On January 19th, we finished the first farm build of 2020!
Dear friends,
We’re happy to announce that on January 19th we finished the first farm build of 2020.
This new farm was built for New Life Children’s Home in Jalaca, Honduras. Honduras is one of the poorest countries in the world. The crushing weight of poverty has radically affected the stability of homes, and increasingly more children are being abandoned, making them extremely vulnerable to commoditization and sexual exploitation. New Life provides a loving and stable home for children who have been abandoned and abused, and works closely with families in the surrounding community to help create a better life for their children.
Currently they are caring for 32 orphans from the area. By providing a loving atmosphere, along with opportunities for education, they are able to empower these children to create a different future for themselves. We’re thrilled to support their great work by providing some sustainability.
This farm is a 30’ x 50’ enclosed aquaponics system that can generate roughly 8,000 pounds of lettuce; 2,000 pounds of veggies; and 1,300 pounds of fish annually. This level of production will significantly add to the efficiency of the home by providing plenty of wholesome meals for the kids, as well as with a surplus that could be sold in the marketplace or distributed to surrounding villages.
This project was a dream come true for Ron Thiesen, New Life’s director and now aquaponics farm manager. In hopes of providing self-sufficiency to the orphanage, Thiesen had been dabbling with a small-scale aquaponics system he built last year. What a privilege it was for us to present him with a large-scale farm that he will no doubt utilize for years and years to come.
Lastly, we want to recognize our dedicated build team. We couldn’t have done this project without the nine volunteers who refused to quit until the job was done. Each one was a true embodiment of what it means to sacrifice your time and energy for the good of others. They arrived as complete strangers from very different walks of life, but they put their differences aside and joined together around the common goal of helping this community. Everyone left feeling like family. Thank you Haley, Majo, Paul, Nate, Tucker, Dalen, Casey, Nikki, and Aaron for all your love and sacrifice. And thank you to all who contributed to make this farm a reality.
Sincerely,
Bucky Buchstaber
Executive Director of The Fly Fishing Collaborative
Have you registered for our Fly Fifth Annual Banquet on March 6th?
Now is the time to reserve your seat at our biggest event of the year! Join a great host of fly anglers, outdoor enthusiast, and people of good will everywhere on March 6th at the Multnomah Athletic Club in Portland, Oregon. This is where the collaboration of a great community comes together to make a difference in one of the world’s most evil injustices. Near or far, you won’t want to miss this event.