Discover the foreign language you didn’t even know you can speak, plus other news for a smarter week

Cultural intermingling shows just how deeply we’re all connected to each other. Consider Quechua, the language of many South American indigenous peoples, spread among many different groups by the Incan Empire. You may not know it, but you use lots of Quechua words on the regular. It’s true—we call condors, jerky and quinoa all by their Quechua names.

And your wardrobe may even include a few Quechua items, too. Ponchos, bowler hats and other Quechua fashion tells a vibrant story of the indigenous people’s history and turbulent relationships with other nations.

Women’s voices from the border

Too few women are covering the humanitarian crisis at the border, and that means stories about women, girls and families get left out. We are impressed and inspired by international freelance journalist Alice Driver, who busts myths about migration, shedding light on the fact that most migrants are children and families, not criminals.

ADORABLE ALERT! This is Fidel Nsengiyumva, a Heifer project participant, holding one of his piglets on his farm in Rwanda. We get a lot of dispatches from our projects all over the world, and a lot of them are just too cute to keep to ourselves. Be blessed by this little piggy’s ears and whiskers!

Snack Smarter

If you aspire to graduate from chocolate lover to aficionado, we’ve got tips to get you started. Chocolate flavors are just as complicated as wine or coffee, and many factors go into taste. Depending on where they’re grown, chocolate trees can introduce flavors ranging from fruity to smoky. Flavor also depends on the variety of chocolate. There are three main types that can guide your taste bud journey to the next level:

• Forastero is by far the most common because it is easier to grow. Forastero chocolate is less complex, so this is the kind you’ll find in most candies.
• Criollo is a much rarer variety, and its flavor profile is delicate and layered.
• Trinitario is a hybrid of forastero and criollo, and lands in middle when it comes to complexity of growing it and the flavor.

Seed-cret Ingredients

Cut down on food waste when prepping your summer cantaloupe, honeydew and watermelons: Don’t throw out the seeds! Try roasting them instead for a crunchy and surprisingly tasty snack.

Produce goes hyper-local

Grow with the Flow is bringing local farming to backyards in Georgia. They call their innovative take on urban farming “multilocational,” and participants offer their backyard space in return for a share of the crops — no gardening required! Plush, ultra-freshness is guaranteed since all of the backyard gardens are within 3 miles of the home garden. Twin brother founders Roger and Reggie Ramos are passionate about local community and aim to teach others how to replicate their model in other towns and cities.