The Agroecology course, formally known as “Sustainable Food Systems,” is now in full force. On Thursday students had the unique opportunity to visit their Ajaan Jeff’s home and farming project at Fair Earth Farm. Ajaan Jeff and his staff showed students their way of farming in nature’s image, a great example of what permaculture in Thailand can look like: rice paddies, food forest (roots, shoots, and fruits), ducks, geese, and fish for food and farm “labor.”
On Monday students leave for the field course portion for Agroecology. Half of the group will first travel to Mae Ta, a community and cooperative group of Northern Thai (kon muang) farmers committed to self-sufficiency living and organic farming. The other half of the group will begin their field experience in Fang subdistrict at Upland Holistic Development Project (UHDP), learning about the organization’s agricultural projects to improve the livelihoods of ethnic minority people in local villages.
Ajaan Jeff shows students the area for growing a nitrogen-fixing fern
A healthily growing rice paddy
Neighboring rice paddies
Fun factoid: water canna lilies have edible roots!
Food waste and natural debris make good mulching materials for the food forest
