Anne Kopicko is a traveler, explorer, and lover of the world. She is a professionally trained chef, particularly interested in the connections between food, farms, human culture, and natural environment.

Annie lived and worked at the Choza for three months in 2009, and completed an additional Choza Fellowship of five months in 2010. She was looking to learn and experience in a new and unfamiliar setting. She was excited about living adventurously, outside of her comfort zone.

Annies personal goals for her fellowship program were to increase her knowledge of permaculture-style tropical land use and strengthen her practice of mindfulness and meditation while negotiating internal and external challenges.

During her time at the Choza Annie worked on learning more about tropical land use for possible future applications at the Choza. To this end, she coordinated a small three-day Permaculture workshop with teacher Desiree Wells, attended by a group of WWOOF volunteers and local farmers and hosted at the Choza. She traveled to many farms in the region, experiencing firsthand how land is used, how much labor is typically required, the effects of deforestation along with methods to combat it, and by what financial means small farms are able to support themselves. Based on these observations, she helped identify a small plantation of the "biodiesel tree" Tempate (Jatropha curcas) as a possible way to meet many of the Choza's stated goals, including reforestation, improving soil health, reducing erosion, advancing agricultural alternatives to cattle ranching, and supporting appropriate local technologies. Working with Joshua Hughes from VerdEnergia and the CoopePuriscal, she registered the Choza for participation in a government-sponsored Tempate cultivation program and secured the supplies required to begin planting. During the final month of her Fellowship, she worked extensively with future Choza Fellow Kim Edmonds and new farm manager Solin Garcia to pass forward her observations and lessons learned to ensure continued improvement of land use at the Choza. Being motivated by working in, and creating collaborative environments, Annie leveraged her strong investment in community relations and neighborhood connections to move forward with improvements to the Choza facilities. In partnership with Joel Matamoros, she coordinated personnel for all phases of the project to repair the east wall of the main house, including structural assessment, cost estimate, procurement of fairly priced materials, transport of equipment, construction, and completion. She negotiated a work-exchange agreement that provided valuable labor to ready the Choza land for planting and establish a network of improved fences through the property. She also made preliminary labor arrangements for future projects to rebuild the main gate, improve the Choza's water system, and repair the septic field (all delayed due to weather). With the help of Permaculture teacher Desiree Wells and local experts, Annie laid physical groundwork for improved land use at the Choza through establishment of erosion-reducing swales, better rainwater redirection, and the planting of a small perennial food garden. And, perhaps most importantly, she helped make sure that the best possible human support system was in place at the Choza upon her departure to ensure continued good stewardship and positive community impact.

During her time at the Choza, Annie also focused on establishing enriching connections between the Choza and its environment, including the natural landscape, the broader communities of Concepcion, Mastatal, and Zapaton, and the community of plants and animals with which the Choza shares its land. Annie experienced a very successful integration with the local community. She practiced good old-fashioned neighborly hospitality; welcoming and conversing with all who passed her way, offering coffee and refreshment, being generous with what she had, and offering help whenever possible. A big part of this was a conscientious attempt at open, heart-felt communication--communication through facial expression, gesture, and most of all through action--even when language barriers confounded her. An attitude of openness and humility was very helpful, especially during inevitable differences of behavior and custom.

Annie thinks of her time at the Choza as an opportunity in which she developed lots of skills you wouldn’t usually get to practice in your everyday life: digging trenches, climbing muddy mountains, catching toads, and using a machete are great ways to improve your strength, coordination, courage, and humility.