Planet 4K - Our Planet in Ultra HD

FROM ECUADOR TO BOLIVIA

We find ourselves here in Santa Clara, in the province of Pastaza, Ecuador.

This greenhouse has been here for over 6 years as a result of a partnership

between the municipality of Santa Clara and the Rainforest Foundation of Pastaza.

This foundation has already bought over 11 million square meters of rainforest

and put the protection, care and partial reforestation of these areas

in the hands of the local population.

We here in Santa Clara are trying not to get our incomes from logging anymore,

but rather through the cultivation of crops.

Right now, we are planting three different crops.

Tomatoes, Sandia chili peppers and Pepené - bitter melon.

This is not so easy in these surroundings.

We are almost 1,300m high, have 98% humidity and very high temperatures

that are often over 40 degrees (°C).

All of these factors make this a great challenge for us.

Another focus of our work is the cultivation of new trees

for the replanting of the deforested parts of the primary rainforest.

We grow new seedlings with the foundation.

This is the seedling after 4-6 weeks.

When we plant them here for the first time under greenhouse conditions in small bags,

they look like this.

Once they reach this size, we can move them to the rainforest.

Quinoa grows excellently here in the highlands at 4,000 m

and is an important staple for us,

as maize can no longer be farmed at these altitudes.

The Inca were also growing it as a food.

Until the Spanish banned this and even made growing it punishable by death.

This is how our ancestors were weakened during the Spanish conquests.

Quinoa was then classified as unchristian.

The Quinoa plants can grow up to three meters tall

and the budding flowers usually shimmer with a beautiful violet.

After harvesting, the grains have to be dried. We lay them out under roofs.

So that they do not get wet in the rain and when the sun shines,

the roofs help ensure enough heat for drying.

Once they have dried, we sort out the bad seeds.

Then we can use Quinoa like rice as a side dish.

Or we grind the grains into grist or flour.

This still works best with our old millstones.

Then we can use Quinoa like a grain for cooking and baking.

As breading, it is ideal.

It is much crispier than wheat flour and much healthier.

I really love cooking.

My dream is to open a restaurant one day.

I have already participated in Peruwide cooking competitions;

in one, in a nearby village, I got first place.

The prize was a week-long cooking class in our capital, Lima.

That was exciting.

If after that, people come over to my house,

it would be a pleasure if they let me cook for them.