We wake up early to the cows being milked in the room below where we sleep. We lie in bunk beds with two other cyclists in a fantastic room built from sustainable materials. With mud toilet and hot shower, heated by the sun.
We are on the Palugo farm in Ecuador. An organic farm, outdoor school and home for the three Dammer brothers; Michael, Thomas, Mathias and their sweet families. In addition, also the parents Francisco and Adela, who started the farm more than 40 years ago.
In the beginning, they farmed in a conventional way, but slowly it was changed to be organic. They could not reconcile themselves to the traditional approach to agriculture, the use of chemicals and large-scale farming. Palugo was the first farm in Ecuador to have their milk production certified as organic. That's unique in itself, but it's even more amazing how the family has managed to take traditional production and craftsmanship methods and bring them up to date.
'There is only one way' says Michael. He refers to the way of producing food. It must be sustainable and local. This means, in addition to the fact that their food production is chemical-free, that the family builds from and uses natural materials in their everyday life. Their vision is to restore the connection between people and the environment. To strengthen the earth instead of exploiting it.
The Palugo farm is located close to the capital Quito. The city is constantly growing and therefore more people are interested in buying the land at a very high price. The family doesn't mind. They are determined to keep the land, the beautiful nature and fight to keep the place going. For the sake of their children and grandchildren. And because they cannot imagine being separated from nature at all.
The father, Francisco, has proposed a bill to protect agricultural land in Ecuador. Unfortunately, not everyone thinks like the Dammer family. Francisco said that some farmers are just waiting for the city to move so close that they can sell the land and get rich. Ecuador is the country in South America with the highest population density, and if the trend continues, agriculture will be displaced to the high mountains.
The recipients do not know which or how many vegetables they will receive. It depends on the season and how big the week's vegetable harvest is. From time to time, the recipients call and ask what they will use the various vegetables for. It is good to be able to inspire people to break routines and become more creative in their cooking; says Michael.
The concept is that the recipients pay for a minimum of three months at a time and up to a year. Every year they hold a meeting where they transparently present everything. They also invite the recipients to events on the farm, where they cook or work in the fields.
A form of collective farming. It is very similar to Community Supported Agriculture, which started in the United States, but is sprouting up little by little, all over the world. A jointly owned farm, where consumers are involved and pay in advance for their products, so that the farmer has the means to produce the food. If the harvest fails due to, for example, drought, the farmer does not bear the burden alone.
A backlash both against the regrettable development of huge farms gathered in a few hands in order to produce for the retail trade's (ultimately consumers') demands for cheap food and consumers' removal from the food's origin. In a jointly owned farm and at Palugo, there is a map from production to consumer, and it is therefore more sustainable. The users are involved so they understand the process and why quality costs. It is not so far from the cooperative way of thinking, which has previously been the driving force in Denmark.
The three brothers grew up in the mountains of Ecuador, and they got their first mountain bike as a child, where they raced around the farm. It grew into a passion for adventure and outdoor activities. They are all certified mountain guides, outdoor and mountain bike enthusiasts, and they have expanded the Palugo farm to also be the starting point for a four-month outdoor education course for young people between 16-18 years of age. This year they have 14 students. Most from the USA, but also from Europe and Ecuador.
Throughout the course, the students must go on various expeditions on land and at sea, where they learn about navigation, camp life and the specific activity. In addition, students develop craft skills. They sew e.g. their own backpack, works with wood and other crafts.
Students must not have their mobile phone on them while they have lessons or are on an expedition. Michael tells how the students are initially frustrated, but end up thinking it's absolutely fantastic. He also tells how the students go through a huge development during the months. We can vividly imagine that. If we were 16 years old we would definitely sign up.
The vision of living in relation to nature also shines through in the way the families have arranged themselves. All three families live in the most amazing, unique, beautiful wooden houses, which they have built themselves using natural materials. The houses are so beautiful, and when you enter them, you can't help but smile, relax and feel good. The families are incredibly creative and aware of materials and very good at using their hands.
We heard about the place through another couple who were bikepacking in Ecuador and they suggested we write to Michael to see if we could stop by and spend the night. All three brothers are crazy about cycling and bikepacking, so it could be really fun to visit them. The answer was; of course! Finally come by. Although they were busy because they were accepting students the week we were there.
The families are fantastic proof that where there is room for the heart, there is room for the house. The hospitality was overwhelming and we got involved in the various chores on the farm. The plan was just to stay one night, but it turned into four days. It was too hard to leave this amazing place and wonderful people.
There are the good experiences and then there are the experiences that touch and move you. This experience definitely belongs to the latter category. The Dammer family has a love for nature and a vision of living in harmony with it. A beautiful vision that shines through everything they do. Integrated into everyday life in the most natural way. There are many of us who talk about what can be done. The Dammer family shop. Both the place and the people are super inspiring, and they make us believe that we can make a difference. Together.
And now that we can't go to the family's outdoor school Nahual ourselves, we can only encourage that if you know someone or know someone who knows someone who is between 16-18 years old, hurry up and send them off on the experience of a lifetime to Nahual outdoor school.
