OrGani

Play on words

The Hebrew word for Organic is Organi…which is made up of two words
or = light
gani = my garden
Therefore when we practice consciousness in our gardens and don’t use any unnatural products and chemicals, we are doing enlightened gardening

My stay at Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu was so beautiful, for my eyes, my body, and my mind. It’s located in the scenic Jordan Valley, home of ancient Roman civilizations (so replete with ruins that people have columns in their front yard as garden décor). Additionally, Sde Eliyahu is on the forefront of organic agriculture. I can die happy now having had this experience… or at least cross that off my checklist of To-Do’s.

I want to share with you more about Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu because they set an exemplary standard for living a meaningful and harmonious life. A properly functioning kibbutz is great model for a healthy, productive society with happy, free, and protected citizens (an ideal balance rarely struck in actuality). Additionally, the Kibbutz is a prototype for sustainable living, using innovation and technology in order to live a simple life rooted in tradition, family, and community.

Work hours are reasonable, livelihood is guaranteed, (mommy’s get ready for this one) they wash your laundry, day care, health care, retirement, education, cooking is all part of the package. When we aren’t slaves to these incredibly important provisions, there is time to stop and chat with neighbors and friends. The look of ease in the eyes of the residents is the byproduct of living in a community where everyone cares about the well-being of the governing unit and the governing unit cares about everybody else.

Sde Eliyahu has many income generators, but their goal is not to amass wealth, rather to live comfortably and to create products that benefit the world. Everyday I walked around in amazement by the breadth of the work that takes place here (and they don’t outsource the brain power to India or the manual labor to illegal immigrant workers).

Sunrise over the vineyard, the beginning of the workday

Organic Farming
I worked in the vineyard during most of my stay at the kibbutz, where we harvest grapes, tend to the luscious pomegranate fields quickly bulking up in time for Rosh HaShana, and reap plump, sugary dates. They also farm seasonal crops for domestic consumption. Many aspiring-farmers are drawn to the kibbutz to work as an apprentice under the well-known Mario Levy, the first visionary of organic agriculture in Israel.

the goodies, bundles of delicious grapes hide under the brush

Natural Pesticides
Just in case you are wondering how everything is pesticide-free while still being pest-free, Sde Eliyahu uses and markets an incredible solution; breeding, packaging, and shipping mass quantities of predatory bugs that will quickly eat your harmful insect infestations.

Additionally, they have a product called Bio-Fly (AKA insect birth control), a natural, chemical free solution for the Mediterranean fruit fry. Sde raises sterile male flies and then releases them into the field where they marry the female flies and no babies are made. It’s kind of sad, but equally so, it’s effective and brilliant.

the pomegranate orchard...otherwise known as pom pom grenades

And it don't stop.....

• Natural Pollination (Bio-Bee) -Don't let the front page headline in the New York Times alarm you, there is no threat of bees coming extinct. Sde Eliyahu has been in the business of mass rearing bumble bees for natural pollination for years.
• Employing the Locals for Pest control - The kibbutz and the local birds work together too. By building houses and protecting the falcons, owls, and bats, the kibbutz is ensured that there are no moths, rodents or pests.
• Donkey bong - There are no weed whackers at the kibbutz. Donkeys hang out in the date fields happily munching away all the weeds.
  

donkeys in the date palm orchard eat all the weeds

• SDA Spice Factory - Organically grown spices, herbs, and oils are dried and packaged at the kibbutz
• Fish farm and hatchery - Sde Eliyahu is on the forefront of fish production and the largest producer of tilapia in Israel. (Its good, I can testify)
• Cow Dairy - There are 300 cows that are milked 3 times a day, meeting all dairy the needs on the kibbutz.
• Chickens Coops - Chickens are raised on for kosher slaughter. These chickens eat healthier than most humans from the organic compost.

I am flabbergasted by what's being yielded in Israel. Mark Twain visited in 1867 and wrote the land off as….

“….. A desolate country whose soil is rich enough, but is given over wholly to weeds… a silent mournful expanse…. a desolation…. we never saw a human being on the whole route…. hardly a tree or shrub anywhere. Even the olive tree and the cactus, those fast friends of a worthless soil, had almost deserted the country.”

Today Israel supplies most of its own agricultural needs and even has a profitable exportation industry. They are a leader in water preservation, irrigation methods, and desert agriculture and are the only country in the world who has an increasing tree population. These are miraculous feats for a land deemed barren and desolate less than 100 years ago. These achievements are possible (besides G-d's hand in the matter) because love of the land is an integral part of Jewish observance. In fact, most mitzvoth (commandments) are agricultural in nature and only obligated to be kept in the land of Israel. This respect and appreciation of the land is a trait shared with many other indigenous peoples, such as the Native Americans, and is crucial to inculcate in all peoples and nations.
My sojourn at the kibbutz is over for now, although I milked every moment spent here (I also milked a goat and made some cheese). Sde Eliyahu has taught me the hidden meaning of the expression “to be partners with G-d in creation”. Human-kind has been given all the tools we need to live in concert with the land; to guard and protect it. It is our responsibility to utilize the gifts and bounty of the earth properly and consciously. We must live IN the land, WITH the land, not just on top of it.

If anyone is interested in visiting Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, they are always looking for hard-working volunteers. The kibbutz also offers a Hebrew Language Immersion (Ulpan) and gives guided bio-tours. Contact Beni at gavrieli@sde.org.il, tell him Gani sent you. Also, if you are serving in the Israeli army as an American or new immigrant, they have a lone soldier program.