Permaculture Demo at Ayub's

23 farmers came yesterday to watch a impromptu demonstration of permaculture and bio intensive farming. When we arrived in the morning I was a little worried it would be just me, Ayub, JP and Mikey.... But sure enough people started coming in from every direction. We sat in the shade of the banana trees and went over basic principals. All of which had to be translated into Kemeru. We did a small forest guild with sheet mulching, Which all of the women were so excited and got their hands right into it! we finished the guild in no time. We then moved over to some beds Ayub had prepared and Ben Muia talked about bio intensive...but surprisingly he put a permaculture spin on it. I was so impressed as I had literally given him Gaia's Garden by Toby Hemenway the day before and here he was converted! 

We had an amazing conversation over sodas and white bread(still need to work on why eating only organic food is important for diet and tried to make a point that future meetings we will only eat from the garden...one step at a time). They agreed to form two groups and visit each others farms once a week and get together once a month to discuss all they were learning. They are so eager to do anything that will improve their shamba and for so long they have been fed such crap information. The intentions I believe were good to start but now their only seed source is treated/ GMO seeds and everyone is planting the same crops as that is all they have access to.

So here we are to start a new way and give them confidence that their traditional ways and instincts are correct and to keep going and take back their power and their gardens.  Have something that sustains them and provides for generations to come. It all starts in the soil and the roots! At the end of our day together they sang a little song for me and said that they were so happy I had come and brought a little light and love...The ladies even renamed me farmer lady in Kemeru "karimi" or something like that.... it was an absolute honor to bring something and have it so well received. I often feel it is someways easier here than in the states as there is a bit less resistance..... and still we keep going to crusaders for love and beauty and a healthy planet. 

mikey contemplating an amaranth

Planting a kale plant into sheet mulch

Bio intensive demo

bio intensive with a permaculture twist

What?

Bio-Intensive

Today we booked ourselves into a full day workshop at the Bio Intensive Agriculture Training Center.  We spent the day getting educated, alongside some of the crew from IPI, so we could bring to practice at KACH and take the knowledge home with us.

John Jeavons from Willits California created Bio Intensive farming practices, which maximize land use and produce higher crop yields than traditional farming.  Essentially you are able to grow more food on less land and with less water and fertilizer...and preferably organic.  We trained on deep soil preparation, composting, pest and disease management, and bee keeping.  There was lots of conversation about having and creating healthy soil and how that impacts the quality of the fruits and veggies you grow, and the need for little to know pesticides.  Actually, instead of using a chemical pesticide local medicinal plants are soaked and then sprayed to ward off bugs and fungus. 

Lisa and Emanuelle from Evo Design set KACH up with plans for a bio-intensive garden on the surrounding land on site.  The combo of livestock and garden will produce enough fruits, vegetables and milk to feed the 50-80 kids in the home.  So far we've dug 24 out of 30 plots and planted 3 fruit trees.  It will be cool to return one day and see the home finished and nestled in amongst the garden.

We all got a load of value out of the day, and walked away motivated to have our own gardens.  I'm going to see if I can track down John Jeavons 'Common Ground' training center in California and keep educating myself on gardening and composting and such.  Super interesting.

Bio Intensive Gardening

 The Crew getting a lesson from Ben Muia at the Bio Intensive School in Meru. It was amazing to find him! he had knowledge of medicinal plants, vegetable gardening, animal husbandry and was an expert nursery man. We brought along the whole family so everyone would support each other and remind each other of the knowledge they gained today. I was so happy to see good organic gardening!