Consulting with Coffee Farmers in Eastern Uganda

In the Field

“We’re going to climb today to visit another savings group, remember?” Yes I remember, visiting farmers in the field is the best part of the week for me. The clouds look thick this morning, I am anxious and ready to move. He notices my eyes glancing towards the door, “We can’t get there before 11 AM, because the farmers are in the fields all morning,” says John. Yes, I remember this too, but all the same once the daily rains start the mountain roads are slick trenches of mud. “Good, you wore your good boots today, you will move very well,” John says appreciatively.

John is the Manager of the Buweswa Growers Cooperative Society (BGCS), located in Mufufu village. We have been working closely together since I arrived at site a fortnight ago. The BGCS property is the center point of the village, and my little colonial-era cinder block house is right on top of its hill. I can see mountainous coffee farms covered in mist from my front porch.

This will be the ninth savings group that I have visited. Our window of opportunity is narrow because the rains begin at 1 PM, or earlier. We begin trudging up the muddy road, still sticky from last night’s showers. Boda Bodas come from both directions hauling supplies going up, and people coming down. Villagers are heading to the main road several kilometers down the mountain. We reach the tiny village at the top of the mountain behind my house, about a 45 minute hike, and we keep climbing. I haven’t had a chance to really explore these high altitude villages because of the rainy season but this morning the clouds parted, and we feel the full force of the equatorial sun on our faces. Small holder farmer families have built their homesteads close to the mountain road; they tend to their various plots spaced throughout the district. We stop to greet everyone; they are all curious to hear a foreigner greet them in Lumasaaba.

After another 45 minutes of hiking, we reach the savings group who have gathered in a church building on top of an adjoining mountain. The church is missing a wall, a welcome open-air shelter. Our group of farmers are all very much at home, calmly looking over the coffee farms and mountain vistas, comfortable in the cool mist. “Let the meeting commence.” 

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Cycling through the Garden Route, South Africa

The Western Cape of South Africa has been on my radar ever since I owned my herbery - garden shop. Invariably my favorite species to sell originated from South Africa, specifically the Western Cape region. This incredible terrain hosts 3% of the world’s plant species, translating to a mind blowing 1300 species/ 10,000Km. We can thank the 19th century English explorers for putting this region on the naturalist’s world map as wealthy Victorian adventurers clamored throughout the Western Cape harvesting plants for their Queen at home. 

Funny how social media has made these far off places suddenly seem so attainable. One day last December I saw a Western Cape gravel grinder promoted on my Insta feed. Suddenly I was transported to pristine mountain passes, cycling through lush valleys with the hot sun on my face. I wistfully mentioned the tour to my husband and he generously signed me up. With only 3 weeks to ready myself I was off to South Africa on my dream vacation.

The tour did not end up being what I expected at all, four words, Corrugations and more Corrugations. 

Turns out gravel grinding in South Africa can. be intense. I arrived in Cape Town with my Surly Travelers Check, two days before the tour was to begin, allowing myself a couple of nights to acclimate and build my bike. My B&B hostess gave me a giant bear hug and sent me off with best wishes for the week ahead. 

Schedule:

Monday: “Quick” misty evening ride outside of George. A test of our wits perhaps?

Tuesday: George to Oudtshoorn - 70K (approx) - Outeniqua Mountains

This proved to be one of my favorite days. We rode through indigenous forests of the Witfontein Nature Reserve then into mountain fynbos terrain. It was a cloudy, misty day perfect weather for strenuous climbs. Montagu Pass was the climb of the day, here we encountered 4 mountain bikers and 2 vehicles. Blissfully low-key compared to Colorado traffic.

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late afternoon in the Klein Karoo

Wednesday: Oudtshoorn to Eagle Falls - 84K (approx) - Klein Karoo

A blazing hot day with a lot of long ascents through farmland. I got swept but after a quick break in the car I hopped back on the saddle to finish the ride. We reached our lodge by climbing 1000 feet from the main road and then braiied with a rainstorm brewing around us.

Thursday: Eagle Falls to Uniondale 70k (at least) Klein Karoo

We cycled through the Holdrif Valley farmland. I remember being very relieved to reach our accommodations located on a very tidy sheep farm.

Friday: Uniondale to Knysna 70k (approx)

Crossed the Langkloof Mountains from the Klein Karoo to the Garden Route. We completed  several passes including Prince Alfred’s pass. The descent into Knysna was paved and fast!

Saturday: Knysna to Wilderness 76k Garden Route

We accomplished the Seven Passes Road this day although we were told that we only completed 5 of the 7 passes. I was too hot and tired to go to the beach, which Wilderness is known for. 

This was my first time joining an organized bicycle tour and there were some frustrations along the way.

• I rode much slower than the men, initially making me feel inadequately prepared but soon enough I realized they were drinking beers while waiting for me to catch up! 

• The distances and terrain took me by surprise, but isn’t that the best kind of day? 

What I learned:

Embrace the unknown once in awhile

Allow yourself to be uncomfortable, these are the conditions in which we find our strength

Grow your health when given the opportunity

Don't worry what others think about your abilities, they are too busy thinking about themselves

Remember the good moments when you feel discouraged.

This tour was a wonderful introduction to a region of the world that has peripherally intrigued me for a long time. Sure I bit off more than I could comfortably chew but I pushed myself harder physically than I have for a long time.  Now that I have had a generous taste for what South Africa has to offer I am sure to return.

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I got swept

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Orchards in the Klein Karoo

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Catch my breath

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cycling buddies for the week

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below are quick links to my photo albums of Kirstenbosch Gardens and Table Mountain NP of this tirp. When can I go back?

An afternoon in Cape Town before the bike tour

Kirstenbosch National Botanic Garden blog link

An afternoon in Cape Town after the bike tour

Table Mountain blog link

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I Will Ride About

Morning in Antsirabe

I have to ride about ½ hour to get out of the city then I’m riding through little towns, suburbs really, maneuvering my place on the road with semi-trailer trucks, taxi brousses, scooters, and motor bikes. There are some dirt road offshoots that I can explore. Muddy and deeply rutted paths. I’m saving those for when I’m brave or have time to get lost.

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Most mornings, if I leave early enough, I greet the goat herder who allows his few animals to munch on the green grass lining our lane. Later in the day the goats will be replaced by street mothers asking for money, always in French.

Skinny cows pull their carts in belching traffic, sometimes the equally skinny farmer will hop out to guide them, whip in hand. Supplying the city of meat isn’t hidden in large regional packing houses, it is front and center of daily life.

Cycling in Antsirabe is not that different than Denver. I would dodge traffic and angry truck drivers there too. Though I reap new rewards here, all types of vendors line the road ranging from fresh vegetables and fruits to bicycle repair to used clothing.

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sunrise in Antsirabe

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Reboot, Restart, shortest reflection ever

Zambia, May 2022

Anyone else ever feel as if they need to restart life?

I thought it would be easy to do but instead it’s a lesson of forgetting old systems and just letting space be.

Beliefs are squashed

Identity questioned

Certainties lost

Lesson learnt

A life path suddenly drops from sight and the next step may ultimately lead to a long uncomfortable freefall.

South Luangwa Zambia

Bicycle Tour in the New Year

Waking up from three days of Covid Haze I faced the first day of 2022. I swung my feet over the side of the bed, staggered to the kitchen to turn on the kettle before finally settling on the couch in front of the fire. I, the one who prefers to cook and bake at home on holidays, had been persuaded to attend a Christmas party. My hesitant sociability was rewarded with a bad case of Covid-19. 

The last unmasked event I had attended, before Covid, was a EDM concert downtown in January 2020. We danced and were invited to meet the DJs. It was a carefree urban type of night that acclimated me back to Denver having just returned from a 9-day cycle tour in South Africa. 

A South African bicycle tour operator had popped up on my Instagram feed in December 2019. I immediately signed up to join the group and in three week’s time I was on a flight to Cape Town. I took a couple of days in Constantia to sightsee and build my bicycle from the travel case. That Monday morning the tour operator collected me and the rest of the group and we drove out to the Garden Route to start our tour.

Touring Schedule Part 1:

Monday: The five of us cyclists got to know one another on the drive to George. We were a non-competitive group out to enjoy the summer weather. I was amazed that the guys from England had traveled all the way to Cape Town to attend a cricket tournament held the week before and they were equally amazed that I would fly in just to ride my bike. Before dinner we took a quick ride in the evening mist, a test of our wits perhaps? The face paced ride was the perfect warm up for the next day.

Tuesday: George to Oudtshoorn - 70K (approx.) - Outeniqua Mountains

This proved to be one of my favorite cycling days. We rode through indigenous forests of the Witfontein Nature Reserve then into mountain fynbos terrain. It was a cloudy, rainy day perfect weather for strenuous climbs. Montagu Pass was the climb of the day, here we encountered 4 mountain bikers and 2 vehicles., blissfully low-key compared to Colorado traffic. 

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The world has experienced a seismic shift since my January 2020 bicycle trip. I don’t expect to return to indoor dance concerts or any other indoor social events for awhile, but I do plan to return to bicycle touring this year. 12 weeks has always been my optimal training time. The time commitment is probably the hardest part of the program next to winter conditions. Let us see where I’ll be in April or May.

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An afternoon in Cape Town before the bike tour

Kirstenbosch National Botanic Garden blog link

An afternoon in Cape Town after the bike tour

Table Mountain blog link

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Himba Village in the Kunene Region

Archive Alert

I recently completed a school report regarding the impacts that prolonged drought events are having on the HImba in the Kunene Region. My photographs were taken in 2018 and the drought had continued since then through 2020 with predictions for unpredictable weather patterns to continue in the region at large.

I enjoyed my visit and learning about some of the cultural traditions that the Himba live by. It is humbling how well they have adapted to living in this arid environment for generations.

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Chief of village

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Epupa Falls

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cool respite

Himba Village in Northern Namibia

Soil is an organic matter

From an early age my father taught my brothers and I to appreciate good soil. I can hear his instruction now as we cupped soil samples from our organic gardens and orchard in our hands, “feel the texture of it, can you smell the living organisms in the soil?” Good soil takes effort, and the rewards are far greater than production and turnover rate, good soil is the heart of our environment. 

soil, climate change, and farmer's field experience

I visited a Himba village in Northern Namibia in 2018, and as a soil aware person I was struck with how degraded the landscape was from overgrazing. I asked our local guide about the state of the landscape. He explained that the land was typically like this at the end of their dry period except that the normal rain systems were not arriving as they had in the past. I pressed him about possible solutions, he shrugged his shoulders.

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I thought about this experience as I read my ecological systems assigned readings this week. One author briefly mentioned the possibility of making topsoil. The first step to reclaiming soil is testing and evaluation. I discovered that there is a group of European scientists who are working with Namibian farmers on soil degradation problems similar to I had seen (Prudat, et al., 2018). They recognize that previous reclamation efforts had not included local farmer’s field experience. The renewed approach includes creating a soil testing system that is relevant to the regional farmers by incorporating their local soil classification system and by recognizing all of the actors involved in the farming activities. Finally, a bottom-up approach to developing a soil testing system that could lead to a long-term soil management policy in which all stakeholders are invested in.

Prudat, B., Bloemertz, L., & Kuhn, N. J. (2018). Local soil quality assessment of north-central Namibia: integrating farmers' and technical knowledge. Soil, 4(1), 47–62. https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-4-47-2018, 2018.

Giraffe in Etosha National Park

At dusk giraffe gather in sheltered locations to prepare for the night. Most of the group will lay day and sleep for a few hours while one or two group members stay alert to watch out for predators. Giraffe’s nocturnal behavior is structured to benefit their community.

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 Wild giraffe populations are declining due to human development, political unrest, habitat loss, and poaching. We have the responsibility to conserve their habitat. As we learn about their complex social systems the responsibility is even more fundamental. The recent article published in Ecology and Evolution outlines the current studies of giraffe’s nocturnal behavior patterns hoping to provide guidance to human behavior towards wildlife.

 Burger, A.L., Fennessy, J., Fennessy, S., & Dierkes, P.W. (Feb. 2020) Nightly selection of resting sites and group behavior reveal antipredator strategies in giraffe. Ecology and Evolution, 10(6), 2917–2927.

DOI: 10.1002/ece3.6106  

Angolan Giraffe in Etosha N.P. near Dolomite Lodge

Morning at Savuti Channel

The Savuti Channel 

A dry channel meandering through an equally dry landscape, the Savuti Channel is now a legendary area for lion sightings. Once a vast marsh the area has dried out over the course of time, though inexplicably the channel will produce water some years. Savuti is located right on the very tip of the East Africa Great Rift Valley, it’s theorized that the associated tectonic activity influences the water flows into the channel. Other theories point to extended droughts as being the cause of Savuti’s lack of water.  

Our visit coincided with a dry spell at the Savuti channel. We drove into our remote camp on a blazing hot spring afternoon wondering what our chances were for catching sight of wild game in such an unforgiving environment. Waking at 5 am the next day, we saw lion tracks close to our campsite. The lions of Savuti, hardened by the dry conditions, are known for their ability to hunt down the largest of mammals including; giraffe, buffalo, and elephant. With anticipation of what may lay ahead we drove slowly out of camp to the channel. As if on cue we came across a pride of lions relaxing after a night of hunting, their bellies were full and the youngsters were in good spirits playing and chasing doves. 

flocks of doves flew in and out of the channel, attracted to the small water hole that the lions watched over

We spent 2 hours photographing and watching the lion pride that morning. A photographic safari allows for extra attention spent with wildlife sightings, time given for careful observation of the subject, and opportunities to play with composition and camera settings.

Considerations when choosing a guided safari company include:

• Is your guide a trained naturalist, familiar with the region?

• Is your guide a photographer, able to position the truck for the best photographic opportunities?

• Is the truck suitable for photographers; room for gear, removable windows, outlets for charging?

• Are your travel companions agreeable to staying with a sighting for a couple of hours? 

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The Savuti Channel has been a life source of water off and on for centuries. Catch the documentary Stolen River, by Derrek and  Beverly Jobert, for a gripping description of Savuti as it dried up in the early 1980’s.

The Okavango Delta region finally had a decent wet season this year so perhaps Savuti has water again. Any trip planned to Chobe National Park should include a side trip here, whether or not the channel has water. There is a particular mood associated with Savuti- I wasn’t particularly seeking it but it was there.

Botswana Safari Company was our agent for this trip

Sesreim Canyon

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Canyons are crevices in the earth that I see as an escape from the hot sun. Climb down a canyon and suddenly the environment around you is cool and quiet. Sesreim Canyon outside of Namib-Naukluft National Park is such an experience.

From the distance there isn’t anything to see, but pull into the car park and climb down that gorge and you will see. You will see ancient earth pulled apart by by geologic upheaval, you will see the trees and plants thriving in the coolness of the canyon, and you will feel the still, quiet air.

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Sossusvlei by helicooter blog linked here

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Sossusvlei blog linked here

Halali Waterhole Estosh NP

I just found a series of photos I took at the Halali waterhole in Etosha NP. I wasn’t keen on taking my camera to the waterhole that night but my friend insisted that I try my hand at a bit of nighttime photography.

Here are our results.

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The images I captured that night barely hint at the unique beauty we observed. When you stay at a nationally run lodge in Etosha you will have access to the waterhole situated in your lodging area. The waterholes are protected so you can literally get up in the middle of the night and go view animals. Different lodges have different situations for instance the waterhole at Halali is quiet, small and intimate. Another waterhole, by our first lodging area, was vast. I woke at 2 in the morning and walked to it without my camera. There I observed herds of zebra, springbok, and impala move in and out of the waterhole with grace and silence. Sometimes the most amazing images are not captured on film.