PROGRESS REPORT

DATE: December 6, 2022

TO: Professor LeCompte
FROM: Jiang Portalatin, Aliana Torres, Kevin Rivera, Roberto Camacho
SUBJECT: Progress Report on tasks performed at Atabey Garden

INTRODUCTORY STATEMENT
The purpose of this report is a discussion of the Pro Agriculture Student Coalition (CEPA) and
the progress of the work carried out in Atabey Garden, located in the University of Puerto Rico
in Ponce, as part of our community service. The goal of CEPA is to promote sustainability
through gardens and to encourage union between students in the university. The objective of
the community service we performed is to work with CEPA to restore Atabey Garden. This
project began in August, and it was completed on November 29, 2022. We will be presenting
the work completed by each member Additionally, we will present what CEPA has planned for
the future of the Atabey Garden.

WORK COMPLETED
During the semester, regarding the project, we had some responsibilities in the Atabey
Garden that contributed to the maintenance and development of this space. We carried out
weeding, transplanting plants, trimming trees and working on compost.

I. Weeding activity
Weeding different areas of the garden was the job that took the longest to do. We do this
activity with two different techniques: using a hoe and using our hands.
1. Weeding with a hoe
With this tool, we weeded areas where it is not convenient to use a trimmer because
there are plants planted in the surroundings. The benefits to using a hoe come from its
ability to uproot large amounts of weeds that would cause harm to the more sensitive
plants. The plants that are weeded would normally be left in the ground after finishing, as
they function both as compost and as cover for the plants that will be planted in their place.
 2. Weeding with hands
This method is used for smaller numbers of plants in smaller areas, such as the planting
plots located around the garden. By pulling on the weeds located around these plots of land,
we can ensure that not only will we get rid of a weed completely, but we will also avoid
damaging important plants.

II. Composting

This technique is used to transform organic waste into compost by being subjected to a
biological process of controlled oxidation of decomposition. This serves to provide more
nutrients to the plants. The type of composting used is common in boxes or composters. It is
important that once a week, the compost is picked up with a shovel and taken out to a
wheelbarrow and then put back into the same composter. The compost used in the garden
comes from waste produced in the same garden. Some examples are the leaves that are found
throughout the garden or sticks that are trimmed off trees.

III. Trimming trees

Tree pruning helps to have healthier trees and more abundant harvests in fruit trees.
This technique ensures that the tree or plant receives sufficient oxygen and light, avoiding
fungal infestation. Trimming was performed on the passionfruit tree that had fallen over after
the hurricane. It was a last effort to try and help the tree to straighten up by making it lighter.
All the remains of the tree were used for composting.

IV. Transplanting plants

Medicinal plants are grown in the greenhouse and after they grow enough, they are
transplanted to areas around the garden. The set of plants that was transplanted consisted of
Tobacco plants. They were moved from small pots to the tires located around the border of the
garden.

DONATIONS
To contribute to the garden, donations were made to supply the essential materials to keep
the garden running and full on resources.
Potting Soil: Kevin Rivera, Aliana Torres, Roberto Camacho, Jiang Portalatin
Medicinal plants: Kevin Rivera, Aliana Torres, Roberto Camacho

Plastic Bottles: Kevin Rivera

WORK PLANNED
The work in the garden this semester culminated on November 29, 2022. Even so, the work
will resume the next academic semester, January 2023. The following is scheduled for this date:
January 2023:

1. Resume the fair

2. Plant mixed crops
3. Make raised beds
4. Prepare planting examples that university students can follow in their home

CONCLUSION
To summarize, the work done in the Atabey garden this semester by removing weeds,
planting medicinal plants, preparing compost and trimming trees resulted in very productive
and essential ways to ensure the productivity and effectiveness of the garden. Since duties in
the garden ended for the semester, we will be looking forward to contributing and keep helping
for the upcoming semesters. As a community, it is important to support these types of projects
that emerged from the effort of previous students. Finally, suggestions are taken on how to
increase the productivity of the garden and to find a way to expand the project even further so
that upcoming students can take it and generate consciousness on the importance of
supporting agriculture.

Enclosure: Service logs and photos

1. Jiang Portalatin

Photo taken by: Edwin Lugo

From left to right: Jiang Portlatin, Adler John, Jessica

Rivera

2. Jiang Portalatin

Photo taken by: Miguel Costas Sabatier

From left to right: Edwin Lugo, Jessica Rivera, Jiang

Portalatin, Adler John, Priscilla Cintron

3. Aliana Torres

Photo taken by: Roberto Camacho

4. Roberto Camacho

Photo taken by: Aliana Torres

From left to right: Roberto Camacho, Kevin Rivera

5. Roberto Camacho

Photo taken by: Aliana Torres

6. Kevin Rivera

Photo taken by: Isaida Rivera

7. Kevin Rivera

Photo taken by: Aliana Torres

 University of Puerto Rico at Ponce
English Department
ENGL4021

Service Log

Name: f).,ol:,t-Jt, [Qmac-ho /J/,:;5 CourseSection: LOG

Group/Team: R, 0 \,e,rtc ~ru:J,o1 Alia.'f'O.. Tov-v-e~> Jio..n5 ?orta.\a...\-·,r1 Ke,v;"' Q.~ve.vo...
1

Selected service site:

A-\--Clbtj Go,.v-d.en a+ lio,wvs-J·j ofi J1ied<> R,;m ad- Pof\CL
Tasks performed:

_ 1. Planting/Plowing
# Hours: lnitials:
/\ 2. Composting ti f11'5
1-:: MC5
..x_ 3. Cleaning garden, removing weeds 3 A9-'A
_ 4. Creating seedlings
_ 5. Painting or building
_ 6. Watering
_7. Sowing
8. Other Specify: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Contribution /Donation (optional):

M e.~·\ c. ,üa\ ~\an:t'::-, RH, º5 ::o,\
CERTIFICATION

I hereby certify that Rbe/-fo

0 0 r'leiJio Ar o~
name of student
completed tl
#
hours

of service at ~ /t:r.J':!ilD::.
~bee2;'L« -.J..(.!.!.n'u
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T name of farm or urban garden

Supervisor's signature: _.:_¡..

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4-----::·,----_ _ _ __ Date: U/ 2---ct/LoZ!L
PRINTED NAME: ffir¡tl ,T C,~f.,...5
 University of Puerto Rico at Ponce
English Department
ENGL4021
Service Log

Name: Ati Qn Ck lowt > tV,· lvt 5 Course Section: LOC:,

Group/Team: AliOro:Jwes,J,~ RY.\Q\o.--\{n I ~ "11) CQrr;()(h o ,~evlfl n.rveva
Selected service site:
Aibl fu,do 1 af Univ(v5,·+Lf o.P fve.y/-o fl.-rco a f PoV?CJL
rl
Tasks performed:

_ 1. Planting/Plowing
D:rES: # Hours: Initials:
_ 2. Composting 15 'f f-t cS
p;v
J
111-- 1 I-{ t5
X 3. Cleaning garden, removing weeds Pov I~ 3 ASYiJ
_ 4. Creating seedlings
_ 5. Painting or building
_ 6. Watering
_7. Sowing
8. Other Specify: _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Contribution /Donation (optional):

NtJ,·,i 11al f looi') 1 f'o -M;·:5 2r!il
CERTIFICATION

I hereby certify that A/i r111 fotYlS AJ1'0 1,s completed tJ hours
name of student #

of service at....,/tk
F>l-"-=L--+-_(,r m.;.______________
--'-c._r.=&...
7 name of farm or urban garden

Supervisor's signature: -LJ...--=---=~: - - ~ ~ ~ - - Date: // / 2-1/'UJZ, ..--z_

PRINTED NAME: .!...-l-L~. / - -.u.,:.._'-',L.<.lc........,__....,;:_;;_..lL.....L.....:....__ __

•
 S E L F - R E F L E C T I O N O N P R O J E C T W O R K
Think about what you did in this project, and how well the project went.
Write your comments in the right column.

Student Name:
Kevin J. Rivera Marquez
Project Name: Progress Report
Driving Question: What was the experience in doing community service at the Atabey Garden
in the University of Puerto Rico at Ponce?

List the major steps of the Major steps in the project:

project: 1. Removing weeds
2. Transplanting plants
3. Working on compost
4. Trimming trees

About Yourself:
What is the most important
thing you learned in this The most important thing that I learned from this project is the importance of
having a garden and how this can help us in the future.
project:

What do you wish you had Since I did not had much time to visit the garden regularly because of my job,
spent more time on or done I wish I had spent more time preparing seedbeds and transplanting more
plants, like the medicinal plants I donated.
differently:

What part of the project did I feel like the part where I did my best was when I was weeding with a hoe
you do your best work on: because it is something that I have done in the past and I was very efficient
at it.

About the Project:

What was the most The most enjoyable part of this project was knowing that all our efforts
enjoyable part of this contributes in not only to the agriculture but to creating consciousness
project: on how valuable is to produce our own food.

What was the least The least enjoyable part of this project was that most of the tasks we were
enjoyable part of this assigned were related on more cleaning and maintenance than actually
working with plants. Also, there were a lot of mosquitoes and most of the time
project: the repellent was not enough.

How could your teacher(s) I believe that in order to make this project better, the teacher should come to
change this project to make an agreement with CEPA and offer educational workshops on for example,
how to create your own garden, how to correctly transplant plants, and what
it better next time: specific type of care each plant needs. Additionally, This project can be more
atracting to other students if there was more diversity in the type of tasks
when working in the garden.

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