BLOG FOR THE MONTH OF JUNE 2007
PRELUDE
Welcome on board and thanks again for flying our airline and we wish you a pleasant flight. Our journey will take us through June 2007 activities as we continue to conquer greater heights in the project. The activities undertaken were gapping, weeding, top dressing of vegetable plots, routine spraying, establishment of more vegetable nurseries, potting of multi-purpose tree seedlings, stocking of the poultry unit and collection of day old chicks and the visit by Changing World UK Directors and volunteers.
HORTICULTURAL PLOT
The Ecofinder project aeroplane first flyover is over horticultural plots. Here you will view successful Gapping which was done one week after the transplanting of the vegetable seedlings. Gapping is the replacement of seedling that wilted or were affected by worms, it was necessary as it ensured that we had healthy and uniform crops on the plots. The cabbage plot was gapped one evening when it showed signs of raining, Sugarloaf and Kales were gapped on the 12th and 13th days respectively. Pepper and Onions were not gapped because 98% established well. We had a break for one week before we started weeding our Horticultural crops. The weeding started on the 19th to the 25th day, we started with the Cabbage, followed by Sugarloaf, Kales and Pepper. Onion plot was weeded last as it needed much care because of their tender stems. As the weeding was progressing, spraying also commenced. The chemicals used were mainly Karate (pesticides) and Dithane M45 (Fungicide). We also used Gladiator to control Termites that started building a colony within our Kales plot.
Finally top dressing was done using Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (C.A.N) and Farm Yard manure from the school Zero grazing unit. C.A.N was applied at the rate of 5 g/seedling while the farm yard manure was spread all over the entire plot. We were very lucky that it rained after we had top dressed our crops.
MULTIPURPOSE TREE NURSERY
The next view is the ongoing work at Multipurpose tree nursery. The one week break from the farm, was utilized by members of the Ecofinder club for potting of the Grevellea robusta, Acacia meansii and Meosopis emenii seedlings that were ready. The Grevellea robusta recorded 90% germination followed by 70% of Acacia meansii while Meosopis emenii recorded the lowest germination percentage of less than 40 %. The students were able to pot a total of 300 seedlings with 200 of Grevellea robusta, 85 of Acacia meansii and 15 of Meosopis emenii. A total of 30 seedlings wilted and replacement was done after 3 days. Members of the club ensured that routine watering was done to ensure the survival of the seedlings.
POULTRY UNIT
The poultry unit is rearing to go. It was completed and stocked with Feeder and Drinkers in readiness for the rearing of the birds. The completed poultry unit was disinfected and surrounding cleared to get rid of disease causing organisms and destructive vermins. This integral component of the project is yet to be stocked with chicks as we wait for the installation of electricity in the school in one month time. However, Ecofinder Youth Movement (Project facilitator) has collected and stocked day old chicks (Broilers) into a donated space (has electricity) by community member for free and the proceeds will go to the school. This provides learning forum for school community before they embark on full fledged poultry keeping in the school. Here the brooder was made using hardboard and wood shavings.
CHANGING WORLD UK PROJECT VISIT
The Ecofinder Luanda Dudi School Agroforestry and Conservation project continues to attract local, national and international visitors for its great potential. On the 22nd June , the project was visited by the Director of Changing World UK Mr. David Gill and his team of volunteers. One of the Volunteer from Changing World Mr. Tim was impressed with the project and has been working with the School Ecofinder club members especially on Multi-Purpose Tree Nursery Section especially on potting of multi-purpose tree seedlings. The Ecofinder club members and the entire school community were happy with the visit and are looking forward to host more visitors in future.
The establishment of the Green Food Kiosk and sale of the project products will form our July blog. Please dont miss!!!
Thanks for flying Ecofinder Project Airways and we hereby stop for short stopover before we embark on this noble journey again to the promised land.
Yours in service,
Captain ECOFINDER
Welcome on board and thanks again for flying our airline and we wish you a pleasant flight. Our journey will take us through June 2007 activities as we continue to conquer greater heights in the project. The activities undertaken were gapping, weeding, top dressing of vegetable plots, routine spraying, establishment of more vegetable nurseries, potting of multi-purpose tree seedlings, stocking of the poultry unit and collection of day old chicks and the visit by Changing World UK Directors and volunteers.
HORTICULTURAL PLOT
The Ecofinder project aeroplane first flyover is over horticultural plots. Here you will view successful Gapping which was done one week after the transplanting of the vegetable seedlings. Gapping is the replacement of seedling that wilted or were affected by worms, it was necessary as it ensured that we had healthy and uniform crops on the plots. The cabbage plot was gapped one evening when it showed signs of raining, Sugarloaf and Kales were gapped on the 12th and 13th days respectively. Pepper and Onions were not gapped because 98% established well. We had a break for one week before we started weeding our Horticultural crops. The weeding started on the 19th to the 25th day, we started with the Cabbage, followed by Sugarloaf, Kales and Pepper. Onion plot was weeded last as it needed much care because of their tender stems. As the weeding was progressing, spraying also commenced. The chemicals used were mainly Karate (pesticides) and Dithane M45 (Fungicide). We also used Gladiator to control Termites that started building a colony within our Kales plot.
Finally top dressing was done using Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (C.A.N) and Farm Yard manure from the school Zero grazing unit. C.A.N was applied at the rate of 5 g/seedling while the farm yard manure was spread all over the entire plot. We were very lucky that it rained after we had top dressed our crops.
MULTIPURPOSE TREE NURSERY
The next view is the ongoing work at Multipurpose tree nursery. The one week break from the farm, was utilized by members of the Ecofinder club for potting of the Grevellea robusta, Acacia meansii and Meosopis emenii seedlings that were ready. The Grevellea robusta recorded 90% germination followed by 70% of Acacia meansii while Meosopis emenii recorded the lowest germination percentage of less than 40 %. The students were able to pot a total of 300 seedlings with 200 of Grevellea robusta, 85 of Acacia meansii and 15 of Meosopis emenii. A total of 30 seedlings wilted and replacement was done after 3 days. Members of the club ensured that routine watering was done to ensure the survival of the seedlings.
POULTRY UNIT
The poultry unit is rearing to go. It was completed and stocked with Feeder and Drinkers in readiness for the rearing of the birds. The completed poultry unit was disinfected and surrounding cleared to get rid of disease causing organisms and destructive vermins. This integral component of the project is yet to be stocked with chicks as we wait for the installation of electricity in the school in one month time. However, Ecofinder Youth Movement (Project facilitator) has collected and stocked day old chicks (Broilers) into a donated space (has electricity) by community member for free and the proceeds will go to the school. This provides learning forum for school community before they embark on full fledged poultry keeping in the school. Here the brooder was made using hardboard and wood shavings.
CHANGING WORLD UK PROJECT VISIT
The Ecofinder Luanda Dudi School Agroforestry and Conservation project continues to attract local, national and international visitors for its great potential. On the 22nd June , the project was visited by the Director of Changing World UK Mr. David Gill and his team of volunteers. One of the Volunteer from Changing World Mr. Tim was impressed with the project and has been working with the School Ecofinder club members especially on Multi-Purpose Tree Nursery Section especially on potting of multi-purpose tree seedlings. The Ecofinder club members and the entire school community were happy with the visit and are looking forward to host more visitors in future.
The establishment of the Green Food Kiosk and sale of the project products will form our July blog. Please dont miss!!!
Thanks for flying Ecofinder Project Airways and we hereby stop for short stopover before we embark on this noble journey again to the promised land.
Yours in service,
Captain ECOFINDER
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