Arroyo La Pita

Jason lives in a farming community called Arroyo La Pita with a population of around 200. It is between Jarabacoa and Constanza in the central region of the country. It is the most remote of any of the current service locations. Nearly a mile separates his extended family's three houses from the rest of the community. Photo at right is taken near La Pita.

But we found out his grandfather's house, Don Nano, is very popular and is the recipient of many visitors who stop by in the evening, sit around a wood fire to keep warm (build in the house on the dirt floor), and talk till bedtime. The room is illuminated by one bulb, powered by a battery which is charged with a solar panel. During the day, a small battery run radio sometimes plays Bachata, the music of choice in this area. Don Nano's house pictured at left.

Jason's family plants "habichuelas" (beans), harvesting two crops a year (April-May, October-November). Right now, they just finished planting for the October-November picking season. They plowed the hill side with a team of Ox. Jason tried to help on the hill, but a task which would have been a challenge on flat ground was nearly impossible on a steep hill! They also have a small cabbage field which Jon (from the Spring group) helped plant which is just now producing a crop. It is quite a sight to see the crops on the side of the hills, since very little of the land is flat. One very interesting aspect of the small community, is that there is no hired help to be had, so there is a sort of communal arrangement where ten farmers might get together and plant one crop for one farmer in a single day and then rotate around.
More snapshots: cabbage field | project area | stone barrier

Jason is helping out with his family wherever possible. There is also a project started by the local peace corps worker where Jason also works. Given the hills, one problem is erosion, so lemon grass is one solution. Jason (pictured at right) is beside some newly planted lemon grass at right. When more developed, it provides a barrier to stop the soil erosion during heavy rains. Another alternative is a stone barrier. A stone wall is built on a level area of the hill. Soil collects on the top side of the wall and creates a natural shelf which stops the soil erosion.

Another aspect of the project is providing seedlings for the local agricultural community. Jason poses with coffee seedlings (pictured at left).

Mercedes is Jason's mother and she keeps an immaculate kitchen (pictured at right)