UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO AT PONCE

ENGLISH DEPARTMENT
INGL4021 M03

MEMORANDUM

DATE: December 8, 2022

TO: Pier LeCompte Zambrana, Professor
FROM: Alanis Soto: Leader, Researcher
Angel Arocho-Perez: Information Gatherer, Researcher
Isaida Rivera-Mercado: Researcher, Timekeeper
Wilnelly Burgos Rodriguez: Researcher, Materials Manager
SUBJECT: Progress Report on volunteering at the Pro-Agriculture Student Coalition (CEPA)
Atabey Garden

INTRODUCTORY SUMMARY
For the English Technical Report Writing for Biology class (INGL4021), the professor Pier
LeCompte Zambrana assigned the students as part of the biological aspect of the class to watch
the documentary The Future of Food. One of the objectives of this documentary was for the
students to gain consciousness of genetically modified organisms and how some corporations
around the world are not producing food that is sustainable. The Pro-Agriculture Student
Coalition (CEPA in the spanish abbreviation) of the University of Puerto Rico in Ponce has
made it their mission to demonstrate other sustainable alternatives for agricultural practices.
Their mission states that their purpose is to “make society aware of the urgency of taking action
on the need to increase the local production of the best quality food to an optimal level, close to
self-sufficiency.” The students throughout the semester were assigned to volunteer at the garden
for a minimum of eight hours during the semester to practice CEPA’s mission and incorporate
what they learned from The Future of Food.

WORK COMPLETED
Throughout the semester, we attended the garden on various days and each day we had different
tasks assigned to us.
On October 6, 2022, Angel attended the Atabey Garden for the service hours. Only Angel and
Miguel J. Costas, the president of CEPA, were on the service. Angel was tasked to help remove
trees that had fallen because of hurricane Fiona, branches and trunks were piled up so the proper
authorities could discard them. Subsequently the greenhouse was re-installed, after it was almost
lost. The final task of the day was mixing the compost, so it wouldn’t decompose. Additionally,
lifting up a soursop tree was attempted but failed because of the weight of the tree and the lack of
manpower. The purpose of this service was to clean and reorganize the Atabey Garden.

On October 13, 2022, Alanis, Angel, and Isaida were assigned as the first task to use the
watering can to wetten the soil that was in a wheelbarrow, as seen in figure 1 and figure 2. Once
the soil reached the appropriate conditions of not being too wet or too dry, they then put the soil
in a seed tray to use for implementing three seeds of the plants chosen. Alanis and Isaida were
tasked with two plant vegetables per tray, half of the tray was reserved for chosen tomato seeds
and the other half for chive seeds. For each cell in the tray a little hole was dug by poking a hole
through the soil where the three seeds were placed for the specific plant until half of the trays
were filled, then the next half the process was repeated for the other plant, shown in figure 3.
Once completed, they put the seed trays in the greenhouse so that the seeds could have the
optimal conditions to grow. Angel was also tasked to mix the mountain of dirt that they were
going to use to fill up some recycled tire pots. The task consisted of mixing the dirt until it was
loose, then proceeded to loosen the existing dirt on the pots and filled them up. The loosen fresh
dirt allowed the seeds to spread their roots wide and firmly. During the last hour of the day
Alanis and Isaida also cleaned an area of the garden by raking the soil on the ground and pulling
weeds.
 Figure 1. Alanis watering the soil Figure 3. Isaida labeling the filled seed
Figure 2. Angel mixing the soil
Photo taken by: Angel Arocho Perez trays
Photo taken by: Alanis Soto
Photo taken by: Alanis Soto

On October 18, 2022, Angel once again attended the Atabey Garden. On this day he was tasked
with mixing the dirt mountain and the boxes that were on the floor. Every box had solidified dirt
and it had to be broken down before filling it up with dirt. Once this was finished a couple of
passion fruit trees were donated, and Angel had the assignment of making the hole, planting, and
watering them. For him to be able to plant them Angel first had to clean the area where they were
going to be planted and make one-foot-deep holes for each one. Also, Angel helped mix the
homemade compost that’s being made at the garden.

Isaida attended once again to the garden on October 20, 2022 that day we cleaned the garden and
planted some plants that were left over from the previous day.

On October 25, 2022 Isaida went to the Atabey Garden that day, while Miguel Costas was
cutting the grass with the trimmer, classmates and I picked up the loose grass with a rake, shown
in figure 4. Then we cut branches from a soursop tree and a pumpkin plant to give it shape and
take a little weight off it. We also organized the nursery in which there were certain disorganized
items. The purpose of this work was to clean the orchard so that the grass would not affect the
crops. Also, take weight off some trees and plants and organize the nursery.
 Figure 4: Isaida Rivera collecting the loose grass with a rake with other students. Photo taken by: Patricia Correa

Alanis went November 1, 2022 to the garden as well. During this day she was responsible for
tilling the garden with other students of the English Technical Report Writing for Biology class.
The purpose of tilling a portion of the garden was to loosen the soil and take out large portions of
weeds that were overgrowing in the area. It also makes it easier to prepare the land for any crops
CEPA wants to grow in the garden in the future. In figure 4, Alanis is shown tilling a portion of
the garden.
 Figure 5. Alanis tilling a portion of the garden
Figure 6. Alanis watering the plants and
Photo taken by: Miguel Costas Sabatier
seedlings
Photo taken by: Miguel Costas Sabatier

Additionally, Alanis went to the garden on November 3, 2022. During this day she was
responsible for watering the seedlings planted on October 13, 2022 that were located in the
greenhouse of the garden, as seen in figure 5. Some of the seedlings planted did start to
germinate as well as other plants that were growing. For the next semester there is the promise
that the seedlings will germinate to full size fruits and vegetables. After she finished watering the
plants, she was then responsible for removing weeds from a gardening bed that had some plants
growing. Removing weeds is essential since weeds rob the desired plants’ nutrients and water
sources.

On November 8, 2022, Angel was tasked with watering the tire pots that were previously
planted. In addition, the boxes in the garden were planted with watermelon seeds. Lines were
made horizontally on the dirt and every few inches three watermelon seeds were planted and
finally they got watered. Later on November 10, 2022, Angel was tasked along with other
volunteers to make a big circle, loosen the dirt and clean all the bad weeds out. Some donated
dirt was poured in, then mixed well to make an even plane using the shovel and other tools. Then
we collected rocks to mark the circle and then inner circles mimicking a spiral. The segments of
this spiral were divided and filled with more dirt. The purpose of this was to create an artful
medicinal garden. After finishing this I was tasked with watering all the plants.
 Figure 7. Angel filling up the circle with dirt Figure 8. Medicinal garden finished

Isaida went to the garden on November 15, 2022 to deliver donations. These donations were two
medicinal plants and two bags of soil. These donations will be used for planting purposes. In addition
Isaida attended a conference on October 25, 2022 given by Professor Gloria Rojas to publicize the
importance of compost and its purposes.

Wilnelly went to the garden on November 15, 2022 and November 29, 2022. On November 15,
she was tasked with transporting donations like plastic bottles, bags of soil, and medicinal plants
into the greenhouse. Then, she had to remove weeds from the gardening beds. During the last 20
minutes on November 15, Wilnelly and other students from the INGL4021 course planted some
of the donated medicinal plants in the medicinal spiral garden. On November 29, Wilnelly and
Isaida removed weeds from the entire garden along with other students, as seen in figure 9.
Isaida and other students were tasked with tilling part of the garden in preparation for future
crops, as seen in figure 10.
 Figure 9. Wilnelly getting rid of weeds Figure 10: Isaida creating new crops for future plantings
Photo taken by: Isaida Rivera Mercado Photo taken by: Wilnelly Burgos

Most of Wilnelly’s tasks consisted of the upkeep of the garden. This is important because even
though one could build a garden, it must be taken care of or the plants could die out. On another
note, Wilnelly also donated four hours worth of donations, along with one hour from the
conference on compost. The donations included: two bags of soil, eight plastic bottles, and four
medicinal plants. These donations are helpful to CEPA, since it provides them the required
materials to keep expanding the Atabey Garden.

FUTURE WORK
The plans CEPA has for the next semester and into the future is to keep spreading information
and knowledge about sustainable agricultural practices to the UPRP community through their
conferences and seminars and with the help of UPRP volunteers, continue working on the
Atabey Garden to reach their goal to eventually feed the community.

CONCLUSION
Our experiences in the garden helped us gain a better understanding of the importance of
sustainable living and practices. We were able to practice some sustainable solutions from The
Future of Food and apply CEPA’s mission statement. In addition, knowing about solutions to
these issues such as composting undoubtedly helps us reduce garbage since we can use different
wastes that are biodegradable or that perhaps provide nutrients to crops. These sustainable
practices with land can help us improve our future ecosystems and global warming.

ENCLOSURE
Alanis Soto’s Service Log
Angel Arocho-Perez’s Service Log
Isaida Rivera-Mercado’s Service Log
Wilnelly Burgos Rodriguez’s Service Log

Alanis Soto’s Service Log

Angel Arocho Perez’s Service Log
Isaida Rivera-Mercado’s Service Log
Wilnelly Burgos Rodriguez’s Service Log
Self-reflection project:
Angel A. Arocho Perez

Progress report

What variety of plants are important to be able to sustain oneself for an

indefinite number of days?

1. Planting and Plowing

2. Composting
3. Cleaning the garden and removing weed
4. Watering plants

The most important thing I learned from this experience was how to plant and how
to plow the land. Knowing this helps maintain a healthy soil that can be used for
generations and by knowing how to plant you can help the plant grow on the
terrain most suitable for it.
I wish I could have spent more time on the garden to be able to learn more
about the types of seeds and what weather is the most appropriate for
them.

My best work on the medical garden spiral at the Atabey garden, also the
dirt on most of the tires and boxes was put in by me and other partners.

The most enjoyable thing about this project was to work with land and see
firsthand and what it is to do field work. Seeing the progress of the garden
and how the seeds began to grow was very fulfilling.

The least enjoyable part was when it was a humate day and the mosquitos
where everywhere. Not even mosquito repellant could help us.

The professor could help make schedule were it specifies how much time
should spend, planting, learning about seeds, and doing the more manual
labor. I think this would help the garden with some structure, a mission,
and it would help the students obtain a round up experience.