Update on Joe's

We drove for miles to collect very large rocks which Joe had managed to gather together for the pond construction. A donkey cart was hired to bring the stones down the hillside. I, unfortunately wasn't there to get pics. Joe had a stomach bug/food poisoning and hadn't eaten all day but still managed to muster up the strength to fill Jam's Cartage with the help of 7 other strong Malawian men. Nice work team. They all laughed at me when I asked them if they would sing a song while they were working.

Feeling swak

It's called Tsunami

I acquired this at the bus depot in transit to Monkey Bay on Friday. I just love the little bottle. 

"Major functions:" (as written on the box)

"Cool and refreshing, pain, flooding wind, relieving itching for mosquito bites and gets a cold causes of headache, dizziness."

The instructions on the box are nothing compared to the leaflet. And it works, although in my experience it also wakes you up. Had a bit of a battle sleeping that night.

African Art

Tony is a weaver and speaks a little Afrikaans. He's the coolest. I always stop at his on my way back from my walk abouts for a rest and a chat. He uses mostly palm leaves for his work. If anybody would like to order any of his art, I can organize shipment.

Traditional broom - R50

 These luffas grow on threes. Luffa is a genus of tropical and subtropical vines in the cucumber family. In everyday non-technical usage, the luffa, also spelled loofah, usually means the fruit of the two species L. aegyptiaca and L. acutangula .Luffa info

 Dog Baskets...... Large: R310 Med: R260 Small: R180

3 Things

I'm fascinated by the things lying in and around this beautiful country and have decided to take a different view on the subject. No longer will I feed the hungry beast of consumer waste with my precious energy. I will continue to educate where I can but from now on I will be picking up other sorts of treasure. 

These guys sell used bottles. Any kind of bottle. 

The seed you see in the picture literally exploded in front of my face. I had to smile. The rock's a gem and the other strange thing on the right, a piece of an old bamboo leaf, is an inking tool. Ashleigh will be most delighted.

Epic fail in the kitchen

So I managed to get my hands on a banana flower. After much patience, negotiation and picture drawing to explain exactly what I was looking for, I ended up paying K1500 for this beauty. Beautiful to the eye and hopefully to bees too but definitely not beautiful to the pallet. I was unable to cook the bitterness away which rendered it inedible so the compost got it after all. My conclusion: the variety is not the same as the one in my garden in SA. Those were the little short fat ones, these are long thin skinny ones. This is probably why I get such strange looks from these people when I talk about eating it. I'm in search of the small plantain variety it seems.

The search continues

 Never give up

Gabor Mate

Must see short movie

Simple and to the point

 https://crazywisefilm.com/

Joe's Garden permaculture # 3

Area 2 project on the Lilongwe River by Joe Masamba (green) Mulawu

The garden by the river. Wow . . . this is an interesting project. Joe spent a lot of time in the UK and is a businessman with a dream to help the people of Malawi. His vision is to grow fruit trees, enjoy the tranquility of a water feature pond, make peanut butter and hopefully Moringa oil, and process seeds for propagating. His guy is planting vegetable seeds in beds.

There is approximately 1Ha of water logged ground. Soooo much water I see great value in this place. The crop beds would benefit from the installation of Vetiver grass to keep the water clean and to minimize soil erosion.

Bracken water collecting in the troughs around the growing beds, a perfect location for Vetiver. Now just to get my hands on it.

Lovely terracing and a good slope

The view through the trees of a healthy pawpaw and thriving Moringa tree laden with seeds. This is the first fruiting Moringa I have come across so far.

Seeds found on the ground. Joe was taken by surprise.

Love here 

The medicine woman who I bought my 'stop smoking' herbs from. I am yet to give it a go.

The view from the story above. They are in the beginning stages of moving the power lines and there was future talk about fiber optic instillation. This is an exciting prospect for Malawi. Let's hope it happens in the not so distant future.

Geepers Electronics is what Joe calls his internet business. He has approx 6 computers installed in a first story container which he plans to use as an internet cafe when his WiFi gets connected.

4 Seasons Nursery is where Joe's pond inspiration comes from. This nursery caters for the rich and famous.

To Market

To find cassava roots. Funny thing is, I couldn't find any. All that's available at the moment is maize and sweet potato.

James was my kabanza driver today. I love this mode of transport even if it is a bit slow on the uphill.

A wealthy man

How to stop smoking

Little Blue Bags Everywhere

Ingredients: Bark from a tree. She wouldn't give me the name.
Instructions: Drink as a tea. I will make this my ritual for the next three days and see what happens.

Medicine woman

A sign....

...... if ever I saw one

Next step

To do: 

Monday 17/7/17  😊 a good day all. triple seven eleven, oh my goodness, don't stop !

Make cassava flour with Nelson the traditional way. Can't wait.

Perma-A-Outreach permaculture # 2

Perma-A-Outreach in association with The Glasshouse Sustainability Center, Blantyre

Perma-A-Outreach link

Mathews Shaba Mpofo is a passionate educated educator with a Bsc(Mw) and more who has a piece of land next a river just on the outskirts of Blantyre. He has a nursery and banana plantations which shows great potential. His house is situated on one of the tributaries of the Shire River which lies to the West of Blantyre. This little river is dry so water is a challenge and he is forced to buy water from his neighbour until his application for a connection is approved and installed in order to keep his household and garden growing during the dry seasons and drought periods.

I see a great need for grey water treatment and catchment areas in the rural districts. With ponds of tilapia fish and water plants. It is a great concern of mine that the Malawian people have to rely on municipal water when there is clearly a natural resource lying beneath the surface. The water table is high and many residents dig wells to access water which is great. I'm not dissing the system but am positive that there is a wiser way of doing it. I've seen some incredibly hazardous well installations of late. I'm hoping to visit the Research Station this week with Tanya from Perma-Grow and will bring feedback from the people in the know. More about Perma-Grow when I've been there.

Perma-A-Outreach herb shop with Mathews Mpofo and Ida

Mathews introducing me to his Moringa tree. This tree was bare of fruit and I wondered why compared to Joe's, which is close to the river, I think it is lacking water.

Golden Orb spiders looking after pest population

The Glasshouse Sustainability Center is run and owned by Chris Walker. His vision is to create a training environment for sustainability bringing hope to the people in the rural areas and outskirts of Blantyre. Currently still under construction the center offers a modern feel with stone cladding extensions to the original building. Out back a bio-fuel pit is in the process of being completed next to the ablution blocks. So far I see no evidence of composting toilets. 

Here you can find a large range of fruit trees such as Avocado, Peach, Mango, Moringa, tree potatoes and much more. The entire property is surrounded by a boundary wall separating the outside world. I see this as a challenge for Chris since in my mind it cuts off the sustainability potential and has a small scope for crop generation. 

The water/aqua system is beautifully designed. I hope it gets up and running soon.

Training facility with Chris Walker

Tree potatoes fall from the canopy

Tranquility

NeverEndingFood permaculture # 1

My first permaculture visit in Malawi as planned was to NeverEndingFood, hosted by Kristof Nordin. An inspirational visit and a wonderful design. A magic happens here. From here I will go to Blantyre to meet Mathews, one of Kristof's connections. So far I haven't seen a Moringa but here at NeverEndingFood there are fruit trees and tree potatoes and a large range of goodness. This is the design I would like to follow and share with local villages who are interested in protecting and promoting this technique.

 Seeds harvested from this years crop

Inspection of a very successful composting toilet system

Progress for the training center. This design is built from renewable resources. Sand bags form the basis of the sitting area for students. Glass bottles have been incorporated into the walls for light infiltration and the roof will be made from recycled plastic bottles. Can't wait to see finished product.

NeverEndingFood is situated near the Chitedze Agricultural Research Station near Lilongwe. I am still to visit the center where I expect to learn more about how their sustainable hemp farming is coming along.

No work to be found for a wee lass. As yet 😏

23 June - The first morning In Malawi, Mabuya Camp

I received a gift today

Ephesians 2:8-9

I found it laying in the sand on the pathway to reception. The message said.

For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, Lest any man should boast….

….and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives helping others.

So be it....

My first morning in Malawi I met Phatso (meaning Gift) at the pool. He's one of the gardeners and you'll get to chat to him early if you're up. It was cold this morning. Alan says the coldest day so far. Of course, it was the winter solstice and all my winter clothes are in Cape Town but I found some sun so I warmed up soon enough. Phatso was scrubbing and working up a sweat. He knows nothing about eating banana flowers. I’m finally shocked.

The gift