Terra Madre Day Dec.10, 2010

Amigos de Terra Madre Day,

Aquí compartimos nuestra experiencia de la celebración del Día de la Madre Tierra.

10 de diciembre de 2010
Instituto Loaiza Cordero
San Juan, Puerto Rico

¡Hoy celebramos el Día de la Madre Tierra con gran entusiasmo y alegría!
Alrededor de 200 personas que incluyeron estudiantes, maestros, personal escolar, padres y amigos de la comunidad participaron de variadas actividades artísticas y de degustación de frutas locales.
¡Nuestra escuela se llenó de árboles, pájaros, mariposas, coquíes, abejas, caracoles, serpientes, flores representadas por los estudiantes de nuestro grupo ambiental Guardianes del Planeta! Ellos dramatizaron un cuento, El Gran Tabonuco, que habla sobre nuestro bosque pluvial El Yunque y la importancia de preservar su vida y biodiversidad.
Posteriormente, cada grupo de estudiantes hizo una presentación colorida de diversas frutas de producción local
ofreciendo información sobre sus características y beneficios alimentarios y medicinales. Todos los participantes tuvieron la oportunidad de degustar las diferentes frutas y platillos confeccionados con las mismas. ¡Fue un delicioso festival de sabores!
Concluímos nuestra actividad con la participación de reconocidos trovadores de nuestra Isla. Los mismos interpretaron canciones típicas de Puerto Rico, compuestas para la actividad por uno de nuestros profesores, en honor a la Madre Tierra.
Los participantes disfrutaron tan plenamente de la actividad que expresaron el deseo de celebrarla nuevamente el próximo año.
¡Qué viva la Madre Tierra!

Maria Caro

Sept..3, 2010 School Garden Teamwork

On September 3, 2010, the Loaizo Cordero School's staff members and children, Slow Food Boricua and an amazing all-star cast of Puerto Rico's finest agriculturist; assembled to resurrect their school 's children garden. Julio Vallejo and Raul Rosado donated plants for the garden. Jose Rivera donated seeds of yuca, malanga and ginger. Some others were bought with the money you donated to the project. Many seeds like tomatoes, pepper, aji, cilantrillo, beans, guanabana, calabaza, pepinillo, lechuga del pais, papaya, okra seeds, were prepared for the greenhouse. Slow Food International donated 50 comic book copies of " The Guardians of Biodiversity".
Julito Vallejo made the contact to bring compost from the University of Puerto Rico. Ivan Quintero and Alberto Tirado help to reorganize the greenhouse with the intermediate school students and their teachers; Raul Rosado, Julito Vallejo and Jose Rivera were in the garden with the little ones and their teachers; Anita Mattos shared her magic and love of composting with students from grades 4th-6th and their teachers. These wonderful teachers were able to transform hard exhausting work into fun educational play. At the end, many kids wanted to continue ranking leaves and shoveling dirt. Some of the children's parents, headed by Danny, Santos and Olga, and people from the community were key elements in developing the upkeep of the garden. In fact, they will continue helping the farmers restore the beauty of the Loaizo Cordero School's Children Garden.

Aug. 7, 2010 School Garden Fundraiser

Thank you very much for attending Aug.7, 2010; fundraiser at the Old San Juan Market. We were able to collect over $500.00. Your support and financial contribution; will definitely strengthen our affords to create a valuable educational platform for our young students. The Loaiza Cordero School's garden project aim is to work closely with local agriculturalist, community leaders, educators, artist, physicians and concern parents. We have received funds from all over the island and we welcome you to visit and make this garden project your home away from home. At the moment our school garden project is design for students, but we hope to expand into a organic community garden; for all to share and learn the importance of growing healthy fresh food.
In a few weeks, Elizama Montalvo ( Slow Food Boricua's president) will travel to Italy, for the Slow Food-Terra Marde 2010 event (www.terramadre.org). This global event will host countries from around the world in hopes to increase the awareness in natural organic foods. We hope to correspond and collaborate with other school garden projects, from many nations. Come join our mission and provide our future generations with skills and knowledge to grow and eat healthy food. We will appreciate your comments and advice, so contact Maria Caro at picaflores@hotmail.com. Thank you again.




El 20-25 de octubre de 2010; cuatro ciudadanos de Puerto Rico (Ivan Quintero, María Caro, Danny Pesante y Elizama Montalvo) iran a viajar a Italia y representar a nuestra hermosa isla en el evento de Slow Food-Terra Madre 2010. Slow Food Terra Madre es un evento internacional que se celebra el movimiento de alimentos orgánicos. Dado que nuestra escuela Loaiza Cordero en Santurce es la primera escuela de Puerto Rico, para ser seleccionada por Terra Madre y exponer elproyecto jardín en este espectacular evento global; esperamos que muchos de ustedes pueden venir a apoyar nuestra causa el 7 de agosto de 2010. Si eres incapaz de apoyar financieramente a la recaudación de fondos, por favor traiga a sus hijos, nietos o jóvenes miembros de la familia al mercado organico del Viejo de San Juan (En el antiguo Mercado en la Calle Norzagaray numero 150). Nos encantará educar a nuestras generaciones futuras, sobre la importancia del crecimiento y la preparación de alimentos orgánicos. Gracias


Elizama Montalvo, MD

Presidente de Slow Food Boricua

Queridos Amigos!

Durante este pasado semestre nuestra escuela, Loaíza Cordero, comenzó un huerto orgánico con estudiantes

de nuestro grupo ambiental "Raíces y Retoños".

Fue una iniciativa que fue posible gracias a la colaboración generosa de algunos agricultores amigos. La misma generó grandes satisfacciones entre los estudiantes y el personal de la escuela.

A nuestra iniciativa se ha unido Slow Food Boricua y con su apoyo, el próximo año escolar nuestra escuela comenzará

un proyecto de ¡siembra en grande! ¡Estamos bien entusiasmados porque ahora participaran estudiantes de toda la escuela y trabajaremos todas las fases de la agricultura orgánica: compostar ( Gracias: Anita Mattos), germinar semillas, sembrar, cuidar la siembra y cosechar! Este nuevo proyecto será presentado en el próximo evento de Slow Food Internacional: Terra Madre. Evento que tendrá lugar en Turin, Italia el próximo mes de octubre y que reune participantes de todo el mundo( www.slowfood.com ).


Bartus Allen, Masajista y Acupunturista profesional, miembro activo y comprometido de Slow Food Boricua, y de nuestro proyecto

ha organizado una actividad de recaudación de fondos para apoyarnos en nuestras actividades.
Estará ofreciendo sus servicios de masaje de silla para las personas interesadas y todo lo que se recoja lo donará a nuestro proyecto de composta y siembra.

¡Los invitamos a que se unan y nos ayuden a alcanzar nuestra meta!

Actividad: Masaje en silla

Lugar: Mercado Orgánico del Viejo San Juan

Fecha: sábado, 7 de agosto de 2010

Hora: 8:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.

Precio: $1.00 por minuto

¡Gracias! ¡Contamos con su apoyo! ¡Los esperamos!

Sound healing , Massage & Yoga with Delicious Food

On July 25, 2010 Elizama Montalvo M.D. and Emanuel Marrero ; gave a intimate evening with close friends, exploring the harmonious connection between delicious live food and healing sounds. They were able to experience how sound patterns and food, produces a tremendous healing process in the human body.

Since last month Slow Food Boricua’s live food and healing sounds extravaganza meal. We received many demands, and decided to present Part II of the Slow Food as Medicine community dinner, on September 5, 2010. This time, we have focus on the tremendous healing power of yoga ( Alei & Broiny), the artsy of bodywork ( Bartus); plus deliciously prepared food combinations. We learned how to relax the body, mind and spirit with the stimulating techniques of yoga & shiatsu massage. Along with energetic & nutritional cultural food, this event surely awaken our inner creative soul and curious taste buds. Elizama Montalvo shared her knowledge of Food as Medicine throughout the event. Since these Slow Food dinners are community oriented, 30+ people contribute their most tasty and challenging dish ( drink) to the event. Arturo and Lolin were the best host and everyone were absolutely mesmerized at the site of their home.

Institute Loaiza Cordero School & Slow Food Boricua

The Institute Loaiza Cordero School and Slow Food Boricua have formed a partnership to achieve a valuable children’s organic garden. Here are some major accomplishments they have achieved and projections for the new year.

2009-10 Accomplishments:

1. We participated in the visit of Dr. Jane Goodall to Puerto Rico and presented our group and our projects:
• Organic Gardening
• Share the harvest with people in need
• Trash removal and recycling
• Awareness of needs and appropriate care of animals
2. We conducted a school organic garden with the help and under the guidance of three farmers. Students participated in all phases:
• Land preparation
• Sowing
• Garden Maintenance
• Harvest
3. Foods that were harvested were donated to nonprofit organizations that serve people with social needs such as Julia de Burgos Protected House & Home Father Bernard, home to assist the homeless.
4. In turn, the students received lectures related to domestic violence and the needs of the homeless.
5. Crops were also shared with the school canteen and were used for preparing food for children and young people from school.
6. The students showed great sense of responsibility, enjoyment and commitment to the care of the garden and the share of the harvest.
7. They knew the names of the plants sown as seed and grow them, and the care they need.
8. We visited a farm where they learned about different animals, their characteristics, needs and care required.
9. We received the visit of a bee-keeper and the children learned about the life of bees, their work and contribution to our lives.

Projections for the year 2010-2011

For next year we plan to:

1. expand the organic garden
2. prepare compost for the garden with organic material from the school (dry leaves, grass, shells, raw food in the dining room).
3. use the nursery to germinate seeds and planting on benches.

To achieve these projects we need the cooperation of the whole school. We propose the following:

• Pre-school through third grade will continue in charge of the garden.
• Fourth through Sixth, will be responsible of the composting process
• Middle school will work in the nursery.
• Students with special needs will participate actively integrated with regular groups according to their ages.

During the school year groups will rotate station for a fixed period of time so everyone has the experience of learning the tasks of each stage of planting.

This would be done in stages on selected dates through planned activities.

Tentative dates:

Late August

• start composting
• prepare the ground for planting

Early September

• planting organic garden

Mid-September

• beginning the use of the nursery

The International Slow Food Convivium of Puerto Rico "Slow Food Boricua” has joined our initiative.

They will help us get resources to assist us in farming activities and participate directly in the planting and fundraising activities.

By joining Slow Food Boricua our school garden has become part of the international network of school gardens across Slow Food International organization. This gives us the opportunity to interact with other schools throughout the world, share experiences and receive support. Likewise, our school will receive promotion of our projects at national and international levels.

With this initiative our school had become part of the schools throughout the world that are educating for global consciousness, caring for the earth, healthy eating, peace and multiculturalism. In other words, we are part of the schools that are tempering their education and educating students for the twenty-first century needs. October 20-25, 2010, Maria Caro & Elizama Montalvo will travel to the Slow Food-Terra Madre event in Italy, they were selected as a delegate representing Puerto Rico.

Potassium Bromate in Bread... No no no!!!!

Potassium bromate (KBrO3) is an oxidizing agent that has been used as a food additive, mainly in the bread-making process. Although adverse effects are not evident in animals fed bread-based diets made from flour treated with KBrO3, the agent is carcinogenic in rats and nephrotoxic in both man and experimental animals when given orally. It has been demonstrated that KBrO3 induces renal cell tumors, mesotheliomas of the peritoneum, and follicular cell tumors of the thyroid. In addition, experiments aimed at elucidating the mode of carcinogenic action have revealed that KBrO3 is a complete carcinogen, possessing both initiating and promoting activities for rat renal tumorigenesis. However, the potential seems to be weak in mice and hamsters. In contrast to its weak mutagenic activity in microbial assays, KBrO3 showed relatively strong potential inducing chromosome aberrations both in vitro and in vivo. Glutathione and cysteine degrade KBrO3 in vitro; in turn, the KBrO3 has inhibitory effects on inducing lipid peroxidation in the rat kidney. Active oxygen radicals generated from KBrO3 were implicated in its toxic and carcinogenic effects, especially because KBrO3 produced 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine in the rat kidney. A wide range of data from applications of various analytical methods are now available for risk assessment purposes.

April 4 - Slow Food Springtime Community Meal

La primavera se acerca rápidamente, así que es una oportunidad perfecta para celebrar la temporada de esperanza, un nuevo comienzo y un sinfín de posibilidades, con de una comida de la comunidad de cola. El 4 de abril de 2010 a 1:00 pm; Slow Food-Boricua se enorgullece de presentar una primavera Fiestas de la Comunidad. Todos son bienvenidos a la muestra deliciosa comida vegetariana preparada por miembros de la comunidad amistosa de todo de la isla. Este evento se llevará a cabo en el estudio Elisabeth Mueller Yoga (www.yogaponce.com) En Ponce. Tenemos un pleno cocina funcional, excepto horno.

La admisión a este evento pionero:

Trae tu plato vegetariano favorito, postre o creativo (bebida de agua es un plus).

Platos biodegradables, utensilios y tazas (que se vende en La Chiwinha 787-925-0707) o simplemente traer plato, taza y los utensilios de la casa.

Toallas de papel y sillas plegables

A base de hierbas o de Flora Flora (se planta en el patio de la corte a las 4:00 pm)

Calendario para este evento:

1:45-2:20 -- Elizama Montalvo MD (Slow Food y la introducción de alimentos como de conferencias Medicina)

2:00-3:00 - Asesoramiento gratuito y numerología individuales con Francia (Lucero) Ruiz y sillón de masajes con Bartus Allen ... inscribirse rápidamente.

2:30-3:00 - Julie Mercardo nutrición (Ayurveda)

4:00-5:00 - Prof. Sara Quiñones (Q & A en casa consejos de jardinería) y la plantación en el patio de la corte.

5:00 pm-hasta - Música en vivo con Sana & Papo

Traiga musical instrumentos, juegos, chistes / historias, o una sonrisa cálida. Marque este evento en su el calendario y recordar a decir un querido amigo. Esperamos verlos allí y delicioso intercambio de placeres.

Ubicación: Calle Comercio 92
Ponce, Puerto Rico