You know I’m passionate about transforming waste into wonder,
but here’s a story that goes beyond anything I’ve ever dreamed possible …
and left me with tears streaming down my face.
It begins in Cateura, Paraguay, a shantytown that’s built upon a landfill where the water supply is dangerously polluted and rains bring floods of refuse.
More than 1,500 tons of solid waste arrives each day, according to UNICEF, and Cateura’s 2,500 families, young and old, survive by separating the garbage underfoot for recycling.
And yet, amid squalor beyond most Americans’ comprehension, beauty is blooming from the most unexpected places …
An old coffee can.
Bottle caps.
Discarded kitchen utensils.
………………………………………………………………….
One person’s trash,
it seems,
can become another’s …
Bach?
“A violin is worth more than a house here,” says Favio Chavez, director of the Landfill Harmonic.
A few years ago, one of the garbage pickers, “an untutored genius of the slum,” joined forces with Chaves, a local musician, to make instruments for the children of Cateura using what they had—trash.
Like magic, violins and cellos emerged from oil drums,
flutes sprung from water pipes and spoons,
wooden packing crates became guitars,
and garbage-picking kids were transformed into musicians.
The Recycled Orchestra was born.
As the dream continues to flourish in the hearts of blossoming musicians, the orchestra is beginning to take tours around the world, stunning audiences with the quality of music that can be produced from “waste.”
At the same time, filmmakers are working on a new documentary, due to be released in 2014, which tells this tale of trash and treasure. Take a peek:
In the coming month, Landfill Harmonic is trying to raise over $113,000 to support their ongoing effort and complete the film. If you’d like to help make it happen, visit their Kickstarter page to pledge as little as a dollar.
Photos courtesy of Landfill Harmonic
Photos courtesy of Landfill Harmonic
Photos courtesy of Landfill Harmonic
Photos courtesy of Landfill Harmonic
Thanks to all those who entered the Shabby Apple clothing giveaway for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate to put some … polka dot panache into your life!
Louise reaches into the pile of names and picks out …
Robin Armstrong Miller! Congratulations!
Robin Armstrong Miller said:
“I love Shabby Apple! I am pretty partial to reds and blacks but I like the Mint Green. Something to get my pretty on for teaching!”
Robin, keep your eyes on your inbox for an email from the farm.
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And the original post dated March 23 was:
Are you pining for pinafores, perpetuated by plaid, and placated by peplums?
If polka dots predicate a pleasurably palpable prognosis, you’re not alone.
May I prescribe Shabby Apple vintage clothing—a return to what dresses were always meant to be.
Your name suggestions have been fabulous. For some reason, he’s looking like an “Otis” to me. He always looks so surprised. OH!tis. What do you think? Will Otis work for this guy?
Thanks to all who entered for a chance to win a $50 membership to the GreenPolkaDotBox!
Ashley, my DIL, and Food Stylist, reaches into the Green PolkaDot Box …
And the winner is …
Amanda!!
Amanda said:
I would love to get some pistachio butter for my husband to try, that way he has something healthy to snack on. I’d also like to try their organic broths, so when I make dinner I can feel better about the health of my family.
Congratulations! Look for an email from the farm, coming soon.
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And here’s the original post dated March 20, 2013:
If hearts could sing!! Healthy food? Low. low prices? Yes, please!
If you’re like many people out there who don’t have a local co-op or Whole Foods store, or you’re in the middle of January and the farmers’ market is months away, don’t panic.
The Green PolkaDot Box sells natural, organic, non-GMO options delivered right to your front door. Better yet? They’ll even ship produce from organic farms. If you’re wanting GOOD food ONLY in your kitchen, this is the place to purchase your goods. Think of them as the Amazon.com of the food world. Every item is sold at wholesale prices you can actually afford.
We recently partnered with the Green PolkaDot Box in MaryJanesFarm to promote how easy, awesome, healthy, and tasty their organic, non-GMO food is. I was pretty excited to “challenge the box.”
The adorable, always humorous MBA Jane is my way of honoring our Sisterhood Merit Badge program, now with 4,882 dues-paying members who have earned an amazing number of merit badges so far—6,641 total! Take it away, MBA Jane!!! MJ
Wondering who I am? I’m Merit Badge Awardee Jane (MBA Jane for short). In my former life …
For this week’s Farm Kitchen/Bustin’ Out Merit Badge, I decided to home in on my grocery shopping skills, and drag along invite my BFF, Midge, as well. See, Midge is a bit preoccupied with her triplets these days, so she hasn’t been as on top of the whole organic thing as she wants to be. And let’s face it, peeps, I can get better at it myself (says the girl with a hidden shelf of Twinkies. Ahem. ‘Fession time!)
So, I tossed those Twinkies with nary a tear (hoping they will biodegrade in a hundred years or so), and slung my reusable shopping bags over my shoulder. I brewed some chai to keep the pep in our step and we were off! I don’t know about you girls, but it’s more difficult for me to eat all organic or local during the winter months. The Farmers’ Market is closed and a girl can get tired of nothing but spaghetti squash, know what I mean? But we were optimistic. Well, Midge was just happy to be out of the house with a clean shirt on, but you get the drift.
Luck was on our side right from the get-go: as soon as we pulled into the parking lot of the grocery store, we noticed a farmer’s stand advertising local, organic honey. He was kind enough to dribble a spoonful into my chai and I was totally sold. Yum, a better sample than even old Costco can provide!
We entered the grocery store, and I firmly steered Midge away from the center aisles. She didn’t know this little trick, so I explained that’s where they stock the bad-for-you/bad-for-your-wallet kind of stuff. She said thanks, but when I turned my back, she was sprinting for the potato-chip aisle. I think there needs to be a 12-Step Program for Recovering Bad Eaters.
It’s been almost three years since the publication of the groundbreaking book,
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression into Opportunity for Women Worldwide.
Have you read it?
If not, skedaddle on over to your favorite book shop and pick up a copy.
Today.
It’s not just a book.
It’s action,
evolution,
momentum.
From the seeds of the book sprouted a PBS television series, which branched into websites, blogs, art exhibitions, music, and a social media tour-de-force.
Like I said, this thing is on a roll.
The latest limb in the Half the Sky mega-movement is deceptively diminutive:
A game.
On Facebook.
Sounds trivial, right?
But when you consider the multitudes of Facebook members worldwide, a game to engage people in women’s issues is nothing short of
GENIUS.
The book and TV series attracted attention from those who already care about the challenges facing women around the globe, says the book’s co-author Nicholas Kristof. But the Facebook game is intended to reach those who don’t yet know the gravity of the problem.
Half the Sky Movement: The Game introduces you to a fictional character named Radhika, described as “a simple woman from India who wants to make things better … for both herself and women worldwide.”
From Radhika’s perspective, you set off on a series of quests, facing issues and making choices that many women must deal with daily in terms of health care, education, meager income, gender bias, family matters, personal safety, and so on.
The game begins in Radhika’s home country of India, and from there you travel to Kenya, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and the United States, eventually becoming a global leader and a role-model for women worldwide.
“I hope that it will lead people to some degree to think about that perspective and the choices—often impossible choices—that women like [Radhika] face every day,” says Kristof.
Along the way, you encounter opportunities to unlock real-life donations from sponsors that reflect the important issues portrayed in the game, and you can also choose to donate directly to the game’s nonprofit partners, including The Fistula Foundation, GEMS, Heifer International, ONE, Room to Read, The United Nations Foundation, and World Vision.
Here’s the game trailer:
Projects with my newly released glamping fabric are in full bloom on blogs across the internet. This one in particular caught my eye. Beautiful! This was made by Mary Ann of RocknQuilts.
What does a girl do with gorgeous “Glamping” fabric designed by Mary Jane Butters? Why, create a gorgeous wall hanging/table topper for her camper/glamper, of course!
Can’t wait to show you more, but here’s what’s done sew far…
Welcome New Sisters! (click for current roster)
Merit Badge Awardees (click for latest awards)
My featured Merit Badge Awardee of the Week is … Gracey Larson!
Gracey Larson (Gracey, #3697) has received a certificate of achievement in Garden Gate for earning a Beginner Level Backyard Farmer Merit Badge!
“We just started raising our own flock of 12 chickens. We got them on Feb 12 (when this pic was taken). Since then, they have been healthy and growing like crazy. We just love them! We have 6 Tetras, 2 Brahmas, and 4 Rhode Island Reds.
Buy props used in MaryJane’s books and magazine!
5% of profits will benefit www.firstbook.org, a non-profit that provides new books to children from low-income families throughout the U.S. and Canada.
Here’s how:
MaryJane will post a photo and a description of a prop and its cost along with a few details as to its condition here: https://shop.maryjanesfarm.org/MaryJanesCurations. It’s a playful way to be the new owner of a little bit of farm herstory.
