It all dawned on me while thinking how to minimize expenses at the farm.
While I was so occupied on the "how's" ; to build the planned infrastructure bearing in mind where to get the funds. How to generate funds using what we have in the farm for our miscellaneous expenses, and how much effort we are expending in order to meet our small objectives little by little. To add to my concerns, Farm tilling expenses, fertilizers, buying seeds, or borrowing seeds, manpower etc for livestock's add on source of feeds and internal consumption. But at the end, I am not sure if we achieved what was planned and are we heading to our goals. Searching for information, and compiling each one and trying to connect the many pieces of information, wow- its very hard but it is interesting and to know that there is a solution waiting to be discovered, it becomes exciting and I love it all the more.I don't know what I will find out next but something is prodding me, Keep searching Barnfeet! This Late September, October, I watched a presentation made by Mr. Mushroom 1.5 hrs, the incredible mycelium, about Rhizosphere etc., the technology about Natural Farming, the advocate's postings about organic farming, PERMACULTURE DESIGN (601 pages) and a farm in Palawan practicing and harnessing the blessings of NATURAL FARMING, 2 hours of reading and trying to understand it. I have to review again and again. What can I say, They are all inter connected- it is about LIFE, the People and NATURE that co-exist and how they exist. Once we know how to work on these, we could achieve our not so illusive dreams. Wow, what a ride of knowing so little that it is in fact, it's already available and dangling in front of us. It is not too late, we are just starting- let's refocus,pause, step side ways, and then move again. This is our new direction, NATURAL FARMING Methods applicable to the farm.Lets learn it fast from others and aim to share it with the rest. Regain back what we lost, 2 years of wandering, hearsay's and inefficient practices, this can go on and on and we still live,It would be a waste. We need to be on track again. By the way, We need all the help we could get to sponsor the 4 months internship for BarnFeet team and all the necessary infrastructure we will need to implement it, pray hard it works. Cheers! . Available Materials: Bamboo fibers and Pan-aw (weeds used to make roofs for a traditional hut in the Philippines, La Union) and what appropriate binders to form it and make it weather/termite proof as well? Similar to fortified rammed earth? Other provinces uses the leaves of a tree (palm specie).
My idea is to make it in block forms like the roof shingles used in the west. (Panel board)- and can be categorized as natural? Rationale: To exercise "natural building making" with aesthetics and not costly and could become as alternative to the usual practice. Our place is HOT and yet we stick to what we know- GI roof- pronto! This could help the live stocks and even people to have a more cooler environment. Or if not yet available, how to make a Thatched roof? they look nice although requires more weeds in terms of volume. by the way, a bundle of Pan-aw versus GI roof to cover a 3x4 meter roof- GI wins in terms of material cost and labor (Lump sum contract). Rainy season is on, The "bath tub " is again ready for enjoyment. 1 week after the heavy rains. Elevation: 100 meters above sea level. Below this place, about 60 meters is our main water shed (water for the house Kalapaw #1 and for the garden and adjacent farms. You cannot enjoy this during summer (March-May)- it dries up. Future plan is to develop this so people could have easier access. The Legumes and Orchids, Indigofera, Bamboo, Maguey, Napier and the ducks
After almost 1 year+ after transfer from OSB, they have adapted in their new place at last. Whew, I thought the report before is that they have reached their time and need to be dispatched. We were learning and we do not know what is true or not. Anyway, thanks to the bakerros (cattle dealers)- got an insight from them while dealing on the price and how they do it to make it ready for the market. Thank you Raymond for taking care , I hope you can multiply them successfully. Also, for the tight control of the sponsors- OSB (Owners), we have to wait and see and it paid off.
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AuthorProject Manager: BarnFeetPL Archives
September 2016
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