Permaculture Farm
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Plenitud PR is an organic farm based on permaculture principles and techniques. Through a variety of growing and sustainability practices, including creating a food forest, rainwater harvesting, greenhouse production, terraced farming, raised beds, and more, Plenitud has created a working demonstration site that illustrates the biodiversity, strength and resiliency that is possible with a little work and dedication to learning, creating, serving and sharing.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Service Learning in the Greenhouse
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Service learning program participant Sunita Dharod from St. Thomas University’s VISIONS program weeding the garden beds in the greenhouse at Plenitud.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
Sunita Dharod
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Hands-On Service Learning in the Garden
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Service learning program participants Darian Kolb, Sunita Dharod and Mackenna Crisally from St. Thomas University’s VISIONS program gaining hands on experience by volunteering in the garden as they learn about permaculture and agroecology principles.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
Darian Kolb, Sunita Dharod, Mackenna Crisally
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Loving Service at Plenitud
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
While working in the greenhouse at Plenitud, resident Rebekah Sánchez and intern Bri Treppeda take a moment to show their friendship and affection.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
Rebekah Sánchez
Bri Treppeda
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Harvesting Purslane
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Rebekah Sánchez, a resident and team member at Plenitud PR, harvesting purslane from the greenhouse garden bed. Purslane is often thought to be a weed, but when allowed to grow and harvested for food, it is an extremely nutritious and delicious green.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
Rebekah Sánchez
©Raíces Cultural Center
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Purslane
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Christina Proxenos, a volunteer with Raíces Cultural Center who came on our January 2018 relief support trip to Puerto Rico, harvesting purslane from the Plenitud PR greenhouse to include in the day’s lunch salad.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
Christina Proxenos
©Raíces Cultural Center
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Watering Seedlings
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Service learning program participant Duncan Anderson from St. Thomas University’s VISIONS program watering seedlings in the greenhouse at Plenitud.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
Rebekah Sánchez
Duncan Anderson
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Cilantro Flowers Attracting Pollinators
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Some herbs, greens and flowers are allowed to go to flower and seed to help attract and feed the pollinators as well as for seed saving for future plantings. Cilantro flowers are great at attracting pollinators, especially honeybees and native bees.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Checking Seed Starts
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Plenitud PR resident and team member Rebekah Sánchez checking the progress of seedling starts in the greenhouse at Plenitud. Seedlings are grown under the plastic roof of the greenhouse to control the amount of water they receive and protect them from driving tropical rains.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
Rebekah Sánchez
©Raíces Cultural Center
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Weeding the Greenhouse
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Service learning program participants Sunita Dharod and Darian Kolb from St. Thomas University’s VISIONS program weeding the garden beds in the greenhouse at Plenitud.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
Darian Kolb
Sunita Dharod
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Service Learning - Watering in the Greenhouse
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Service learning program participant Mackenna Crisally from St. Thomas University’s VISIONS program watering the greens growing in the greenhouse beds at Plenitud.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
Mackenna Crisally
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Greenhouse Critter
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
The garden beds at Plenitud PR are filled with life and biodiversity, which in turn helps with natural pest control. Lizards hang out on the edge of the garden beds to sun themselves and wait for insects.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Working in the Greenhouse
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Many hands make light work. With about a dozen service learning volunteers, the entire greenhouse can be weeded and watered in about 15 minutes.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
Mary Timm
Tobias Knight
Aryan Willkom
Vivienne
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Watering the Greens
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Service learning program participant Mackenna Crisally from St. Thomas University’s VISIONS program watering the greens growing in the greenhouse beds at Plenitud.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
Mackenna Crisally
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Watering in the Greenhouse
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
The greenhouse at Plenitud PR is used for food production and educational programs. Greens are more easily grown in the controlled environment under the greenhouse plastic, where the amount of water the plants receive can be monitored and controlled. Here, service learning volunteer Duncan Anderson from St. Thomas University’s VISIONS program helps to water the tender greens growing in the greenhouse beds.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
Duncan Anderson
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Watering
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
All visitors to Plenitud contribute to the work on the farm or in the community in some way. Service learning program participant from St. Thomas University’s VISIONS program watering plants in the greenhouse at Plenitud.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Service Learning at Plenitud
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Service learning program participant Mary Timm from St. Thomas University’s VISIONS program watering plants in the greenhouse at Plenitud.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
Mary Timm
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Greenhouse Under Construction
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
The greenhouse at Plenitud PR was still under construction for reparations from Hurricane María when the Raíces crew visited in January 2018. However, the repairs had begun as soon as the grant announcement from Juntos Together Disaster Relief Coalition was received, so by the time the Raíces crew arrived to assess further needs and check out the progress in January 2018, the greenhouse was already in production and already being used for educational programs even as construction continued. At the time of our visit, the repairs on the frame were complete and the plastic cover was already stretched over the top of the greenhouse structure. All that remained was finishing touches.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Greens in the Greenhouse
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Kale, scallions, cilantro, parsley, lettuce, mizuna, arugula, chives and more were already growing in the greenhouse just weeks after repairs had begun in December 2017, and greens and herbs were already mature and being harvested when the Raíces crew visited in January 2018.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Mizuna
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Mizuna, an Asian salad and cooking green, growing in the greenhouse at Plenitud PR. Growing a diversity of heat resistant varieties adds to the biodiversity of the landscape and gardens.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Seedlings
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Seedlings sprouting in the greenhouse at Plenitud PR. The greenhouse was heavily damaged by Hurricane María. Raíces helped to facilitate the repair of the greenhouse through a grant given to Plenitud PR by Juntos Together Disaster Relief Coalition in Central NJ. This grant provided for the repair of the greenhouse for food production and education purposes, as well as the purchase of UV protected tents for visitors.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Greenhouse Seedlings
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
A variety of seedlings sprouting in trays in the greenhouse at Plenitud PR. The greenhouse was heavily damaged by Hurricane María, with repairs happening from the end of December to the beginning of January, thanks to a grant received by the Juntos Together Disaster Relief Coalition in Central NJ.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Tomato Seedlings
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Tomato seedlings sprouting in the greenhouse at Plenitud PR. Growing the seedlings inside of the greenhouse allows for control over the amount of water the seedlings get each day.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Greenhouse Production at Plenitud
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agroecology
Greens and herbs growing in the greenhouse at Plenitud PR. Tender annuals and seedlings are grown in the greenhouse in order to extend the season through water control. The young seedlings and the greens are protected from driving rains and given controlled amounts of water to prevent fungal infections and rot.
Nicole Wines
1-17-2018
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Las Marías, Puerto Rico
Resiliency and Hospitality
Puerto Rico
Hurricane Maria
agriculture
organic agriculture
Raíces Cultural Center’s January 2018 visit to Finca Mi Casa was a true lesson in resiliency and hospitality. In the face of Hurricane Maria and the difficult relief and recovery period that continues to this day, Don Luis Soto of Finca Mi Casa (left) illustrates a prime example of the strength ancestral, organic and ecological methods of farming. Just over three months past the storm and the farm was back in production with a variety of food crops ready for harvest and a seed stock that was on the rebound. While still recovering themselves, Don Luis and his wife Doña Carmen took us in with great hospitality, as they always do. Raíces chose Don Luis and Finca Mi Casa to receive repair support for the greenhouse shown in this photograph from our PR Sustainable Disaster Relief Fund due to the importance of Don Luis and his farm to the small scale, organic agriculture movement in Puerto Rico, serving as a demonstration site as well as working farm and educational center.
Nicole Wines
1-15-2018
Don Luis Soto
Francisco G. Gómez
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Camuy, Puerto Rico