Argentina Blog Numero 6

When they said the apple doesn´t fall far from the tree they clearly had never picked up apples from the floor of an apple orchard with over 20 large trees. That being said, I have been spending the month of March working on an organic farm in Vista Flores, Mendoza, Argentina. La finca Pelegrino. The family I work with are all living in the same land in different homes, a mother and her 2 children and their spouces, her ex husband, and volunteers. The family sells the produce at a natural market on Saturdays in Mendoza which I helped out with yesterday. Definitely different then El Bolson, but still wonderful. People would come to talk to Anna the lady in charge whom knows so many things about your body and how to be healthy naturally. She is one of the most beautiful people I have ever met, and I love watching how much she loves her food and the people she helps and lives with. The other people in the market sold organic honey, and beauty products and other produce and wine. I loved talking to them all about their products and such. Also did you know that there is black honey and white honey? It just depends on what type of flower is pollonated. Interesting huh? Black honey is pretty good I must say. Not only just helping at the ferria,  I have been clearing apples from the floor of the apple orchard to get the prep ready for apple vinagar, and fresh apple juice without sugar. It is soo good. I am addicted and would love to make it when I get home. I am learning that you don´t need additives like salt, sugar or other junk to have delicious food. We have been eating a strick vegetarian and vegan diet here and its not that bad. We eat a lot of vegetables, and fruits and occasionaly whole wheat pasta. I really love nights we have pasta.The family is all vegan, but us volunteers get bread and eggs sometimes at meals which I really like. What my day looks like is this. We wake up at 7:30 am and meet up at 8 for breakfast. Then around 8:30 we do our first job of the day usually until 12ish. This job includes canning vegetables, cleaning the work shop we work in doing such, clearing apples from the ground or picking vegetables and fruits. Then we have lunch and get to rest until 4. I usually take a nap or read Harry Potter. but generally  we are all to tired to do anything really. Then at 4 the second job begins which includes, clearing more apples, picking apples, or making pasterizors for the jucie jars. Eventually in a week or so it will only be picking apples and making juice. So that will be the most interesting, but also the most stressful cause all the apples have to be picked. Luckely there are 11 volunteers from all over that are fun to work with. I am still very happy here, and love Argentina. I am still planning to come home, but leaving is getting harder and harder each time I think about it. I never thought I could fall in love with a place and culture and people as much as I have with Mendoza, Argentina, but I have, and will definitely come back.

I still can´t believe I´ve been gone for almost 7 months. Time has flown by, and I´ve changed so much and can´t wait to share my stories with you all when I get back. I´m going to continue living in the momen t and enjoying where I am at this moment.