Around Mtwapa
Trip Start
Jan 10, 2006
1
42
60
Trip End
Jun 02, 2006
Loading Map
Mtwapa,
Kenya
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Haller Park was a few kilometers south, by the big Bamburi Cement plant. It was a quarry for the cement plant that had become a wasteland. An organization called the Baobab Trust took it over, restoring the vegetation and landscape, often using waste products from the cement factory like bags and buckets, tires and truck parts.
They also used plenty of cement constructing their tilapia tanks, which irrigate all their trees and vegetable beds. They had raised beds and tire beds. All were well mulched, sometimes with bags from the cement plant. The office was made of the back of an old cement truck. They had some great vermiculture designs using buckets or trays. Another awesome design was the methane producing manure digester. It was so simple. Cow manure goes in one end. Methane in produced, and the sludge comes out the other end as good fertilizer. They use the methane like propane for cooking gas.
They also had plenty of ducks, geese and chickens, whose house were built above their own tilapia ponds. They even raise crocodiles. They were showcasing solar cookers, and they had their own market where they sold fruits, veggies, meat and other farm products, like baobab honey (too bad they were out of it).
I was feeling phlegmy and decided I needed to take some herbs. Maggie said she knew a dread near Bamburi who dries and powders neem leaves and moringa leaves for medicine. We finally ended up at a compound on the ocean. Our friend, Kosovo, wasn't yet there so I went swimming. By the time I was dry he had returned. We had a great time hanging with Kosovo, and he gave me three different herbs and only asked that I'd come visit again.
Maggie and I got home just before dark and had ugali with greens and chicken with our host family.
