.....this is what happens.
A little carry on suitcase for the farmer and the big suitcase full of outfit options for the fancy girl. I think my jewelry weighed at least 10 pounds....
We had to delay our honeymoon after our wedding last summer because of work trips, harvest and more work trips. We headed to South America in late January to get out of our home with barely any heat.
When we arrived to our first hotel in Santiago, Chile, there was an architecture book in the lobby. Brett opened it up to the map inside, and we saw a little dot that seemed to be very close to home. And it was! Our little city in Indiana was featured in this book so many miles away and we felt at home.
Every where we travel, the passion for learning about agriculture and different types of agriculture seems to follow us. We were in wine country so we took the opportunity to take some private tours and take advantage of many tastings.....
When in Mendoza and among the grapes you must take those opportunities right?!
Besides looking pretty, I was a little thrown off by the rose bush at the end of row of grapevines. Well, I learned that it does have a purpose. This vineyard, and many others, plant rose bushes to detect disease. If the rose bush dies, that means something is wrong and the grapevines may be next. Fun agriculture fact for you!
Growing, harvesting and making wine is truly an art. It may seem fancy but it is very hard work and it is agriculture.
Oh and so are the tastings......it's a part of the agriculture process, right?!
Brett and I spent one day exploring the city of Santiago and found the market pretty fascinating. The corn obviously caught our eye. This is a photo of "choclo" or Peruvian corn.
I would say this is my most "normal" photo of the meat at this market even though it does include pig feet. We even saw a guy walking behind a counter with a carcass thrown over his shoulder! We skipped the market for lunch but enjoyed the sightseeing!
Our day of fly fishing with our guide, Pablo, and our driver, Franco, was absolutely fantastic. I knew it was going to be a great day when they drove us to a ranch in the mountains that had a vineyard in the front yard! This ranch grows enough grapes to make all the wine it needs for a year of entertaining guests.
Of course, Brett had to investigate the cellar on the ranch that stored the meats. No matter where we are in the world he is always a farmer, curious and interested in things that grow and animals--alive or ready to eat.
The wine and canned fruits and vegetables were also stored here. The gaucho's wife (cowboy) does most of this work and cooks for guests as well. She is a part of agriculture.
Pablo taught us a lot along that mountain stream that day. About the local gauchos and their cattle roaming the ranch. He taught us about the trout in the stream and how patience is a prerequisite for fly fishing. And we taught him about American agriculture.
And while our canned peaches from the ranch and homegrown wine chilled in the stream, we shared our story of agriculture too. It's always with us, whether we are farming, being fancy or fly fishing.
Agriculture is everywhere.
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