<![CDATA[FSL - Blog]]>

<![CDATA[FSL - Blog]]>Thu, 08 May 2025 16:09:23 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[Conversion of Coffee Farm Part 1]]>Mon, 26 Aug 2019 15:22:18 GMThttps://www.foundationforsustainableliving.org/blog/conversion-of-coffee-farm-part-1

In 2005 the Foundation purchased a coffee farm of 10 hectares located near sarchi Costa Rica. The farm had produced conventional coffee for a number of years and there were a few lemon trees, mango trees and orange trees planted near the homes. a few There was also a single avocado tree on the property.

These trees had not been maintained by pruning, soil enhancement, fertilizing or irrigation. We were pleased to see that the single avocado tree had just flowered and had produced 500 avocados all the size of a large grape. It was our idea not to interfere with this production but rather to observe and begin some soil building around the base of the tree. To our surprise, before we could begin, the tree aborted the entire crop. We listened to various theories but the one that seemed the most reasonable was that the soil around the roots was lacking in nutrients and organic material. We knew we had a job ahead of us and got to work immediately.

Our first activity to care for these trees was to prune and remove excess branches that were blocking the light from entering the center of the tree. We then did selective pruning in order to reduce the fruit production and to maintain ___________. We wanted fruit that would bloom on the stronger limbs close to the trunk of the tree so as not to put excess weight at the end of the branches. All of the pruning was focused on directing the energy of the tree to where it would produce fruit. All of the green shoots radiating from the center of the tree were cut back, as were any green sprouts originating at the base. In English we call these suckers because they suck the energy out of the tree.

Some of the trees we're so sick it appeared they would need to be cut down. However, we just removed the branches, some being 10 inches in diameter, and cleared away the rotten material that had formed in the trunk. One Washington orange tree near the house is surviving 15 years later even though we cut away more than half of the tree.

Old Orange Tree

Bore Worm Damage to Avocado Tree

Next we began collecting organic material that had fallen below many of the trees located on the farm. This we would bag up and carry to the trees in our small tractor. We also began collecting the fresh cut green grass from the open areas around the homes and barn. We would place a 6 inch thick cap of dark leaves and small branches around the entire base of the tree below the canopy. We took care not to put the organic material right against the trunk to allow for moisture to evaporate and also keep insects from attacking the tree at the base. The dark organic was capped with light branches and then covered with a six-inch layer of grass clippings. We also recovered organic material from where the grass clippings had been dumped in previous years to add around the plant.

After that we proceeded to control the leaf cutter ants that were removing the young green leaves from some of the fruit trees. An uncontrolled colony of ants can strip all of the green vegetation from a 2 meter high tree with a branch diameter of 6 meters in less than three days. We found that the leaf cutter ants were the easiest insect to control by locating their nest and applying insect control direct into the mound. Following the first two applications the insect ants become dormant, however, a small colony with a home of about 2 cubic meters can take several months to completely eradicate. With larger colonies that may contain 10 cubic meters or more above ground we had to cut down the vegetation around it and eventually remove it using a front-end loader to scrape the ground clear.

After giving the fruit trees the attention that they needed they began to improve noticeably with brighter leaves and more fruit that stayed on the tree.

]]><![CDATA[Use of Mango to Sweeten Citrus Fruit Production]]>Wed, 21 Aug 2019 19:53:30 GMThttps://www.foundationforsustainableliving.org/blog/use-of-mango-to-sweeten-citrus-fruit-production

The citrus produced here at our farm is sold to the local market. Juan Carlos Rodriguez purchases the citrus and sells it at the community Growers Market. Our fruit is in competition with citrus grown in warmer regions on larger commercial farms. When we did a comparison their fruit was significantly sweeter than what we were able to produce. After discussing this with other Growers we learned that many farms use a by-product from sugarcane production called Miel de cana, which translates to honey from the sugarcane.

We consulted the local sugarcane refinery coope, Victoria, who sells the product, and we were prepared to purchase it. However, when cleaning out the truck to prepare to drive the distance to purchase the product we noticed the mangoes that are falling from the trees which we have to pick up to clear the driveways and areas around the home.

For years we have been using these mangoes as food for the California red worms that turn our compost into lombri post or fertilizer. Because the mangoes decompose rapidly due to their soft texture we decided to try those directly under the tree.

To start with, we used a shovel to create a very shallow trench around the tree below the drip line or at the extent of the last leaves on the branches most distant from the trunk. However, we could see the shovel was disturbing the fine roots of the citrus tree so we then switched to using a stiff tine garden rake to pull back the soil to retrieve the mangoes.

Because we have been placing organic material under the trees for 10 years the soil is very light and easy to work. It helped that the soil base was volcanic ash with no clay and is very porous. As we pull back each rake width of soil we would see between 2 to 5 earthworms within each 30 cm by 15 cm swath. This gave us confidence that the worms together with the lightweight organic topping would help to decompose the mangoes quickly.

Initially we began by placing 10 gallons, or 40 litres of mangoes in a circle with the diameter of 5m at the base of the tree. After realizing the abundance of mangoes and the ability of the tree to accept more we increased this to 15 gallons, or 60 litres of mangoes. By increasing the amount of mangoes placed it reduced the need to return to the tree for a second application.

As we worked through the project with the help of a volunteer, Geoffrey, the rhythm and progress began to flow smoothly. After one day of using a wheelbarrow, a 5 gallon bucket to put the mangoes in, and a light rake Geoffrey observed that the stoop labor was hard on his 60 year old body. Using material that we had saved in the bodega, or the barn, he devised a scoop attached to a handle. This fruit scooper became very popular as it eliminated the bending needed to pick up the mangoes.
He developed a method in place of trying to fill a heavy bucket that would weigh 10 kg (22 lb). He would just fill the scoop with three or four kilos of mangoes and put them directly into the large wheelbarrow. By chance, he selected a piece of wood to make a handle that was a little bit short for his 6-foot frame, so to correct the short handle he then extended it with a stiff rubber hose which was easier to hold, and you could use with your arm to get leverage. Also, the relatively softer rubber did not cause a callus on your hand or your forearm as you were working with the tool.

After 10 days we returned to the first citrus tree and found the mangoes quickly decomposed. What had once been bright yellow skin was now black, and the fruit was more than halfway decomposed with red earthworms visible on most of the fruit.

It was also beneficial that this project was done in the rainy season which is the ripe mango production season. In a 3 week period we had received 20 cm, or 8 inch of rain and although the area below each citrus tree was sheltered by the leaves the tree absorbed some of this rainfall. However, the entire area benefited from the moisture and this enhanced the decomposition.

We favor this composting in place or on-site below each tree because it reduces the labor. Also, our worm house where we produce compost is only 64 square feet, or about six 6 metres square. Below the 100 citrus trees on the farm we covered about 8 square meters in a circular pattern about half a metre wide and 15 meters in circumference on each tree.

Had we tried to process the compost all at one place, or at several places, we would have had to haul both the mangos, and the soil and organic material to cover it, to aid in the decomposition. Additionally, because the work would be done outside we would have attracted rodents, that are found here on the farm such as rats, mice, skunks, and armadillos. It also would attract birds, flies and mosquitoes. Also, such large-scale composting produces excess heat, biogas and odor that becomes unpleasant as the fruit decomposes.

Because of the 20 cm of rain that we received most weeks the mangoes would have become a wet mush and the oxygen necessary for decomposition would have been drowned out.

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