Techical Training Trip...now say it three times fast!

I have been on my tech training for two weeks which is why I have not been able to update my blog. In Tech Training the whole group is seperated into regions and programs, my group was the Central/North Sierra - Ag group. We traveled around to different Peace Corps projects and learned about many of the different projects we could potentially do as volunteers. This blog post is more of a photo post...but I would rather see pictures than read a bunch anyway!

Things we learned:

Goats (milking, housing, walking and such...) And walking them is way harder than it sounds up and down a muddy mountain path...



Cheese making, most cheese in Ecuador is this type called queso fresco. It is very salty and rubbery in my opinion and I miss cheddar...please don't try to mail me cheese :o/ Although I would love it... One place we toured does make various types so I got to try real cheese for the first time in Ecuador. Yay!



Grafting trees... fascinating...If you are interested here is a YouTube Video explaining.

Chocolate making, this goes without saying...

Beekeeping, a little scary...Did you know they aim for your face? Net and all it was still uncomfortable.

Planting, planting, and more planting. Carrots, alfalfa, beets, many types of lettuce, broccoli, and swiss chard... (if you are reading this from Civiltech please tell Bart for me!)



Built a green house and checked out many types of greenhouses from different climates. In the Andes mountains within an hour you can be at 4000m where it is freezing (AhChaChi is how you say Brrr here) to the Subtropics at 800m (AhRahRye...you guessed it...this is what you say when it is hot). But the temperature change makes the Sierra region very diverse agriculturally...interesante!



Trout farms...cool facility...

Compost piles/organic remedies (pesticides)...Ag volunteers playing in poo!

Learning to use a machete...I think my brother will be jealous...

Cuyes (guinea pigs) & Rabbits...Yum! Actually, I have yet to try either...give it time...

Tire gardens & Seed & more...