Principle 10: USE AND VALUE DIVERSITY
‘Don’t put all your eggs in one basket’
On February 25 we took a trip to one of Mount Pleasant’s three cocoa farms. The farm we visited in Saint Andrew has been in owner Aberel’s family for around 120 years. When we arrived, Aberel and Ellen provided a history on the land and an overview of their practices. They spoke about the ways in which they value diversity on the farm. The cocoa farm looks far different than any produce farm in the United States – to a passer-by, the land might not even be recognized as a farm at all. The cocoa trees grow sporadically along the hillsides of the land. Mount Pleasant allows their farmers to grow any additional plants alongside the cocoa trees, as they know that diversity in planting only benefits the land and soil and enhances the flavors in the cocoa. A perfect example of permaculture principle number ten, use and value diversity.
For lunch, the One Regeneration team carried in a picnic lunch of traditional Trini street foods: doubles and aloo pies. All served alongside fresh fruit, coconut, and sugarcane.
After lunch we were able to hike through part of the 70 acre farm and everyone who wanted to was able to plant their very own cocoa tree.
Last but not least, we shelled cocoa pods for a small batch of fermented beans.
