself how many times your 8 kg watermelon was lifted and how much love and care was put into it. (oh and my arms and back are really sore!!)

Also...I knew that producers always got screwed on the money side of things, and that prices get jacked up in every step of the process but it is outragous at how little these amazing people are getting for every watermelon. 5 mil guarani. that is $1. In asuncion, the capital, you buy a watermelon for 20 mil guarani.

Not sure how to make it better, of if there even is a way to make it better but allf i have to say is that i really have A LOT of respect for these farmers, and have A LOT more apperciation for my food. especially watermelon.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

I love watermelon

Watermelon- Sandia
My new host dad- Juan and his pineapple



David trying to swim, he really doesn't know how


David infront of the Rio Paraguay








Mexican Dinner- Pineapple margarita





Palacio de los Lopez





My new piggletts








Delicious Watermelon







Bath Time- Marcianna and her son






Danielle and I- The beekeeping volunteer who lives close by










Serafin and Sandra singing







My two hillarious sisters Nifa and Karen and thier baby goat