The Day of Exhaustion

After a week of backbreaking work (Monday through Wednesday my back considers a week) today was a less physically active day. My lower back refuses to shovel more compost and till/move any more EARTH for the day, so I stuck to the machete. Luis Rojas is still going steady, spending the morning gathering different herds for inspection and curing the sheep.

Luis with Dave, Tony and Grevil resting under an orange tree

The morning was spent measuring the greenhouses and outdoor garden areas for a seed use estimate to improve seed ordering and for planning crop outputs, once the magic seeds arrive. Later in the morning we Luis went to help garden workers Tony, Grevil and Dave steadying pineapple rows while Fabio took pictures.

After another great lunch, followed by a nice ventilated rest, we embarked on our journey across the river, through bushes and shortcuts with the primary school as our destination. On our way there we found distractions in the form of a Rasta playing guitar and grandmother sharing her interesting life story. Upon arriving at the school we were greeted by several of the children, who were already out of classes but enjoyed staying longer in school. We continued our work in the school farm we are setting up and got the design done we where planning. Not much noticeable work was done but the advances were felt. In a couple of weeks we hope to have the main garden running so we can focus on details and start working with the fourth and fifth graders.

Balloon in mouth work is the way to go. 

Fabio being shown how work is done in Jamaica.

At the school we were accompanied by Sir Brian and Mr. Kevin, Joseph´s (Great Pantrepant worker) 7 and 9 year old children. They were showing us how it should be done (work), as is evident in the images. Later on a group of local youths visited our semi-garden, but refused to volunteer like Josephs hard working kids. They did not like being referred to as “guys” but preferred “gangstas” or “thugz”, with a Z.