Bejo Farm 2015

Panoramic view of El Bejo Fam

This past Sunday, March 22nd, we went for the second time to El Bejo, an experimental produce seed farm where once a year they open by invitation to families to harvest veggies. 

Thanks to the España Family we had the opportunity to repeat this experience. I went with Mariafer and Jose Andres ready to get our carrots, sugar beets, broccoli, etc. The market day is an experience in itself. For us, city slickers, events like this remind us the effort behind our food. Yes, food doesn't come from the fridge. The opportunity to get our hands dirty digging the fertile soil to get the food is humbling. I don't know if the carrots taste so good because of their quality or if it is the pride of having harvested them ourselves. Either way we had a fun morning learning about unexpected colors such as white sugar beeds or purple carrots, amazed by the size of onions, carrots or tomatoes, learning about unknown species like Romanesco broccoli and trying new things like Kale.

Besides the experience the place is beautiful.
Mariafer next to flower garden.

If all this was not enough the fact that it is ridiculously cheap and that all proceedings are used by the Foundation "Centro Educativo Agrícola Guatemala Melanie Beemsterboer" to help young peasant to get schooling is the cherry on the ice cream.

Weird shaped produce.
José Andrés with a Turnip that looked like an alien.

More pictures here.

Thanks to El Bejo and the España for putting this event together and having us invited.

My friend Luis Figueroa has a nice review in Spanish here.