July 18, 2009
We are trying our hand at gardening - I've always done the pretty garden but this is for food. We want to see how self sufficient we can be with 20 acres of jungle. So, we have cucumbers, tomatoes, melon, sweet pepper definitely coming up. They are rooted and thriving. Of course, we know the bush rabbits, quash and lizards will be competing for any produce so it's a crap shoot. I also have bokchoy sprouting. I've planted lettuce and red onions in the same bed and no joy with those yet. And, I planted a variety of herbs and they're coming up but after I planted the seeds in nice rows, the dog ran through it so I guess they will have to get quite big for me to tell what is what. We also got three different kinds banana trees which should grow with no problem. You just dig them up, cut off the top and plant the root stump.
Rusty's main gardening project is his coffee plants. He wants to see if we can grow enough for the lodge. But, they grow slowly so it is at least a 2 year project.
The thatch on our first garden building is done today. Now, Rusty and I have to decide exactly how we want to finish it and if we have money to do so. The nice thing about this thatch is seeing it go up helped us crystallize our plan. We needed the visual help to figure out what we want to do with the property. We want to put in two more like this one in the garden and have 3 garden cabanas. They will be simple jungle chic accommodations. and, then with the existing shack, we will tear off the top and put in 3 rooms there as well. It will give us 3 levels of accommodations and sufficient space for groups with options of room style. Now, if we could just sell that land out in San Pedro so we could do it.
We went and walked the boardwalk out to the Aguacaliente Wildlife Sanctuary. It's not for the sedentary or faint of heart. It's at least 2 miles of walking on not so well maintained boards and our problem is the rainy season has started so the swamp is up and covering the end of the walk. We couldn't get to the end where you get down to the trail leading to the lagoon. That will be a hike for another day in a few months when it's dry. I'll try to post a photo of Rusty in the clearing at the Trekforce base camp that is about a mile in.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Friday, July 3, 2009
Business as usual
July 3, 2009
With no guests in house, it's all gardening. Rusty is mowing everyday to keep back the jungle. We were surprised when we went to the other two jungle lodges that they don't mow down the drive way and things just look a bit unkempt as you arrive. I guess it's a different take on things but we really like the place mowed. Things are wild enough here without having overgrown grass to look at everywhere.
Rusty has also been putting in his coffee plants. He wants to see if we can grow our own coffee. I put in an herb garden and finally yesterday it looks like they are popping up. The dogs had run through my bed so many times, I thought it was a goner. As it is, I think it will come up but be jumbled. The nice, neat rows are history.
I've been working on trimming everything. We have a beautiful garden with at least 6 types of ginger, orchids galore, fangi pani trees and tons of hibiscus. It's the hibiscus that's out of control now so I'm working my way around the hedges. Some of the citrus trees are almost ready to give too. We have pink grapefruit, lemons and limes. I'm not sure if we have any good oranges. I'm letting them go through a season so I can see what we have and then I'll get some navel oranges and mandarins for next year. Of course, we have several Jamaica lime trees full of fruit which I could care less about. Anyway, the gardening is fun and it's always a surprise to what what new things is coming up or bearing fruit.
With no guests in house, it's all gardening. Rusty is mowing everyday to keep back the jungle. We were surprised when we went to the other two jungle lodges that they don't mow down the drive way and things just look a bit unkempt as you arrive. I guess it's a different take on things but we really like the place mowed. Things are wild enough here without having overgrown grass to look at everywhere.
Rusty has also been putting in his coffee plants. He wants to see if we can grow our own coffee. I put in an herb garden and finally yesterday it looks like they are popping up. The dogs had run through my bed so many times, I thought it was a goner. As it is, I think it will come up but be jumbled. The nice, neat rows are history.
I've been working on trimming everything. We have a beautiful garden with at least 6 types of ginger, orchids galore, fangi pani trees and tons of hibiscus. It's the hibiscus that's out of control now so I'm working my way around the hedges. Some of the citrus trees are almost ready to give too. We have pink grapefruit, lemons and limes. I'm not sure if we have any good oranges. I'm letting them go through a season so I can see what we have and then I'll get some navel oranges and mandarins for next year. Of course, we have several Jamaica lime trees full of fruit which I could care less about. Anyway, the gardening is fun and it's always a surprise to what what new things is coming up or bearing fruit.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Jungle lodge business
July 1, 2009
I guess I totally forgot that I'm trying to run a business and tell what it's like. Duh. Actually, things went well in June. We had some nice drive in business and last weekend we hosted the Indigenous Peoples Conservation Alliance Retreat. The true indigenous people of Belize are the Maya but the Alliance has to include Garifuna people to be politically correct. Personally, I don't think the Garifuna can have it both ways - they have a national holiday - Garifuna Settlement Day. From where I sit, either you settled here or you were always here. It can't be both. So, anyway, the Retreat was Maya people and Garifuna people particpating in seminars and brainstorming to get rights for their groups. We did the food for two days and had some stay overnight. I wish we could have a retreat every month for the sake of our budget. It was exhausting though so maybe I wouldn't survive it.
Now we have nothing on the books for this month. And, realistically, it could be really dry businesswise for months to come. I may have to start cutting hair again.
Rusty is putting in the piers for our spa palapa and next tuesday the posts for it will be ready. Then, all the cohune palm we have drying all over our garden will be made into the roof of the palapa. When that's done I'll have a place to cut hair if I have to. We'll see. I so hope we haven't bought a jungle lodge so I have space to put a hair cutting chair. On that encouraging note, I'm out of here...
I guess I totally forgot that I'm trying to run a business and tell what it's like. Duh. Actually, things went well in June. We had some nice drive in business and last weekend we hosted the Indigenous Peoples Conservation Alliance Retreat. The true indigenous people of Belize are the Maya but the Alliance has to include Garifuna people to be politically correct. Personally, I don't think the Garifuna can have it both ways - they have a national holiday - Garifuna Settlement Day. From where I sit, either you settled here or you were always here. It can't be both. So, anyway, the Retreat was Maya people and Garifuna people particpating in seminars and brainstorming to get rights for their groups. We did the food for two days and had some stay overnight. I wish we could have a retreat every month for the sake of our budget. It was exhausting though so maybe I wouldn't survive it.
Now we have nothing on the books for this month. And, realistically, it could be really dry businesswise for months to come. I may have to start cutting hair again.
Rusty is putting in the piers for our spa palapa and next tuesday the posts for it will be ready. Then, all the cohune palm we have drying all over our garden will be made into the roof of the palapa. When that's done I'll have a place to cut hair if I have to. We'll see. I so hope we haven't bought a jungle lodge so I have space to put a hair cutting chair. On that encouraging note, I'm out of here...
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