Fauche Fruit Update by Cory

Dried up cacao tree, September

When we returned to Haiti last September we flew into Cap Haitian and spent a day at Fauche.  I also made a trip the last week of January but we didn't blog about those visits.

North Haiti had the worst drought last summer that the people there can remember.

Some of the spring crops like peanut were lost and gardens lay fallow until fall.

 Normally winter is very rainy but this year the drought continues, with no rain for the past 6 weeks or more.

Cacao starting to produce again, January

Cacao was the most popular tree to plant in north central Haiti for the past few years, with some nurseries being helped by a USAID program.

 World chocolate prices are good and it is profitable to grow but unfortunately it is one of the most drought sensitive trees.

Most of the cacao trees near the mission are making a good recovery and starting to produce again.

 Some died and most had large branch dieback.

Peach palm planted in '15

The peach palms are doing well.

Production was less due to the drought but a few of the trees from Costa Rica are starting to produce.

I still think they are one of the best trees to plant for quantity and quality of food produced while protecting the environment.

The fruit is rich in calories, vitamins, high quality protein and oil.

Haitians like the flavor, which is a mix of the popular flavors of sweet potato, squash and corn.

Filling, nutritious, good flavor fruit, the floating oil is from the fruit

February 2015

Same garden January 2019. The owner of this rented garden was allowed to farm it normally the first 3 years, then he left it fallow to graze during the drought, the forage peanut we planted next to many

of the palms grew into excellent pasture.

I did NOT challenge to hug the spiny peach palm. I expect the spineless type to be more popular than the spiny.

First fruit (not full grown) from seed brought from Costa Rica in '14

Rambutan seedling, also from Costa Rica

Trees and from Fauche to Delice

Please pray for Gener (below) and his family. His wife and newborn premature daughter have been in the hospital for several days.

Acai, a unique flavored fruit good for juice and ice cream, popular in Brazil.

 Peach palm, acai and cupuassu flavors bring back memories of my time in Brazil. (I think Santarem had a better market for jungle fruits than Manaus and Belem)

 I can't taste the acai in some of the products like acai chocolates sold in the USA.


Champedak, related to jack fruit, has very smelly peel (bad), but pulp has sweet fruity flavor, I think the seeds are the best part at least from the tree we have.

If boiled they are like boiled cashew nuts, which are popular in sauces/stews in Haiti.

Cupuasu [brown and fuzzy] in background, is an excellent fruit for juice and jelly, related to chocolate but it takes longer to start producing.

The fruit on the jar is custard apple. (January photo)