Fire roars across Kokosa farm... saved by the bull

At our Ethiopia farm a controlled burn got out of hand. About half of the farm was on fire, fortunately no people, animals or structures were damaged. The fire raced across the farm and started onto the neighboring community property. Abera, the farm manager responded quickly to get and keep the situation under control. There were a few false banana trees that were damaged in addition to the loss of many acres of pasture. Abera is assessing the total damage.


During all of the commotion there were a few of the less reputable citizens that tried to come in and steal cattle. The guards were able to protect the cattle and keep the thieves away. 

Fires during the dry season in Ethiopia are a very scary thing because they do not have the resources to fight them that we do. This fire was over 100 acres so it really stirred up the community. In order to calm the tension,  Abera invited the neighboring community officials and villagers to an "apology ceremony" where we made a formal apology for the fire and killed a fatten bull to feast on as part of the ceremony. You can see the bull waiting in the background for his key role in the negotiations.


Abera did a great job of quickly handling the situation and calming the tensions in the village.  It is educational to be so closely involved with another culture that is so different from our own. I love to learn about their perceptions of situations and how they resolve their differences.

Designing a Goat Milking Program

I didn’t sleep well last night. I just couldn’t drift off to sleep then I awoke easily when I did sleep.  Any little sound seemed amplified. I am not sure if it had anything to do with the mefloquin or if it was a jet lag issue. When I woke up at 7:00 I felt ok but not well rested. Everyone else was up and going so I hurried to shower and get going.


I spent most of the day designing the goat plans with Patrick and Edison. We are designing one smaller elevated pen between the KCC and the dispensary. We will have about five goats in it that will produce milk for the mothers that have aids and can’t nurse their babies or the babies that have lost their mothers. We are using all local materials to build the pen so that the villagers will see that they can do the same thing.

Goats, Erosion, Peaches & Pits

I woke up several times last night because of the heat and humidity. We have a fan blowing in our room that helps cool us down but it is still too warm for me to sleep comfortably. I also had several mosquito bites on my legs that were itching badly. I think they got me after my shower while I was writing in my journal.  Even so, I arose well rested and ready to go.

I took my weekly Mefloquin pill for malaria prevention this morning. I really didn’t notice any ill effects today from it. Last week I felt some brain fog after I took it. Some people have bad dreams and even hallucinations when they take it, but I seem to do well with it. Everyone else is taking the daily doxicycline pills, which only have sun sensitivity as a side effect. I prefer the once-a-week pill without the sun sensitivity. Here on the equator the sun really beats down on you hard.