Summer has, without a doubt, arrived in Israel. School is about to end, summer vegetables and fruits are in season, and there’s a greater desire to be outdoors. Enter the Adam and Eve farm (or, in Hebrew, Hava & Adam) in Modiin, which offers lots of great ways to celebrate summer.
This educational-ecological center integrates social and environmental education with a focus on sustainability. Founded in 2003, this 8 acre plot of land tries to demonstrate sustainable living by using solar and thermal energy, conscious waste management, ecological construction, recycling, and organic farming. Twenty volunteers live and work on the farm at any given time, and teach by example.
Wanna get involved? Here are a few ways how:
Eco-Israel: This ecological alternative for long-term programs in Israel is supported by MASA and funded by the Israeli government and the Jewish Agency. The 5-month volunteer program is geared towards English speakers between the ages of 20-30 who live and volunteer on the farm. The volunteers eventually earn an internationally recognized certificate in Permaculture Design and learn about soil management, plant medicine, water harvesting, Israeli agricultural history and Jewish land ethics, and a whole lot more.
Farm Tour: There are a variety of farm tours at Hava & Adam, all of which include an activity. The tour consists of a basic tour of the farm’s green construction, energy usage and organic farming, and then an activity of the group’s choosing. They offer lots of activities, including medicinal herb preparation, composting, and making your own paper.
Birthdays: Have an alternative children’s birthday at the farm, where the kids can be really active.
Summer Camp: The center offers lots of day camps throughout the year during the Hannukah, Passover, Sukkot, and summer breaks.
Courses: Courses for adults include a permaculture design course, Bio Falha (which focuses on local Palestinian-Arab agricultural knowledge), practical ecology, and organic farming.
For more organic opportunities, see:
How Does Your (Community) Garden Grow?
Small Scale Farming Goes Big
Author: Karen Chernick
Much to the disappointment of her Moroccan grandmother, Karen became a vegetarian at the age of seven because of a heartfelt respect for other forms of life. She also began her journey to understand her surroundings and her impact on the environment. She even starting an elementary school Ecology Club and an environmental newsletter in the 3rd grade. (The proceeds of the newsletter went to non-profit environmental organizations, of course.) She now studies in New York. Karen can be reached at karen (at) greenprophet (dot) com.
HAZON is an organization in the U.S. with similar ideas. The increased popularity of organic foods also indicates that people the world over have gotten interested in ecological matters . KOL HAKAVOD.
i LIVE IN tZUR HADASSAH AND NEED SOME ADVISE ABOUT SOIL AS i AM TRYING TO ESTABLISH AN ORGANIC GARDE,. pLEASE LET ME KNOW WHO i CAN COMMUNICATE WITH. THANK YOU – HENRIETTA
Wonderful articule… I love teaching kids the real origin of our food… the land!. Please, if you can allow me to share my farm blog, it will be very useful and important for us: http://www.ranchosanfrancisco.blogspot.com and we welcome student/volunteers at our home in central mexico (mexico city). Blessings for all, Daniel.