EvyCarEli  Organic Farm in Ambato, Ecuador

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Our Organic Farming Practices Irrigation We utilize natural water from the mountains of the Andes. In the world of organic farming, it is hard to think that any farm in existence is truly 100% organic. This is because the water used, the air above, or the soil below is constantly contaminated by pollution that is always around us. Though the farmer may have the best intentions, and not use pesticides or chemicals, they probably don't filter the water they use, and no one purifies the air their plants breath, which is full of pollutants. Cars and factories produce harsh toxins which travel the globe, and affect all areas. However, due to our location, we have a great advantage in that regard. The air at our altitude is quite fresh, and shielded by nearby mountains. The water we use comes straight from a nearby mountain, and has not passed through any town, or distance of land inhabited by man which could possibly make it more polluted. Hummus and Fertilizer Tanks of animal waste are broken down over a period of months into natural hummus, full of nutrients and minerals for our crops. It is applied to the soil, along with other methods of organic fertilization, to help our plants grow tall, and in large quantities. Workers place the hummus by hand, so we don't contaminate the soil with machine fluids (gasoline or oil), or with engine exhaust. The process of creating hummus is a lengthy one, but the rewards can been seen in our harvests (below). Plant Protection (bugs and disease) All of the methods we employ are permitted by organic certifying companies. Instead of using chemicals or pesticides, we spray our crops with capsaicin from jalapeno peppers (which we also grow ourselves, organically). This is one of the more critical elements to a successful organic farm, as well as obtaining an organic certification. The use of natural pesticides in place of chemicals is what differentiates an organic farm from one that is conventional. Volcanic-ash assisted soil This isn't an organic process, it's a natural occurance here, but it is worth mentioning. We are surrounded by 6 volcanoes, some of which are somewhat active and currently vent ash. The ash that falls to the earth is not helpful to the fertility of soil, nor to plants or animals, until nearly one year has passed. After a period of about 1 year, bacteria breaks down the minerals and rare metals found in the ash, which eventually makes the soil highly rich and fertile. To review articles about this occurance, visit the Soil Science Society of America Journal. (http://soil.scijournals.org/) Harvests Though a good portion of our crop is used in the manufacture of Alen and Eveliza, not all of what is listed below is for manufacturing. We use a portion of crops harvested for our own meals. Nearly 90% of what we eat each day comes from the foods and animals raised at EvyCarEli. Barley Wheat Corn Quinoa Lemons Limes Tree Tomatoes Raspberries Pear tomatoes Lettuce Cabbage Rhubarb Copyright © 2003-2007 by Dr. Vargas-Machuca E. MD; All Rights Reserved.