Wow, I made it to the site. I left Friday morning for the Philadelphia airport. From there I flew to Atlanta and then to Amsterdam. My layover in Amsterdam was from midnight to 4 AM my time. No it was not enjoyable. I slept on a flat picnic bench for an hour. I couldn't sleep on the airplane to Tanzania until I was over Italy and then I slept until the Sahara desert. I had a window seat with no one next to me but there was no window by my seat. I was quite uncomfortable by the time I arrived in Tanzania at 8:30 PM on Saturday night. Then I spent an hour getting a visa and another hour driving to the hotel. I fell asleep at 1:30 AM and was up at 6:30. I had stayed at this hotel last time so I was able to see some friends that remembered me. Monday morning the CRS staff member met me and we began another hour journey to the project location - Kilema Chini village. After driving on paved roads for a while we drove the Toyota Camry down a dirt road for 15 more minutes. I use the terms Camry and road loosely. This is Africa and everything is different.
I knew that I was staying near a Catholic boy's secondary school. I assumed that it was some type of compound but I couldn't image what it would be like. Now that I am here and had a tour I still have more questions than answers. The residence in which I am staying was built for a retired Catholic bishop who I think has since died. An order of Catholic brothers began building the school and farm 6 years ago. The school has 600 boys and I think they live here. The farm raises pigs, chickens, cows, and goats. They also grow fruits and vegetables. I can't figure out how they decide what to grow and what their goals are. Probably because they don't know either. They want to expand to grow another 4 acres of vegetables. They don't have enough water. The work is done by people hired from the village. There might also be sisters and priests living here. And possibly some of the teachers. There is also a cook named Monica who is very nice and doesn't speak a word of English. She wants to know what I like to eat and I'm told she can make pizza. So far I've said that I eat anything but she still wants a menu. The rice and fish curry for lunch was amazing.
The headmaster and farm operator is Brother Charles. He speaks English well and is the one who started this place. It is difficult to communicate because of his accent and because I don't always know what to ask and how to ask it. He also doesn't always understand what I am asking. But he has a great sense of humor. He already has asked me to bring my family for a visit...actually regular visits...and to move here. I tell him that flying my family here would be about $20,000. I also said that my farm customers would not be happy!
My objectives are to prepare a design of the farm including full layout, to propose equipment for purchase, and to prepare cost estimates for starting the vegetables. I will also be visiting other farms, making planting recommendations, and various other things. I expect to do a lot of writing so that I can leave a lot of records with Br. Charles.
Reuben DeMaster
Willow Haven Farm
www.WillowHavenFarmPA@live.com
"The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings." Masanobu Fukuoka
I knew that I was staying near a Catholic boy's secondary school. I assumed that it was some type of compound but I couldn't image what it would be like. Now that I am here and had a tour I still have more questions than answers. The residence in which I am staying was built for a retired Catholic bishop who I think has since died. An order of Catholic brothers began building the school and farm 6 years ago. The school has 600 boys and I think they live here. The farm raises pigs, chickens, cows, and goats. They also grow fruits and vegetables. I can't figure out how they decide what to grow and what their goals are. Probably because they don't know either. They want to expand to grow another 4 acres of vegetables. They don't have enough water. The work is done by people hired from the village. There might also be sisters and priests living here. And possibly some of the teachers. There is also a cook named Monica who is very nice and doesn't speak a word of English. She wants to know what I like to eat and I'm told she can make pizza. So far I've said that I eat anything but she still wants a menu. The rice and fish curry for lunch was amazing.
The headmaster and farm operator is Brother Charles. He speaks English well and is the one who started this place. It is difficult to communicate because of his accent and because I don't always know what to ask and how to ask it. He also doesn't always understand what I am asking. But he has a great sense of humor. He already has asked me to bring my family for a visit...actually regular visits...and to move here. I tell him that flying my family here would be about $20,000. I also said that my farm customers would not be happy!
My objectives are to prepare a design of the farm including full layout, to propose equipment for purchase, and to prepare cost estimates for starting the vegetables. I will also be visiting other farms, making planting recommendations, and various other things. I expect to do a lot of writing so that I can leave a lot of records with Br. Charles.
Willow Haven Farm
www.WillowHavenFarmPA@live.com
"The ultimate goal of farming is not the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings." Masanobu Fukuoka
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