And so the project goes on, but somehow it feels endless and, perhaps I’m getting slightly fatigued by the lack of progress. Of course there are lots of steps and we’re making them, and then there’s the weather, which is great for the plants but difficult for any sort of building…. I know, me, me, me….you’ll have to excuse meeeeeeee.

But let’s look on the bright side of life, because that’s what this project is all about and this now sees Habiby bringing in the door to the lower well, where the water is sweet and very drinkable, but more so if it’s properly protected.

Of course we’re still building steps, that seem to go on and on and on. It’s not helped by

the rain and probably by my demanding that each wall has an additional access track for wheel barrows to use. Well this is a farm! But yes, we are progressing, if ever so slowly….

 

And this extends to preparing for planting the new trees I have planned for the farm. As part of this I’ve brought up lots of compost from Wafi and the Ain Rhami pepiniere as well as making my own, though not particularly successfully, through the “Hot Compost” method. Unfortunately it rained lots during the 20 days of production, which may have had an impact…anyway, we can try again in the summer.

Equally because of the rain, it’s been difficult to dig the holes

necessary so that we can immediately plant the trees when they arrive. I’m looking at adding about 100 so that’s a lot of holes. With the rain I’ve been unable to get anyone to do this digging and in the end just decided I’d have to do it myself. So off I went, in my sexy plastic rainwear, off in to two days of storm to dig out my holes. I have to say I enjoyed it, but it almost killed me. Nevertheless I went off to Wafi and proudly expressed my satisfaction at a job well done. On checking, Wafi told me, ever so diplomatically, that my holes were simply neither deep nor wide enough and showed me how it was done … I oozed with admiration. I think I’ve a very long way to go before I can call myself a farmer!
Nevertheless, added to this I tried to develop a plan for which trees I wanted where and visited the Souk at Bab Taza to see what we could find…and yes, that should be where we will buy most of trees from.

Whilst we’re not yet planting vegetables, I have been looking at guidance/advice for perma culture vegetable production and what I’ve found this by Jean Martin Fortier, which is very informative, if slightly daunting. I think I need a gardener to work on the farm full time. I’d like this to be Wafi, but fear that he already has too much work of his own.

As for the building permission, I’ve finally found a couple of new

architects that I need to get quotes from. I’ve also found a topographer who will provide a profile and boundary assessment of the land. Both necessary for the new file I need to provide for the building permission.

Even though it’s winter, Finn has been having a great time up here. I love seeing him playing with Ghalli’s kids, on his farm, collecting eggs, milking goats. I can’t wait for him to be able to do the same at ours….. Insh Allah!

Mind you we at least have more dogs….. which Finn clearly loves too…. “Daddy can we keep them all?”