Greetings
Sorry for the slow update. Word in from Kenya is that all the seedlings have been delivered. I am under the impression that all the seedlings are in the ground as well since the seedlings were not going to be delivered until all the plots were ready. I do not have a final count of seedlings but there were over six thousand and they have been given out.
The last of the seedlings were delivered to Busia earlier this week since there was a delay because Pastor Ososo wanted to meet up with Bishop Hezron and Pastor Robert upon delivery. I had also heard that Hezron and Robert were in an accident on the way back from Busia to Mumias. Both of them are fine but there has been damage to the vehicle and it is in the shop for repairs. I am not sure how insurance works in Kenya but I would be left to imagine that there is going to be a large percentage of the cost left to the vehicle owners. I have had a couple of conversations with Hezron about car insurance and he tells me that insurance rarely covers the cost of repairing a vehicle. I am under the impression that it covers more bodily harm and liability then damage to the vehicles.
Out of the original 27 orchards that were going to be planted one orchard was not ready in Kakamega upon delivery of the seedlings and the seedlings have been distributed to other farmers or have been given to another orchard. I did not understand the email and the status of those particular seedlings. My understanding is that the orchard was not ready because the stakeholder(s) could not get the holes dug. I have mixed feelings about the digging of the holes. I know it is hard work to dig those holes and it is much easier to pay someone to come in and dig them. I personally would not last one hole before I was on the ground gasping for air. What we have asked from the stakeholders is to provide the land and the labor to plant the orchards. We were to come in and loan them the money to buy the seedlings, posts, wire, and chemicals to plant the orchards until the orchards can become self sufficient upon the first harvest in six to seven months.
The cost of the orchards range from just over a hundred dollars to around five hundred dollars. The vast majority of the orchards were in the quarter to one half acre range which we believed would be sufficient for a few people to manage. Anything more then an acre requires quite a few people to maintain. The passion fruit take a great deal of maintenance and TLC to bring it to maturity. If a stakeholder(s) cannot find the time to dig the holes then does the stakeholder(s) have the time to care for the maturing vines? If anyone would like to comment about paying for labor to dig holes I would be most appreciative. The added cost of digging holes to a project is between ten and twenty five shillings per hole or up to two hundred dollars an acre. Two hundred dollars might not sound like a lot of money but that two hundred dollars will plant up to another third of an acre for someone else. I can also see that providing funds to dig holes provides needed income to someone in need. There is benefit either way but what gives us the bigger bang for the buck?
The money was lent out through the NGO micro-finance venture we set up back in July on that visit. After the passion fruit start to come in after six months or so the loans will have to be paid back in time to Wamulu International so we can start to take that money and any future funds to plant more orchards or fund other projects. We are not anticipating any loan payments until at least April of next year.
The next six months cannot happen quick enough for me. Before we move forward with this venture we have to see some real progress and viability. This project is a real test of my faith. I sit here eight thousand miles away from the project with no plans to go back anytime soon and all I can do is wait. I do not know if I am conveying my feelings on this or not but let me tell you that this is not the way I like to operate.
As I get more updates and photos I will pass them along. Please continue to pray for God's grace to come upon these good folk in Western Kenya as they try to make a better life for themselves and their families.
Thank you for listening and God bless you all.
Dave
PS: Many of you have commented on my ablility to spell correctly, get the names right, and such. Let me just say that I have been making mistakes all along (how would you know) and my friends in Kenya are not about to tell me that I have made a mistake. Just not in their culture to do that. For the longest time I thought Bulimbo was Bulinda. I also thought Wamulu International was Wamula International. I thought Councilor Bibiana was Councilor Bianna. Shoot I still do not know if Bibiana is spelled correctly. I can't count how many times I talked with the councilor and called her Bianna. Think about this the next time you are with someone that calls you the wrong name. How many times are you going to let them say your name wrong until you correct them? Not only did I say her name wrong to her personally many times. Every time I referenced her no one corrected me until I heard Hezron call her by her real name. He told me I could call her Bianna if I wanted to. Are these people gracious or what?
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Sunday, October 16, 2011
October 16, 2011
Hi all
Just wanted to check in. When I started this blog back in April most of my viewers were from the states. I check my blog audience every now and then. For the last month or so I actually get more visitors from outside the United States on any given day then from within the United States. So I would like to say thank you to all my viewers where ever you might be.
Tomorrow Hezron will continue to deliver seedlings to the area orchards. Hopefully within this next week or so I can report that all the seedlings have been delivered and put in the ground. Deliveries of timber are also happening this next week. I am not sure when the three day training session will be held. I was hoping that it would be this week or next week.
As I get word on the progress of this week I will report in again.
Take care and God bless
Just wanted to check in. When I started this blog back in April most of my viewers were from the states. I check my blog audience every now and then. For the last month or so I actually get more visitors from outside the United States on any given day then from within the United States. So I would like to say thank you to all my viewers where ever you might be.
Tomorrow Hezron will continue to deliver seedlings to the area orchards. Hopefully within this next week or so I can report that all the seedlings have been delivered and put in the ground. Deliveries of timber are also happening this next week. I am not sure when the three day training session will be held. I was hoping that it would be this week or next week.
As I get word on the progress of this week I will report in again.
Take care and God bless
Thursday, October 13, 2011
October 13, 2011
Greetings
Well I have been back in the states for a couple of days now and I thought I would be able to blog last night. I was wrong. Yesterday after I left the plant I found myself very tired. I guess my body must have thought it was two in the morning so I slept. I do not remember having the time change problem last time I came back. For the last week I have been very tired and sometimes I get very nauseous. Both Pastor Dave and Councilor Ben came down with something while I was in Busia. This time I am going to continue to take my malaria medicine for a couple more weeks as recommended.
Overall I feel that this last trip was a success. Our goal was to be planting seedlings the first couple of weeks in October or five to six weeks before the rainy season starts in late November. Some of the seedlings were planted about a month ago. Some more were planted last week and some more are being planted this week. Next week the balance or close to it should have been planted. The chemicals, timber, and wire are all purchased and instructions have been left on how to distribute them all. A training session is being planned in Mumias next week or the week after to train all the stake holders in proper care of the orchard. I have also given instructions to everyone that if there are any problems I want to know about it. Some time in February or March we will know if our efforts have paid off.
On my last visit to the first Kakamega widow’s orchard I noticed that the seedlings were starting to really take hold. I did some more research on passion fruit and found out that the first 3 months after transplanting the seedlings are very slow to take hold. After the third or fourth month they really start to take off. I guess this is why there are different size vines all over the orchard. The highest of the vines had just started to reach the eight foot mark upon my first visit during the first week. After the third week that vine had already grown another one to two feet and is traveling across the wire. Other vines that were below the wire had already reached the wire and have started to move across the wire as well. Most of the vines that had survived from the fungi infected scions were in the four to seven foot range. As I said in one of my earlier blogs Robert had been given some diseased scions that were grafted and did not take hold. They have all been replaced with a new batch of seedlings.
As I get progress reports I will blog the results with some pictures of the various plots as time goes on. We have prepared a total of about six to seven acres of passion fruit on 27 plots. This is way more then I thought we could accomplish. I am still of little faith and maybe I worry too much. I am back here eight thousand miles from the six thousand little babies and if something happens I pray that I can fix it from here. So stay tuned as I will continue to blog as I get information to pass along. I would again like to thank everyone that reads this blog, everyone that has contributed to our venture, to all my hosts while I was in Kenya, to all that have prayed for our success, and to the one that has made all this possible our Lord God Almighty. It is for him that we do this. Amen!
Here are some more pictures I shot out of the plane window.
A few fish ponds outside of Kisumu
Western Kenya farmlands
One of the many tea plantations in Western Kenya
1/3 or all the world's tea comes from Kenya
Another tea plantation with workers quarters
Edge of Kakamega forest with tea fields
Take care and be blessed.
Dave
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Back in the states
Hi all
Just want to say I am back in the states safe and sound but extremely tired. I tried to sleep on the plane from Nairobi to Amsterdam. Could not do it. Tried to get some sleep on my 7 hour layover in Amsterdam. Could not do it. Tried to get some sleep on the plane to Chicago. Could not do it. The last half of the journey from Amsterdam my eyes were on fire and my tear ducts were trying to put the fire out. I really do not understand. I get in my car. I start driving and if I wasn't supposed to be driving I could sleep just fine. I am on my last wind and it is off to Wendy's for a Spicy Chicken sandwich. I was trying to think of something else to eat but I just can't help it. I am a creature of habit.
Got to keep this short so tomorrow I will try and wrap the trip all up.
Take care and God bless
Dave
Just want to say I am back in the states safe and sound but extremely tired. I tried to sleep on the plane from Nairobi to Amsterdam. Could not do it. Tried to get some sleep on my 7 hour layover in Amsterdam. Could not do it. Tried to get some sleep on the plane to Chicago. Could not do it. The last half of the journey from Amsterdam my eyes were on fire and my tear ducts were trying to put the fire out. I really do not understand. I get in my car. I start driving and if I wasn't supposed to be driving I could sleep just fine. I am on my last wind and it is off to Wendy's for a Spicy Chicken sandwich. I was trying to think of something else to eat but I just can't help it. I am a creature of habit.
Got to keep this short so tomorrow I will try and wrap the trip all up.
Take care and God bless
Dave
Monday, October 10, 2011
Day 24 October 10, 2011 Nairobi
Greetings
Yesterday I could not get on the internet again so I did not even try to post. Yesterday I spent all day going over the last of the calculations and documents for the 27 orchards. Also yesterday Hezron and Robert joined me at the guest house and I showed Hezron and Robert how I wanted the chemicals packaged. I showed them to how to measure each of the chemicals and put them in bags and plastice bottles based on the amount needed at each feed for each orchard. Example the widow's in Mumias have 246 vines. One of the fungicides is called Ridomil and is to be applied after one month every two weeks if needed up to the third month. There can only be a maximum of 3 applications in the two month window. The amount of Ridomil per feed is 61.5 grams in 24.6 litres of water. So we package 61.5 grams in a zip lock bag and marked it Mumias Widows, Ridomil, 64.5 grams. I have prepared a chemical worksheet for each of the 27 orchards with the right amount and instructions for chemical on each plot. There is another fungicide that is put on at the 2 month mark for one application. Then there is another fungicide that is used from months three thru six for a maximum of 5 applications. There is also an insecticide and a miticide. We also have fertilizer and a foliar that will help with the maturing of the vines. After the first six months up to harvest has one set of chemicals and then as the orchard starts to harvest another set of chemicals will be needed on the mature vines through the life of the vine. They all will be given a list of the chemicals that will be needed after the start of harvesting but it is not included in our project since once they start to harvest we are looking for them to maintain their own orchard with the earnings of the orchard. God is great.
I am leaving the country and I have done the best I can to get all the resources and instructions to continue until harvest next March. I have left some money for training, transportation, and some spare money in case we have a problem somewhere and they need to fix it. Some more seedlings will be planted later this week and then again next week. We are looking to do the training either next week or the week after. We were successful in planting all the orchards under our budget. We used the rest of the budget money to pay for transport, training, extra costs, and some spare in case of emergency.
Today I got up at four thirty to get ready for the start of my long journey home. My taxi was waiting at five am sharp to take me to Kisumu International Airport for my flight to Nairobi. After a little over an hour we were in Kisumu. No police on the road when it is dark. The flight from Kisumu thru Eldoret was uneventful except no one wanted to sit next to me. There was one empty seat on the plane and it was next to me. I did take a shower this morning before we left?
After arriving in Nairobi at nine thirty Pastor Ososo was waiting patiently outside and we rented a driver for the day. We were then off to Matasia to visit a while before we had to head back to town to drop Pastor Ososo off so he could catch a bus to Kampala, Uganda and myself to the airport. On the way to Matasia we were going by the Ngong road Nakumatt center and behold the Colonel on a big KFC sign. Kenya has hit the big time. We did not have time to stop and my craving is for spicy chicken and even though I like KFC I will be home in many hours and I can have whatever I want. Maybe next time I will have to stop and see if the secret recipe has made it across the pond.
After our visit at Pastor Ososo's home we were off. We took Pastor Dave back to the Huruma slum. You know I have been in all major slums in Nairobi including Huruma several times. But this time it seemed much different. I am not sure if the driver took a different route but we were deep into the slum and he rolled up my window for my protection. Personally I did not feel threatened but it looked and smelled much different then the previous times I had visited. This time I noticed much more refuge piled up everywhere. The flies and the stench was beyond belief. People were sitting in their shops with little or no customers looking sad as usual. Many of the children and many of the shop owners were covered in flies. My only thought was that if there are billions of flies then somewhere there must be billions of maggots waiting to transform into a fly. I really thought I was accustomed to the slums since I have been in them quite a few times. But again going through the Huruma slum today was a real eye opener. Huruma slum is the second largest slum in Nairobi after Kibera. After we dropped Dave off we were then off to the airport for my wait to leave Kenya tonight.
I have eaten a hamburger at the Java Cafe and it was pretty tasty. As I sat there I noticed that the place was packed with about 40 or 50 customers. Every one of them including me was white. Where do all these white people go when they are here. I know when I am traveling around I see very few. Just an observation. Anyway my flight is going to be a couple of hours late and luckily I have a five hour layover in Amsterdam. Should be ok with my flight back to the states tomorrow. This is my last blog from Kenya on this trip and it has been a real pleasure. I would like to thank all my hosts for their gracious hospitality while I was here. Hope to see you all soon. Good luck with the orchards and my God have his grace on all of you. I would also like to thank those that have donated to this cause and all that have prayed and continue to pray for these people. We still have much work to do so please keep these people in your prayers.
Take care and be blessed.
Dave
Yesterday I could not get on the internet again so I did not even try to post. Yesterday I spent all day going over the last of the calculations and documents for the 27 orchards. Also yesterday Hezron and Robert joined me at the guest house and I showed Hezron and Robert how I wanted the chemicals packaged. I showed them to how to measure each of the chemicals and put them in bags and plastice bottles based on the amount needed at each feed for each orchard. Example the widow's in Mumias have 246 vines. One of the fungicides is called Ridomil and is to be applied after one month every two weeks if needed up to the third month. There can only be a maximum of 3 applications in the two month window. The amount of Ridomil per feed is 61.5 grams in 24.6 litres of water. So we package 61.5 grams in a zip lock bag and marked it Mumias Widows, Ridomil, 64.5 grams. I have prepared a chemical worksheet for each of the 27 orchards with the right amount and instructions for chemical on each plot. There is another fungicide that is put on at the 2 month mark for one application. Then there is another fungicide that is used from months three thru six for a maximum of 5 applications. There is also an insecticide and a miticide. We also have fertilizer and a foliar that will help with the maturing of the vines. After the first six months up to harvest has one set of chemicals and then as the orchard starts to harvest another set of chemicals will be needed on the mature vines through the life of the vine. They all will be given a list of the chemicals that will be needed after the start of harvesting but it is not included in our project since once they start to harvest we are looking for them to maintain their own orchard with the earnings of the orchard. God is great.
I am leaving the country and I have done the best I can to get all the resources and instructions to continue until harvest next March. I have left some money for training, transportation, and some spare money in case we have a problem somewhere and they need to fix it. Some more seedlings will be planted later this week and then again next week. We are looking to do the training either next week or the week after. We were successful in planting all the orchards under our budget. We used the rest of the budget money to pay for transport, training, extra costs, and some spare in case of emergency.
Today I got up at four thirty to get ready for the start of my long journey home. My taxi was waiting at five am sharp to take me to Kisumu International Airport for my flight to Nairobi. After a little over an hour we were in Kisumu. No police on the road when it is dark. The flight from Kisumu thru Eldoret was uneventful except no one wanted to sit next to me. There was one empty seat on the plane and it was next to me. I did take a shower this morning before we left?
After arriving in Nairobi at nine thirty Pastor Ososo was waiting patiently outside and we rented a driver for the day. We were then off to Matasia to visit a while before we had to head back to town to drop Pastor Ososo off so he could catch a bus to Kampala, Uganda and myself to the airport. On the way to Matasia we were going by the Ngong road Nakumatt center and behold the Colonel on a big KFC sign. Kenya has hit the big time. We did not have time to stop and my craving is for spicy chicken and even though I like KFC I will be home in many hours and I can have whatever I want. Maybe next time I will have to stop and see if the secret recipe has made it across the pond.
After our visit at Pastor Ososo's home we were off. We took Pastor Dave back to the Huruma slum. You know I have been in all major slums in Nairobi including Huruma several times. But this time it seemed much different. I am not sure if the driver took a different route but we were deep into the slum and he rolled up my window for my protection. Personally I did not feel threatened but it looked and smelled much different then the previous times I had visited. This time I noticed much more refuge piled up everywhere. The flies and the stench was beyond belief. People were sitting in their shops with little or no customers looking sad as usual. Many of the children and many of the shop owners were covered in flies. My only thought was that if there are billions of flies then somewhere there must be billions of maggots waiting to transform into a fly. I really thought I was accustomed to the slums since I have been in them quite a few times. But again going through the Huruma slum today was a real eye opener. Huruma slum is the second largest slum in Nairobi after Kibera. After we dropped Dave off we were then off to the airport for my wait to leave Kenya tonight.
I have eaten a hamburger at the Java Cafe and it was pretty tasty. As I sat there I noticed that the place was packed with about 40 or 50 customers. Every one of them including me was white. Where do all these white people go when they are here. I know when I am traveling around I see very few. Just an observation. Anyway my flight is going to be a couple of hours late and luckily I have a five hour layover in Amsterdam. Should be ok with my flight back to the states tomorrow. This is my last blog from Kenya on this trip and it has been a real pleasure. I would like to thank all my hosts for their gracious hospitality while I was here. Hope to see you all soon. Good luck with the orchards and my God have his grace on all of you. I would also like to thank those that have donated to this cause and all that have prayed and continue to pray for these people. We still have much work to do so please keep these people in your prayers.
Take care and be blessed.
Dave
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Day 22 October 8,2011 Kakamega
Greetings
This has been a really long day. I have spent the whole day working to get all the documents and data sheets done for all 27 orchards. We had purchased a total of seven different chemicals each of them having a different schedule. I went through all the data on every chemical to make sure that it will be applied properly. I had Hezron go out and get me some small plastic bottles to put the liquids in so I can give them exact measurements for the next six months. I also have some bags for the powder chemicals to get them properly put onto the vines as well.
Hezron also had the wire in tow upon his arrival this morning. When I had a meter of 12 gage wire measured at the hardware store it came in at 28 grams. The total length of wire that I needed was around 12,500 meters. When we calculated the total we were in need of a little more then nine 50 Kg spools. So instead of breaking a spool down I decided to buy the full roll. Today I took another meter of wire and this time it came in at 38 grams. I told Hezron that this is not good. I quickly took out the calculator and luckily instead of needing just over nine 50 Kg spools we now needed just under ten 50 Kg spools. We still have a little bit left for error.
Well I am down to my last full day and I am not done yet. After church tomorrow Hezron and Robert will be back at the guest house to wrap this up. I am still printing out all the documents and will be for a few more hours. I am writing this kinda late. It is already in the morning and I feel like I am against the wall in getting the last little bit of stuff done. The widow’s in Kakamega wanted me to come today to visit but I had to keep working and I feel bad but I do need to try to finish this before I leave.
Take care and be blessed.
Dave
Friday, October 7, 2011
Day 21 October 7, 2011 Kakamega
Greetings
Today is short and sweet. I stayed at the guest house and Hezron left for Kitale early this morning to pick up the wire for the orchards. It was supposed to be in yesterday but did not arrive until around today. Hezron was not feeling well so he has stopped in Webuye to rest and we will meet up tomorrow.
Since we had bought all the chemicals and wire in bulk I now have to get the proper amount to each orchard. Today I worked on the distribution lists for both the chemicals and wire so we can divvy it up. I hope we have time to do this tomorrow. I have two days left before I leave on Monday and I really need to make sure that everything will be alright before I leave.
I also went to purchase some packaging supplies for the chemicals and stopped by fly540 to get my ticket to Nairobi
Tomorrow I will spend more time on wrapping up this trip. The documents for each orchard are in the computer and I need to spend some time printing them all or taking them to the cyber café to print for me. Hezron should be here mid morning and we will go prepare the chemicals and wire for distribution when he takes the seedlings to the orchards. The posts are all being purchased locally and only Bungoma has not secured any posts. So after tomorrow everything should be prepared and ready for those left behind to finish.
Take care and be blessed.
Dave
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