Planted mango

Planted mango (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale) with shade cloth and planted forage cuttings in nursery

Plants in nursery

Plants from Central Farm and planted forage cuttings in nursery; planted cashews in field beyond

Plants in nursery

Plants from Central Farm and planted forage cuttings in nursery

Plants in nursery

Plants from Central Farm and planted forage cuttings in nursery

Plants in nursery

Plants from Central Farm and planted forage cuttings in nursery

Plants in nursery

Plants from Central Farm and planted forage cuttings in nursery

Plants from Central Farm

Plants from Central Farm in nursery

shade cloth

Shade cloth (~10' by 12') to be used overhead at the nursery. Also used it to cover plants from Central Farm to protect them from wind damage during truck transport

Forage bank cuttings in nursery

Forage bank cuttings in nursery bags and Taiwan and Camaroon grass still to be planted

Forage bank cuttings in nursery

Forage bank cuttings in nursery bags

black BSI soil

Caretaker, Guillermo, working with black BSI soil

Planted orange

Planted orange (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted mango

Planted mango (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted orange

Planted orange (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted mango

Planted mango (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted mango

Planted mango (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted orange

Planted orange (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Mushroom

Mushroom (white), near pine tree

Mushrooms

Mushrooms near pine tree

Mushrooms

Mushrooms near pine tree

Mushrooms

Two mushrooms near pine tree

Planted mango

Planted mango (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted mango

Planted mango (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted mango

Planted mango (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted mango

Planted mango (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted orange

Planted orange (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted cashew

Planted cashew (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted cashew

Planted cashew (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted cashew

Planted cashew (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted cashew

Planted cashew (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted cashew

Planted cashew (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted cashew

Planted cashew (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted cashew

Planted cashew (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted cashew

Planted cashew (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted cashew

Planted cashew (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted cashew

Planted cashew (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted cashew

Planted cashew (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted cashew

Planted cashew (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Planted cashew

Planted cashew (with 9-3/4" tall notebook for scale)

Barn/shed with container

Barn/shed with 40' container

Barn/shed with container

Barn/shed with 40' container

Barn/shed with container

Barn/shed with 40' container

Barn/shed with container

Barn/shed with 40' container

neighbor's new mill

Near neighbor's new mill under contruction

Black dirt from BSI

Black dirt from Belize Sugar Industry (BSI) sugar processing factory. Study on Cleaner Production Opportunities for the Sugar Industry in Belize, by Santos Chicas, National Central University, Taiwan ROC, June 17, 2008 indicates, that during clarification of the cane juice, impurities are removed. Lime and heat are used as the clarifying agents. Lime in solution form is added to the juice with subsequent heating to 220 deg F followed by settlement of the impurities as mud in tanks called clarifiers. Careful control of the temperature and pH levels (7.0 - 7.2) of the juice allows suspended matter to conglomerate and settle out as mud: to improve the settling rate, a small amount of flocculant solution (3 to 4 ppm) is added to the limed and heated juice immediately before it enters the clarifiers. The settled mud in the clarifiers is pumped out and filtered on rotary vacuum filters to de-sweeten it by washing and filtering under vacuum. The filtered juice circulates back to the clarifiers for further clarification, and the filtered mud is scraped off the surface of the filter drum and discarded on mud carts to the fields for fertilizer or for land fill. In our case, the weathered filter cake material was trucked from BSI. David Dyck noted the material comn not be used immediately, but needs time and rainwater leachout of chemicals before it is suitable to use as a soil amndment.

The referenced source indicates that to improve the COD removal efficiency of the wastewater treatment plant, it is recommended that the sludge is removed from around the ponds and deposited on a site far from any other water or wastewater source. The site where this sludge is then deposited needs to be located in an accessible area; so that cane farmers can reclaim and use the sludge to improve the soil texture of their sugar cane plantations.

planting cuttings

Caretaker, Guillermo, planting forage bank cuttings in nursery bags

planting cuttings

Caretaker, Guillermo, planting forage bank cuttings in nursery bags

filling nursery bags

Caretaker, Guillermo, filling nursery planting bags with black dirt from BSI sugar processing factory

forage bank planting materials

forage bank planting materials from Yo Creek Ag station; sugar cane (BBC variety), Taiwan grass, Camaroon grass and Tricantera. Already have mulberry from Central Farm.

forage bank example

Ignacio Moh showing forage bank example across road from Yo Creek Ag station

forage bank example

forage bank example across road from Yo Creek Ag station

luceana at Yo Creek Ag station

gathering luceana seed for forage bank nursery at Yo Creek Ag station

gathering luceana seed

gathering luceana seed for forage bank nursery at Yo Creek Ag station

Yo Creek Ag station

Cutting planting materials for forage bank nursery at Yo Creek Ag station

Yo Creek Ag station

Cutting planting materials for forage bank nursery at Yo Creek Ag station

is this a scarlet tanager?

Not sure if this is a scarlet tanager, a medium-sized American songbird. Adult males are bright red with black wings and tail; according to http://scienceray.com/biology/zoology/the-20-most-brilliantly-colored-b… This bird was at Natalio's pasture.

Brachiaria humidicola at perimeter

Brachiaria humidicola at perimeter, at south side at fence corner

Brachiaria humidicola at perimeter

Brachiaria humidicola at perimeter, at south side at fence corner

Brachiaria humidicola at perimeter

Brachiaria humidicola at perimeter, at south side at fence

fence at corner

fence at corner, looking along back of property

fence at corner

fence at corner, looking to front

fence at corner

fence at corner

old cashews in interior

old cashews in interior

old cashews in interior

old cashews in interior

Brachiaria humidicola at perimeter

Brachiaria humidicola at perimeter, looking to back of property

Brachiaria humidicola at perimeter

Brachiaria humidicola at perimeter, at south side at fence

Brachiaria humidicola at perimeter

Brachiaria humidicola at perimeter, at south side at fence where trail comes out through old cashews and oak

Brachiaria humidicola at perimeter

Brachiaria humidicola at perimeter

Pond, with caretaker's residence, barn/shed

Pond, with caretaker's residence in background

Pond, with August Pine Ridge water tower

Pond, with August Pine Ridge water tower and hills in Mexico in background

Pond, with caretaker's residence, barn/shed

Pond, with caretaker's residence, barn/shed and container in background

pond, barn/shed container

Pond, with barn/shed and container in background

Moringa plants

Moringa trees, $10 per plant Belize-Michigan Partners (Dr. Chris Bennett), tel 223-0404, Bennett@btl.net

Moringa trees

Moringa trees, $10 per plant Belize-Michigan Partners (Dr. Chris Bennett), tel 223-0404, Bennett@btl.net

Moringa trees

Moringa trees, $10 per plant Belize-Michigan Partners (Dr. Chris Bennett), tel 223-0404, Bennett@btl.net

Plants from Central Farm

Truckload of plants from Government of Belize, Agriculture Department, Central Farm

Plants from Central Farm

Truckload of plants from Government of Belize, Agriculture Department, Central Farm

Taciste palm fence at Blancaneaux Lodge

Taciste palm fence at exit at Blancaneaux Lodge

Path at Blancaneaux Lodge

Path at Blancaneaux Lodge

Path at Blancaneaux Lodge

Path at Blancaneaux Lodge

Path at Blancaneaux Lodge

Path at Blancaneaux Lodge

Path at Blancaneaux Lodge

Path at Blancaneaux Lodge

Path at Blancaneaux Lodge

Path at Blancaneaux Lodge

in Blancaneaux Lodge

Coyle's notebook, camcorder and Coppola's Rosso Classico wine on table in Blancaneaux Lodge

Soursop fruit at Blancaneaux Lodge

Soursop fruit at Blancaneaux Lodge

Chicken coop at Blancaneaux Lodge

Chicken coop tour with Roni Martinez, Conservation Officer, Blancaneaux Lodge

Chicken coop at Blancaneaux Lodge

Chicken coop at Blancaneaux Lodge

Horse stables, Blancaneaux Lodge

Horse stables tour with Roni Martinez, Conservation Officer, Blancaneaux Lodge

composting at Blancaneaux Lodge

composting at Blancaneaux Lodge: six chambers, covered structure to protect from rain and sun

composting at Blancaneaux Lodge

composting at Blancaneaux Lodge with Roni Martinez, Conservation Officer

Roni Martinez, Blancaneaux Lodge,

Organic gardens tour with Roni Martinez, Conservation Officer, Blancaneaux Lodge, Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, Cayo District, Belize

Roni Martinez, Blancaneaux Lodge

Organic gardens tour with Roni Martinez, Conservation Officer, Blancaneaux Lodge, Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, Cayo District, Belize

elevated chocho planting at Blancaneaux

elevated chocho planting at Blancaneaux Lodge

bananas at Blancaneaux Lodge

bananas and organic garden at Blancaneaux Lodge; bananas planted in large pits filled with amended soil mix of compost, black dirt and native soil

organic garden Blancaneaux Lodge

organic garden Blancaneaux Lodge: terraced on hillside, raised beds with compost and amended soil; fallow garden site in background

organic garden Blancaneaux Lodge

organic garden Blancaneaux Lodge: terraced on hillside, raised beds with compost and amended soil

plantings Blancaneaux Lodge

plantings at Blancaneaux Lodge

entrance Blancaneaux Lodge

Entrance at Blancaneaux Lodge - arriving to tour and discuss approaches to raised beds, composting and improving soil.