SEEDS WORKSHOP

Here are a few shots of the seed workshop by the Organic Seed Alliance at Abbondanza Farm. I will be taking over several varieties for testing in November!!!

Green Roof in Meru!

Last night on our school excursion to visit Karamana's son we passed a green roof!!!!!  I was hoping I would be able to create the first one in Kenya, alas a mira farmer, frustrated with being too hot to work thought it up and even a rad watering system with bottles and cans to boot!

Cassava Hunting

After beginning a  bio intensive and permaculture garden next door to Karamana's kitchen where it would go to good use and be a wonderful demonstration, we went on a hunt for cassava, a native food rich with history. Karamana has a good patch and we harvested two long roots, washed them in the river and went back to her cozy kitchen to prepare them! They were wonderful! much better than I expected a white root to be. They are either fried, dried into chips or ground into a powder.  Most commonly used or known as tapioca, cassava is one of the major crops in Africa. It has for some reason loss popularity in Kenya maybe as corn/maize has taken over in the last 100 years there was less need. They are a perfect plant to grow as they are drought tolerant can be harvested at anytime. They are touted for their aphrodisiac properties by the guys working at KACH (although who knows can't say JP or Mikey or any of our Kenyan friends looked extraordinarily good looking or exceptionally hot after eating! will pay better attention next time!!!)

karamana eating a mango as we arrived

             simon working on the demonstration garden   

cassava flower

cassava root

 peeling cassava root 

Yum!