Costa Rica welcomed the month of July with a lot of activity, especially the Seed Festival, now in its seventh edition.
In the event held this July 1st, from 9 am to 3 pm, in the Tinamastes community hall, it was evident the growth in the number of attendees, undoubtedly all motivated to learn and enjoy.
Of course, the seed party was organized through the team of the organization Vida Auténtica, represented by Melissa Sweet, the incredible ideas of Marisol and José Bermúdez, plus the accompaniment of EcoMaste, the Tinamaste Fair and Regenerate your Reality.
This 2023, the Festival kept its slogan “Saving our Seeds”; attendees were pleased with the exchange of seed and plant varieties between farms and the community, the music, the delicious food, the learning from the talks, and the fun activities for children.
Music was provided by the talented: “Chino” @chinomorapz, Ciara & Jimmy of @water.of.the.earth y Nathanael Marín @nathanael_lamusicasa , We’ve added their Instagram accounts so you can feel free to follow them.
Speakers representing Eco Maste and Regenerate your Reality talked about the importance of seeds, their talk was entitled “Sowing and planting with intention”; the renowned Jennifer Leigh Smith, leader of Community Carbon Trees, spoke about adaptation and mitigation to new patterns of climate change and settlement patterns in the beautiful area and representatives of the Finca Cantarana, who emphasized vermicomposting, its care, and maintenance, as well as castings collection, use and demonstrations.
At the Vermicomposting workshop, they discussed a practical and effective solution to waste management that can be easily replicated at home. The basics were handled very well, from setting up a worm box to general care and maintenance; an easy harvesting method to separate the finished product, and how to use the amendment to nourish our soil and plants in the garden.
Marisol and José from Vida Auténtica said that this year’s Seed Festival “was a joyful gathering where the cycles of nature and the abundance they bring were honored; there was a connection between farms, between families, neighbors, to share and learn from each other. Encouraging the saving and saving of seeds, sowing them”.
The participants brought their respective labels with the information about their seeds and small bags for the exchange of seeds.
About Melissa Sweet the mastermind of the Festival
Melissa Sweet is known as the creator of Vida Auténtica, organizer of the Tinamastes Fair, and who 7 years ago decided to start a path of dreams and encounters with the Seed Festival.
It is worth noting that the Tinamastes Fair is the second-largest organic market in Costa Rica, which is constantly joined by suppliers with new and fresh products. Today it is already 10 years old.
For Sweet, the main objective of the Fair is to support and promote organic agriculture, -free of agrochemicals-, in the southern part of Costa Rica.
She never forgets her other aims for the events she organizes: the production and consumption of organic food, knowledge of seeds, what is sown, and the process that leads to harvesting.
Melissa is a tireless worker, who always carries with her motivation, dreams, sustainable ideas, productive progress, and infinite gratitude to all the collaborators, speakers, farmers, and volunteers.
Pura Vida! May there be many successes…
