Raising Welsh Harlequin Ducklings- Week 22 The Duck Are Laying Eggs- Beginning of Doug's Ducks

Raising Welsh Harlequin Ducklings- Week 22 The Duck Are Laying Eggs- 

The Beginning of Doug's Ducks

On July 28th, 2014 the Welsh Harlequin Ducks started laying eggs, at which point Doug's Ducks was started. 

Doug's Ducks is a small Welsh Harlequin Duck farm located in West Greenwich, RI. 

Raising Welsh Harlequin Ducklings

On March 3, 2014 my Welsh Harlequin Ducklings hatched at Metzer Farms and arrived at my house on March 5, 2014. To view the Raising Welsh Harlequin Ducklings from the start- Arrival Day Click Here

The Welsh Harlequin is a fairly new breed, developed by Leslie Bonnett in Wales from two off-colored Khaki Campbell ducklings in 1949. They came to the United States in 1968 and were accepted into the American Poultry Association in 2001 in the Light Duck class. They are becoming a very popular breed due to their multipurpose characteristics. They have excellent egg production abilities due to their Khaki Campbell background yet retain the instinct to sit and hatch a nest full of ducklings. They are calm, inquisitive and excellent foragers. They seem to be the calmest bird on our farm.

They can also make an outstanding dressed bird as their under-feathers are almost exclusively white making their carcass as pretty as a pure white bird. Interestingly, they can be sexed after hatching with 90% accuracy by their bill color. Darker bills mean a male and lighter bills ending in a dark spot are normally females. Within several days this distinction disappears. They are also a beautiful bird, especially the feather patterns and colors on the adult females.

FACEBOOK PAGE:  https://www.facebook.com/DougsDucks

Our Mission: At Doug’s Ducks our mission is simple: To provide wholesome naturally raised free-range duck and chickens to local consumers and businesses.

Email: DougsDucks@cox.net

JWU Costa Rica Study Abroad 2014- Academics, Lecture & Field Work

JWU Costa Rica Study Abroad 2014- 

Academics, Lecture & Field Work 

Students enrolled in the JWU Costa Rica Study Abroad Program are completing (if they pass) 13.5 academic credits. The students complete pre-departure assignments as well as assignments and projects in Costa Rica.  Students work 50-60 hours on program related class time, activities and projects. 

Academic Focus: Eco, Nature-based, Adventure, and Sustainable Tourism
Satisfactory completion of the Costa Rica program fulfills all requirements for a concentration in Adventure, Sport and Nature Based Tourism. This is a physically active and comprehensive program. 

This program fulfills the following 3 courses:

• TRVL3040 Adventure, Sport, & Nature Based Tourism 4.5 credits
• SEE2040 Outdoor Recreation Planning 4.5 credits
• TRVL3020 Ecotourism 4.5 credits

JWU Faculty are the academic leadership for this program. They coordinate pre-departure information, travel with the group, and deliver academic content in conjunction with host faculty.  Along with myself (Professor Stuchel) I am accompanied by Dr. Eldad Boker.

Sustainable Tourism, Eco Tourism Local Experts- In addition to the JWU faculty Carlos Roberto Chavarria of Costa Rica Rainforest Experience and Ricardo Howell enrich the course material with the history, economy, social norms of Costa Rica as well as providing in-depth knowledge of Sustainable Tourism/Eco Tourism & Sports Adventure Tourism within Costa Rica.

Field Projects- The students are given four choices for their field work project when they arrive at Tirimbina Biological Reserve in the Sarapiqui region of Costa Rica.  Students are able to pick the project they feel is most aligned with their personal preference or educational outcomes.

• Tirmibina Biological Reserve Hiking Trail Sustainability Study and Rain Forest Camera Study and the Impact of Visitors on the Hiking Trails
• Certification for Sustainable Tourism Program (CST) Evaluation and Study of the Sarapiqui Area Hotels.  What Are the Costs and Return on Investment
• Sarapiqui Area Small Business Development and the Relationship to Sustainable Eco Tourism

Guest Speakers- In addition guest speakers are brought in to the classroom to enrich the academic material.

JWU Costa Rica Study Abroad 2014- Mi Cafecito Coffee Tour / Finca Corsicana Pineapple Tour

Mi Cafecito Coffee Tour / Finca Corsicana Pineapple Tour

Today we toured two different food operations, the first a very large pineapple plantation and the second a small coffee co-op.

Finca Corsican is the worlds largest organic pineapple farm located near the quaint little town of La Virgen in central Costa Rica. Finca Corsicana features state of the art equipment and facilities and is home to our organic pineapple operation.  The largest of its kind on Earth! It is located near the foot of Mount Poas, a very active volcano with the second largest crater in the world.  The volcanic activity has made the land abundantly rich with minerals.  In fact, the land here in Costa Rica is so fertile, fence posts actually take root and sprout leaves!  To Learn More About Finca Corsican click here

Mi Cafecito Coffee Tour, a cooperative enterprise with social sense with over 40 years in the production of coffee. Coopesarapiquí is a nonprofit organization that brings together 137 small coffee producers as owners, located in the highlands of the canton of San Carlos and Sarapiqui, between 800 to 1000 meters above sea level. The main focus has been on the market and benefited from coffee production associates. The cooperative promotes cooperative values ​​such as honesty, solidarity and mutual aid. Sales activities Coopesarapiquí coffee will then be registered with the principles of Fair Trade. 

Coopesarapiquí RL was born out of a need and in 1969, a group of forty farmers who grow coffee decided to form a cooperative to seek a solution through the cooperative system.Coopesarapiquí is today an organization that seeks economic and social improvement of its 137 members among its members and fosters the spirit of mutual assistance in the economic social and cultural order. The cooperative promotes activities that tend to meet the needs of its partners and other conversion projects for social good.Coopesarapiquí is related to harvesting, processing and marketing of coffee activities. The cooperative is developed through continuous improvement of the effectiveness of the quality system and environment and strives to prevent pollution through the implementation of cleaner technologies to get a quality product that meets the needs of partners and customers.

JWU Costa Rica Study Abroad 2014- Tortuguero, Costa Rica

Days 2 & 3 at Evergreen Lodge - Tortuguero, Costa Rica

EverGreen Lodge
The one and only hotel in tortuguero inserted in the heart of nature

Evergreen is located in the northeastern corner of Tortuguero, 5 minutes by boat from the main entrance to Tortuguero National Park, and accessible only by air and water. Evergreen Lodge is the ideal location from which to explore this unique and magical area, surrounded by towering trees and exuberant vegetation and are adorned with tropical designs.


The following are some of my favorite pictures from our stay Evergreen Lodge and while touring the rivers and canals of Tortuguero National Park.