A BUSY AUGUST; PART 5

SHORT COURSE FOR GARDENING COMMUNITIES : GARDENING SKILL

The third day of this course, we improved our gardening skill.
We learned about making potting mix, planting, weeding, fertilizing, and many more.
Lovely outdoor activity....

A BUSY AUGUST; PART 4

SHORT COURSE FOR GARDENING COMMUNITY : FOOD PROCESSING

August 7-9, three tiring days... 

We held a short course for women gardening communities.. 

Here, we sharing about urban farming, gardening and also food processing.

First day we were discussing about urban farming and gardening.

And the second day we were practicing about food processing.

We processed food from so many ingredients that mostly found in our home garden.

Look... these were that we cook on that day.

Steamed cake from cassava, Peanut cookies and pudding from sweet potato and coconut milk.

'Nagasari' is a  kind of pudding made of cassava flour and banana.

'Abon Ikan' or Fried-Shredded fish from cat fish, great eaten with warm rice.

The participants were making 'Bola-bola Talas' or colocasia root ball with shredded fish inside.

That's all really funny experience...

SHORT COURSE ON CONTROLLING PEST AND DISEASE

A very tiring week has over.
Last week, I accompanied farmers in short course on controlling pest and disease.
The first day I accompanied lada or white pepper growers, a very popular spice here.
We learned about how to control pest and disease safely, using natural products
We use beneficial fungi Trichoderma to control Phytoptora and Phytium, the main problem on growing white pepper.
What a shame, my android were low batteries, so I couldn't take any pictures.

The second day we visited another place, a coffee plantation.

Very lush plants... with bountiful fruits.

There's a shed in the little plantation.
The grower use to put fertilizer here.

We accompanied coffee growers on learning pest and disease control.

We had a great time with the expert.

Long discussion, sharing each other.
So interesting...

A very interesting moment and great lesson for me.
The grower also made observation.
Checking and observing the pest and disease on the plants.

Determining the sample plants to be observed.

Counting the healthy and infection fruits each branch.

Learning about using beneficial fungi Beuveria bassiana to control main disease on growing coffee. 
And the growers finally made a trial on applying these fungi to protect the coffee plants...

The growers made a solution from the fungi to be sprayed on the sample plant...

Spraying...

Took a picture after the first observation.
We still have two observations later.

Can't wait to see result of the observation and the fresh red fruits.
Thanks for the great lesson...

SHORT COURSE ON OPTIMIZING HOME GARDEN : PART 9

We ended the day by visiting a beach near the garden tour area.

Refreshing time...

Enjoy the breeze...

Enjoy the beautiful scenery...

Window shopping on handycraft stalls.

But we went home before the sunset...

A tiring day has over.
Whatever thanks for the interesting experience.

SHORT COURSE ON OPTIMIZING HOME GARDEN : PART 8

So many gardening idea from this garden tour, here they are...

Collecting rare plant on the home garden.

Making a collective seedling house.

Climbing the edible vine on the bamboo arch.

Putting the vegetables on the 'empty' roadside.

Putting the pot rack above the road drainage.

Vertical gardening

Growing onion on the plastic pouch.

Adding more variety of plant as possible.

SHORT COURSE ON OPTIMIZING HOME GARDEN : PART 7

Another fruit plant that grown here mostly is mini papaya.

The fruit is about 500-700 grams each.
Actually it's a dwarf variety, but after years the tree will grow high against the sky.

The taste is very good so sweet...

And I went home with two papayas on my hand.

SHORT COURSE ON OPTIMIZING HOME GARDEN : PART 6

Another vegetable that give contribution on the family income here is 'Bayam Tahun' or annual amaranth.

Farmers pick the young-tender leaves and shoots regularly.

The shoots picked repeatedly.

The new young shoots will emerged from the leaf axils after the shoot have harvested.

So fresh, so healthy...

We can find this vegetable that grown in every home garden here.

A very productive garden.

SHORT COURSE ON OPTIMIZING HOME GARDEN : PART 5

This place was a main suplier of citrus on the past.
Long time ago, we could find lots of citrus plant on the farm land and also home garden.
The citrus  from this area had a premium quality, taste good.
The disease 'CVPD'  caused a big disaster on the citrus orchard there.

And for a long time, farmer or gardener didn't grow citrus there, too much risk.

About five year ago, people started to grow citrus on this area, and it looks do so well.

We can find so bountiful citrus on the little tree, growing so healthy and productive.

I guess the disaster had over.
That kind of virus may be have disappear, or the new varieties of citrus that they grow there are resistant on this disease.

Love to see hundred of citrus were hanging on the little tree.

Look... a bountiful citrus among the hot chili. 

I can't wait to see these fruits get ripen...