Both of these pictures below were taken in October at one of the model farmer's farm. In the first one, there are coffee trees in the foreground that are being propagated. I was glad to see this couple so advanced in their farming techniques.
While we were there, and I was seeing all the different things they were doing, I wondered if they had any bees. Bees are great for honey. Honey is a great sweetener and a product that can be sold. But from the perspective of growing plants, bees play a hugely important role of pollinating plants. So, I began asking about bees and this is what the model farmer took me and showed me:
While we were there, and I was seeing all the different things they were doing, I wondered if they had any bees. Bees are great for honey. Honey is a great sweetener and a product that can be sold. But from the perspective of growing plants, bees play a hugely important role of pollinating plants. So, I began asking about bees and this is what the model farmer took me and showed me:
Yes, friends, those are bee hives hanging out in the shade. I was super excited to see this was occurring and immediately wanted to do more. This was the first time I saw bees in Ethiopia. I want to bring more bees to the Shanto area.
But 3 months after my trip, I've done very little with this thought. Well, my friends, that needs to change. I need a crash course but a thorough course in coffee production and bee keeping. Soon, we hope to develop both of those programs in our FOVC sites.
P.S. one of our FOVC sites is the location of the best coffee in Ethiopia. As I sit here early in the morning at my computer, I can just see how FOVC can start their own coffee exporting business. Wouldn't that be a cool way to support widows????
Did you think about talking to Bob Fassbinder about bees?
ReplyDeleteI have a friend who is very into bee keeping right now. Let me send him this link and see if he has anything to offer.
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