Organic-tastic

Yesterday we were present a a training session on producing organic fertiliser from fruit and veg matter. The men craeted one with the veg and the women with the fruit. Why it was like this we still not sure, it just was that way. It was really good to see them encouraging farmers to stop using chemical fertilisers and pesticides. The only down side was that the training took place at the site of the CDEA's trail composting project, which happens to be next to the city dump. The flies drove us insane!

Afterwards we went orchid hunting. Illegal all over the world I think, but we were taken down a dirt track to seek these flowers out. The road was more off-road than on-road, with pot-holes that dipped down a good 3-4 feet. It was hard going in the pick-up truck we were in.

Soon we came to a village, words were exchanged and we all got out. What happened next was surreal, and couldn't be written if you tried. We visited house after house, taken all over to meet people who grew orchids. They apparently go into the jungle collect them and then cultivate them. This was an orchid village! The Thai people we were with were going crazy, and ended up buying dozens of different types. In fact the guy who shares our 'dorm' Monday through until Friday has over 200 varieties at home. A hobby that I thought only had a place in eccentric and wealthy British society presented itself to me in the middle of a run-down village in Laos.

Today we went to a lovely farming village, where they are growing everthing organically, using the compst and techniques they have learnt from the CDEA. It was great wandering around seeing the paddy fields, veg patches, mushroom growing shed and all the many animals they grow on these farms. Amazing to see that the rice grown organically not only looked better and was much taller than the chemically treated stuf, it tasted fantastic. The rice had a delicate nutty taste, far better than the usual bland crap that is chemically fed. Anyway, everyone ended up coming back with bags of mushrooms, rice, and veg. Khampasong even bought some rabbits for his kids as pets, which was good, seeing how they would have gone for food. The farmer can sell up to 200 rabbits a month, at around $1.50 a piece. That in itself is a good income for him, aside from the other cash crops he produces, all organic. Strange that they are being re-taught traditional farming methods, that work so much better than modern methods, and are far cheaper in the long run.