4/08 We finally have a good road now all the way into El Peten! After years of struggling with various agencies, with the help of Plan Japon, we were able to mobilize all the equipment and materials necessary to renovate the 8 km. of road into the farm. We were proud to be able to help provide all the culverts, concrete, sand and labor to install all the drainage for this road. The entire community has publicly acknowledged their deep appreciation for our participation and even publicized it on the local tv station.
Construction on the farm continues and the bar bathrooms and the terrace are looking spectacular. The main hacienda house is coming along and the tasting room is getting tile. All the buildings look fabulous. We can now offer full service for visitors including boating on the lake in "celeste" our surf and ski boat.
As the May permaculture seminar has been postponed, Byron is running some mini seminars for some 25 women. Ruth taught them how to make yogurt yesterday and they will be back May 26, 27 and 28 for training in herbal teas, nectars, vinegar, dried medicinals, etc. We have a good size herb garden going already. We have another 50,000 coffee plants germinating and going into bags this next week. We have a massive amount of material to make bocacci which will fertilize all our plants. I have also purchased another 12,000 hardwood trees to augment the thousands that we have cultivated on the farm. Trees are where it's at!
Ruth and Giovanni are settling in and getting systems for cleaning and cooking together at the hotel. Ruth is taking off on a trip to South America this week and I am hoping that she will return in August. Until then Giovanni and the two new hotel employees will have to buck up. Come on down to visit and help train them!
We are off to the SCAA coffee conference next week in Minnesota. See you there!