Have you ever thought about having your own organic garden in your backyard, Dona Mara? That was my question to her while we were sitting in her open-air Costa Rican kitchen on a Sunday afternoon, after she was done with her Sunday routine (church and bingo). Didn’t really get an answer to my question. She just stood up and said, “Let’s do it!” This senora can go forever, and off we started putting together a plan. Don Matias arrived Monday morning with shovel in hand, ready to stir the dirt and make a series of five long lanes. Even at 75, he takes as many dirt-moving clients as possible to keep the income flowing … It is very typical of Dona Mara to get as many people from the community involved as possible in whatever project she is up to. That, I certainly admire.

When Don Matias was done, we went to the pulperia (local store) and got some radish, cilantro, mustard, cucumber, and tomatoes seeds and planted them. So next time you visit her for lunch and some tortilla making lessons, you’ll likely be served some of the produce from our work that week in the garden.

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