Youth Voices: Work and Play

I used to think the tree pruning process involved a pair of cute hand-held clippers; baby branches; an oversized gardening hat; colorful gardening gloves; and a bright, blue sky. Let me tell you, this is NOT the case when it comes to pruning Cacao trees.

My recollection of the Cacoa pruning process:
a crackling noise…
a harsh snap
BOOM!
One of the largest branches fell from high above my head, nearly missing my ear. Through the new clearing, rain pattered off of my head and rain jacket, mixing with my sweat (sudor). I dragged the fallen limb to the side, fetched my saw, and trudged over to the next tree to find the next pesky, light-inhibiting branch (rama). Then, I took a deep breath and in a fresh burst of energy, I hacked away, counting out 50 rapid back-and-fourth movements and then taking a step back to catch my breath. I repeated the process until my next victory.

In this day of work experience, we were pruning branches of the Cacoa trees that lacked fruit and blocked light for other, more bountiful branches. This way, the most productive branches would receive more sunlight and more of the tree's energy.

Instead of taking a coffee break with the rest of the work experience groups, we gorged on fallen cacao flesh. - Pro tip from experience: Don't actually bite into the seeds (trust me on this one); the fleshy pulp around the seeds is what carries the sweet, fruity flavor (sabor). -

With cacao flesh in one hand and a mini-saw in the other, I grinned to myself and thanked EARTH for its rich fruits and experiences...[CONTINUE READING]