These students are preparing a raised bed before planting.

The Regional Center for the Study of Rural Alternatives (CREAR), lies tucked away in the mountainous community of Rio Limpio, along the Dominican border with Haiti. 

CREAR is a small technical school created to teach young people and farmers about organic gardening and biodynamic agriculture.  For years this demonstration farm has served the community as a source of information and innovation.

CREAR has had a big impact on the lives of the young people that study there. High school students spend their last two years of study at CREAR to learn about the theory and practice of agricultural development. Upon completion of their studies, these students receive a technical certificate that they can use to gain employment as a field technician or an extension agent.

Please have a look at a site map of CREAR as we take a virtual tour of the different areas on the farm. 

Instructor Juan de Jesús Ventura demonstrates double digging.

Areas 1 and 2 are dedicated to the intensive production of organic vegetables. The production model is largely based on John Jeavons’ classic book on raised bed gardening.

The establishment of raised beds first requires the gardener to double-dig the soil. First, the gardener measures the size of the bed. Beds should be no wider that 1.5 meters to facilitate planting and weeding; they can be as long as the site permits. As seen in the photo, the first 8 to 12 inches of topsoil are removed and placed in a pile at the end of the garden bed. The area beneath the topsoil is then loosened with a pick or a shovel, hence the term “double-dig”. After loosening the bottom layer of soil, the gardener digs the next section of earth and places the first 8-12 inches of topsoil from this section on top of the previous section. If available, plentiful amounts of organic matter should be added to the bed.