Permaculture course 2010

Photo above: Making Bio-char with bona fide timber produced in renewable timber systems based on coppice and pollard system type management. Thanks to Shad for his help with our first charcoal making episode.
Above pictured: Fran and Guillermo with a 40 pounds Jaquero/Jackfruit!!!

Same jackfruit pictured with a plantain bunch and our first significant harvest of canistel or Pouteria campechiana. A tree crops candidate.

Permaculture students and botanical ninjas of peace hard at work on a vaulted locally fired brick oven with a cob insulating layer mix. Design courtesy of Michael Judd and cob goddess Rachel.

Greetings Bona Fide friends and supporters,

WOW! February felt even shorter than its 28 days. The month blew past whilst we held our 7th annual Permaculture design course. We hosted 18 people and had folks from: Canada, USA, El Salvador, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Germany. Thanks to all who attended, contributed, taught, shared, cooked, led work projects, and coordinated. This year saw the return of Reed Aubin to the Ometepe PDC scene. Reed brought 4 years of experience since his last visit to the course and to the translation experience whilst Tiny Man and Reed together provided a dynamic duo of new ideas, teaching and mirth. After 15 days we were quite exhausted and a few days of relaxation were called for. A trip to the Rio San Juan was in order and was made. The Rio San Juan is a must see for all folks who have the time to make it out to this percious SE corner of Nicaragua.

Many Thanks to all and more frequent updates to come.

Best,

Chris Shanks

El Berrinche eco-celebration and BF!

Greetings Bona Fide Friends and Supporters,

This last week was spent mostly in Granada, BF staff was recharging as well as participating and admiring the 5 day eco-festival with art and music called ‘El Berrinche’. 10 days ago David and Norman, master mason’s from Balgue and the chief ninjas on Chris’ building team spent 7 days in Granada working with the artists and building the featured cob oven. They returned 3 days ago for the festivities along with Cat, Rachel, Steve, Jackie, myself as well as the inaugural apprentcies, Walker Brown and Kate bolton who will be with us for 3 months after a 3 week stint in El Lagartillo’s languague school: ‘Hijos de Maiz.’ Yesterday Jackie and I did a pizza making workshop and we have been supporting the group in other ways with logistics and advice for sometime. Artists, acrobats, clowns, musicians from over 12 countries came with a special focus on Central American participants. Fire, stilts, drums, flips, workshops in local barrios and lots of eco-educational fun was to be seen and experienced and the final night culminated with ‘Cuneta Son Machin’ one of the most popular Nicaraguan groups in the country playing a hour long show with hundreds dancing at a free all ages event where children and adults played side by side.
Huge thanks to Diego of the Theater School of Comedy and Mime as well as Benjamin Wheatley our friend and gracious host for our opportunities to participate and for great lodgings. We hope to support this event next year as it grows and evolves.

Until next post,

Chris Shanks

Greetings Bona Fide Friends and Supporters,

Been a but quiet here on the ole blog range of late. Busy daze with lots of neat projects unfolding. This week we feature the month long project led by our administrator, Evelio Hernandez, the thatching anew of our beautiful 30′ diameter classroom space with local grass from the area as well as our own land. The cutting, carrying, curing, tying, and thatching of this structure is A LOT of work and we extend a heartfelt thanks to our local team for all the overtime they put in as well as hard working volunteers and friends who made it all happen since late last December. A nice holiday treat!!

This thatch job comes well timed with the last local vines twisted and tied as we prepare for our 7th annual permaculture design course. This year we have folks from 5 different countries participating, the US, Canada, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Costa Rica. We welcome Tiny Man, Jackie Pitts Ashley Carter and Juan Jose Calero to our staff and are looking forward to a great course.

The final foto featured is the newly christened garden down at Casa Albergüe. Greens are coming prper this year thanks to Nevis, Norbert and all volunteer effort.

Upcoming posts will feature the ‘El Barrinche’ eco-festival in Granda this coming weekend January 28-30th with music, forums, costumes and art performance. It will be a blast.

Cheer to Diego, Ben and the entire Casa botellas crew for organizing hundreds of folks for a festivsl for thousands!!!!