Planting Trees and Field Visit by Cory

 

We have been busy planting soybeans, beans and fruit trees, to extend the demonstration fruit grove.

Mangos survived and most of them produced well even in the worst drought in100 years, so we are planting mango with an alternate fruit every other tree except in rocky or poor drainage areas.

The alternate fruits are mostly avocado and some apple.

Planting mango and avocado seeds and also some trees from the nursery

Planting beans between the older demonstration fruit trees.

Small apple that didn't get pollinated (was seedless) but tasted good.

Friday Kris and I toured the Jembo fields with Patrick.

This first planted field had to be plowed and replanted due to very poor germination from dry weather.

Only the late planted fields had very good germination but there is a high risk of failure if rains end early.

The tractors have not been available so it is good that local labor is abundant and low cost, at least for this year.

Some of the gaps in the corn have been planted to sunflower, which is normally planted later than corn.

At least soil fertility and nitrogen levels look good so it looks like we won't have much fertilizer cost.

Kris: This week we are looking forward to international visitors coming from the International Conference of Wesleyan Churches held in South Africa this weekend.

Fritz and I will do our last week of school for the month as on Jan 22 we head out for our Amazing Asian Adventure-where lots of learning will take place, just not from text books.

We continue to work through the long to-do list: getting paperwork for our anti-malaria medications [just getting them took a lot of steps and a lot of Mrs. Samson's time], making copies of paper-work to go; on-line applications for visas, lining up rides [thankfully all hotels are booked], working on what-to-pack lists, watching videos so we know what to expect, do's and don'ts. 

We also will be preparing folks here to take care of the trees, fields, plants, plant nursery, house, truck, and cat. 

Thank you if you prayed for Anna who's dealing with the fires in California. She's doing ok. Finding places to stay with friends. This next week classes will be on-line so: starts her last term; one last final from last term; and a job interview.