Organic Farming with Foothill College

June 27th 2010, a group of students from Los Altos, California's, Foothill College Anthropology Department, embarked upon an adventure in the small yet fascinating country of Belize.
With the generous help of Mic and Lucy Fleming and their land at Chaa Creek, the Students found themselves with the opportunity to work alongs side Ted and Linda Neff in their study of the agricultural practices of the ancient Maya.
As part of a larger Anthropology field school, the Foothill students were invited to work with the Neff's at Chaa Creek for a 1 week intensive on Maya farming, learning archaeological research methods, and participating in an experimental archaeology project.
In their gratitude for Mic and Lucy Fleming for so graciously welcoming them to work on their land, they have put together a small blog about their experiences.

Aside from learning organic Maya farm practices, working on the farm also seemed to reinforce the importance of food quantities as well as the work that goes into making the food. We were lucky enough to get treated to a delicious traditional Garifuna meal at the Chaa Creek Resort at the end of our workweek. Knowing exactly how much work went into the fresh organic meal we ate definitely made me appreciate it for more than its delicious flavors. --(Anne Garcia)

All the hard work paid off when we had our lunch at Chaa Creek. It was very delicious, and probably the best meal that I have had in Belize. Thank you Mic for letting us do this at your resort, it was a very good experience and taught me a lot about farming. --(Katya Kleschevnikova)

Belize

The Lodge at Chaa Creek

"The story of Chaa Creek Cottages began in 1977 when two young travelers stumbled upon what would later become their adopted home. In those days most business was conducted around bar room tables in Belize City and it was here that Mick and Lucy Fleming ran into the owner of an overgrown 140 acre farm in the Cayo District." (http://www.chaacreek.com/history/)

Bright young explorers, their new found home was quickly turned to a prolific estate producing fresh fruits and vegetables, dairy and eggs, and an abundance of sustainable resources. Nearly 35 years later and that small farm has transformed into a premier resort, noted for its commitment to ecotourism and sustainable practices.

Program Description

The Belize Farming: Past and Present Anthropology Project will investigate and compare the agricultural practices of the Ancient Maya to present day traditional Maya farmers who live(d) in the Macal River Valley, Belize, Central, America. This is a field methods class where students will learn to work together as a group while they learn anthropological field methods and contribute to the success of a long-term anthropological research project. This project will provide instruction in archaeological field methods such as survey and mapping techniques with the possibility of excavation. In addition, students will participate, observe, record, and fully engage in present day traditional Maya farming practices.