https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ao-xER7SbJ4

Of course it’s been months since I last wrote….something I didn’t say throughout the summer, but then, perhaps, that reflects the seasonality of my time in Loubar, but also the competing demands of what happens when other areas of life come in to play …..something I sensed at the beginning of September.

What this tells me for next year is that to get Farm Finn truly off the ground, it will need greater commitment and dedication and that of itself will need organization.
September saw my return to Fez and, as will be seen, a move in to the Middle East to work with UNICEF….well one has to earn money too!

But I get ahead of myself.

Casa Barata, Tangiers and doors.

I think I said something about shopping in Casa Barata in Tangiers. Certainly I was lucky enough to find several doors and windows that I’ll be able to use in the house on the farm.

At the time of writing I am slightly torn between using traditional/wooden doors and windows, or looking at something more modern, as I saw at a new Ferm D’Hote on Trek Immouzzer, which uses far more glass and metal and looks modern and, cool. I really like the finish and the openness, the light and views that are provided by the glass. Of course I’ve already bought sets of doors and windows now, but we’ll see….I’m not decided either way.

Maybe we should be aiming at something more like this

What this also tells you, is that I obviously didn’t manage to finish the build of the top house in 2014, which in many ways is fine. There’s still lots of thinking to do re style and design. I’ve the basic ideas, notably regarding things “eco”, but I think I need to spend a bit more time reflecting on a final design….this I hope to complete before May/June 2015, when we will restart the chantier….. Lots of designing, drawing and walking the walk sur terraine…..

But again I get ahead of myself!

Waafi all kitted out for harvesting honey.

The end of September is also a time when the people of Loubar begin to harvest and prepare for the winter. I’ve been eyeing Waafi’s bee hives for months and when he invited me to see him harvest, of course I jumped at the chance. What I didn’t realize…because I’m still a townie at heart…well at brain, perhaps more, was that once he started smoking out the bees they would be very unhappy. And I wouldn’t be kitted out in a home made bee suit.

Honey comb awaiting pressing.

Suffice to say I didn’t stay around long. But it was amazing to see him and his brother literally squeeze the honey from the comb and in to vats which were then filtered of debris to make the most delicious, if slightly smokey tasting amber nectar.

The finished product gorgeous honey.

Of course the honey is made from bees who’ve been collecting pollen from fields filled with kif, not that there was any noticeable effect, but it’s a decent marketing option for the future.

I also found in the Guardian a story of a guy making mead in London. It feels that that might be a bit of a waste…or at least an expensive way to make a drink, but along with ideas of making a fig liquor…. why not … might be nice again to add to the idea of working with or adapting local produce.

Guardian article of mead making here.

http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2014/dec/27/gosnells-london-mead-brewing-tom-gosnell-behind-the-scenes

I’ve every intention of having hives on the land and harvesting my own honey, along with the olive oil, figs, pomegranates and other fruit and vegetables that we’ll be growing. Goats, probably and chickens, definitely will be on the land….tho’ I’ll need to make them feel a bit more secure than these guys, if they are to produce the numbers of eggs I hope that we’ll need.

The dogs …again!

Talking of which, September is also the time when Loubar begins to harvest it’s main local produce and of course there was a bumper crop. If I remember correctly this begins with Maghrebi, with Pakistani and Mexciana being harvested in October.

Another local crop harvested in september

It might be a silly little thing, but finding this preying mantis one morning reminded me of the wealth of nature that there is here.

And then there’s nature…love it up here.

OK, it’s no East African safari, but I can’t wait for spring again, when the flowers burst forth, butterflies fill the air and building can recommence.

In the mean time….I wonder when the boar hunting season is….that could equally be an interesting side line….and gorgeous food too!