Q&A CONVERSATION WITH CORINNE MATTHEWS:

Regenerative Hydroponic Farmer, Educator, Environmentalist, Mom, & Native Meals Advocate

M.F. Espinoza (M): Might you share some highlights out of your background story and inform us in regards to the journey that led you to start out farming? 

Corinne Matthews (CM): I used to be born and raised in New York and my household is from Costa Rica by means of Jamaica. Costa Rica is my ardour place; that’s that’s love, that’s rest, that’s life, that’s the whole lot for me, and all of this farming for me is follow to start out my actual life in Costa Rica.  

I knew I used to be going to homeschool my son in 2020 earlier than the pandemic began. And so, in Could of 2020, we had been supposed to start out our homeschool 12 months in Costa Rica. After which the pandemic occurred, and people plans went out the window… 

We left in Could [of 2022] and stayed for 2 months; it was like the most effective two months of my life. My first job was as a center college instructor. I’ve a science background and love environmental science, one of many topics I taught. We talked lots about various things within the atmosphere. Costa Rica is an incredible place as a result of it has so many alternative ecosystems and climates which you can be in. We ended up visiting lots of completely different locations, however my favourite locations had been the permaculture farms. 

It was wonderful to see what occurs when you do not attempt to struggle in opposition to Mom Nature and work along with her. You do not see that pale brown mud that so many farmers attempt to develop in. It is so lovely and peaceable; you’ll be able to hear the angels singing whenever you see these farms! However in fact, in the USA, we struggle in opposition to the whole lot, proper? We wish to give you our personal manner, and no person else is aware of something higher.  

So, I actually fell in love with that mannequin. After seeing what was occurring in 2020 when it comes to the meals provide chain in a rustic like ours — the place everyone needs to be consuming three or 4 meals a day with out subject — [I find it unacceptable that] we now have people who find themselves ravenous.

[Additionally,] a number of the extra well-liked preservatives which might be used [in mass-produced foods] …they do not actually know what impact they’ve on human consumption. And I am like, what? What? Why are we utilizing them if we do not know what they do to individuals?  

That was actually the motivating issue behind me beginning to develop meals.