5:00 am: Our alarm goes off. Half asleep we brush our teeth and put on our working clothes. First off, we start with weeding the fields. The torn-out weeds will be used as fertilizer aligning with the principles of permaculture, an organic and self-sustaining way of designing farm lands without the usage of chemicals resembling natural ecosystems. Our work is a race against the clock as the sun is rising and the burning heat is creeping upon us. Summertime in the Jordan Valley easily means temperatures above 45 degrees Celsius. After all our muscle strength is strained, we go to the animal housing, while our dripping sweat marks the way we’re taking. Trailing behind us following the trail we’re leaving is the farm dog – sometimes accompanied by her puppies. Our sweet friends, the chicken and pigeons, are awaiting us to feed them and renew their water. 

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The farm dog and one of her puppies

After that is done, we take a short nap and later wake up to the sweet smell of Turkish coffee, that has been kindly prepared by ‘amu Mohammed, the founder and owner of Peace Wadi. For breakfast we enjoy a variety of local foods, such as dibbs and tahini, falafel, hummus, zait and zaatar, fruits and vegetables.

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Breakfast

Afterwards we take care of the social media pages and brainstorm for new projects. During the hottest hours of the day, we take a break to read, enjoy the fan, and appreciate the peace and idyll of this place. Often, we can be found under the sharing tree laughing and drinking Moringa tea (which can be found on this farm) to stay hydrated.

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The sharing tree

Frequently, there are also guest or visitors, that used to volunteer here, which we enjoy getting to know. The atmosphere here is welcoming and open with a friendly vibe, which fits right in which the mystical spirit of the Valley. The Valley has sacred meaning as the people that are described in the Bible and the Torah, as well as the prophet Mohammad (pbuh) have lived and acted here. The farm has an excellent view on أريحا (engl. Ariha or Jericho) and القدس (engl. Al-Quds or Jerusalem). Wanderers, that have crossed the only 300m faraway King Hussein Bridge, often come here to get some rest and drink a cup of tea before continuing their journey. 

In the late afternoon we prepare dinner for us and whoever wants to join us that day. Dinner regularly exists out of vegan food as we often have vegan people here and it’s better for the environment and safer to make in this heat, as it rarely goes bad. We close the evening by enjoying the fresh air outside while being mesmerized by the stars and the stunning view on Palestine.

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The sun setting on the Palestinian side of the close border

Occasionally we also join Mohammad watching the Jordanian Netflix series جن (engl. Jinn) and discussing the controversial topics that the series deals with.

Not too late we fall asleep accompanied by the sounds of the birds and the mosquitoes.

 

 

Amber and Marieke (Dutch volunteers that have come to the farm through a project of the global student organization AIESEC)

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