Demonstration Farmer

In my old life as an international development worker I was involved in a few agriculture projects. The most effective projects would find individuals who had a knack for growing things. We would invest in them, teaching them about soil cultivation and new crops. Then ask them to invest in others. These individuals were called "demonstration farmers."

Saturday, I met a man originally from Thailand who would have (absolutely!) been selected as a demonstration farmer. However, he now lives in downtown Fredericksburg, Virginia. He is Phim's dad. His name is Lope. I am not sure if that is how it is spelled, but that is how it sounds.

Lope has turned a small plot of land in to an amazing garden. He has fruit trees, herbs of all sorts (including some exotic varieties), vegetables and more. The front of the house is also surrounded by an impressive wall of bamboo.

One of the most notable things about his garden is how "green" it is - and I am not just talking about the color of the plants. He uses natural fertilizers and other environmentally friendly tricks. He doesn't do this because it is trendy. He does this because this is the method he knows for growing a garden. He also has a number of reused materials. This is a garden seating area with a canopy of bitter melon growing over it, made out of scrap metal and chicken wire. It is beautiful and serene.

Phim and I had free reign of the garden. We could harvest to our hearts content. I was allowed because of my association with his oldest daughter. After wandering the garden for a few minutes, mostly admiring it and not picking. He told me to pick. Apparently I did not do well enough as he came to me with a load of fresh cucumbers and even offered a full basil plant if we dug it up. If only I had a place to put it...

I would love to learn gardening tips from Lope. Maybe someday that will be a reality. When we were happy with our bags of fresh vegetables and herbs, he equipped us for our next adventure that day - fresh water fishing.

I had to sneak this snap while he was sifting through his tackle box with his grandchild standing by. Phim's mom said the grand-baby likes to walk around without a shirt so they can be like their grandpa.

You can take the man out of Thailand, but you can't take Thailand out of the man. You can take the international development worker out of the field, but...

just Sheri, inspired