Banana Farm – GU winter term – Belize

Today we got to go on a tour of a Banana Farm! We left around 9, got in a big school bus, and headed down the Peninsula. When we first arrived, we saw so many trees that looked like small palm trees. Before our tour, we sat in a room and watched a video about the history of the farm as we munched on yummy bananas. We then went outside and learned abut the whole life cycle of Bananas. Turns out they are pretty neat and do a lot of cool things. The beginning stage looks like an ear of corn, and it eventually grows down the side of the tree. From the bottom, the ear of corn looking pocket turns up and looks like a beautiful flower. Each layer of the banana flower holds bunches of bananas. One layer holds all the banana “fingers” that will eventually grow into the bananas we eat. When they begin to sprout, the farmers put a blue bag around them to act as their own tiny green house. Once the bananas are finished, the farmers cut them down which could weight up to 80 pounds! After being cut, the stocks are hauled to get washed, sorted, and boxed up. The company Fryess sends to Ireland and the UK. Fun fact, there are tiny pink bananas but they are not really edible due to their size. The banana tour was really awesome and a fun way to learn where bananas come from since they are always in season. We finished our tour with a yummy snack of fried plantains.  

                            Jade Gomez, junior