Local School Visits the Garden

This past Friday we had some visitors from a local school, Panajachel Colegio Internacional, visit the medicinal herb garden. Miguel (wearing cap) at the top is explaining to the students about the demonstration plot at the entrance to the gardens. In this area are small samples of the many varieties of plants grown in the garden.

Next the students were led into the greenhouse to see the collection of plants that are grown for selling and replenishing the gardens.


We then proceeded up the hill to look at the tablones/garden plots of the production herbs that are used for harvesting and drying for making medicinal teas, tinctures and salves that are sold locally and in Antigua. At the top of the garden we are showing the compost pile that is used to replenish the soil in the garden beds and also for potting mixtures that are used for the new plants that are grown. The method used is sheet composting which allows for more moisture and nutrient to be retained in the composting process. There were several sheet composting locations in the garden but many were washed out in the mudslide during the storm Agatha

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Next we put the kids to work, the first group is harvesting Hierba Buena, aka: Mentha spicata or Spearmint useful for treating stomach aches, nausea, diarrhea. The second group is pulling off the best leaves of Albahaca morada, Ocimum micranthum or Purple Basil, useful for treating gastritis, parasites, diarrhea and depression. All of the harvested leaves are cleaned, disinfected and then dried for use as a healing tea.

The students seemed to have a good time and it was helpful to have some extra hands for the harvesting process. There were many interested questions posed by the students and it was good to have their participation.