The drip system is now in place as of yesterday, and it is just on time.
Just having those pipes in place, has been one of the biggest tests I have faced since I decided to do
permaculture, full throttle. It involved mostly social skills and I am still working on this set of skills. Something as simple as being able to communicate to suppliers during procurement process what it is exactly I want can stand between a dream becoming a reality or not. Passion and finances are important, I also realized that self confidence is equally important. I do not remember seeing a drip system close up, and I did not know how to ask the companies I would go to, to go with me and show me in detail how the system actually worked. I relied mostly on the videos from the internet and there were all sorts, from complete PVC to polyethylene, those with in-line emitters and those with on-line emitters. Initially I wanted the on-line emitters to allow me to suit the system to the holes already in the field but it was difficult to even communicate what it was exactly I wanted to suppliers, also lack of confident with the set up I had come up with, from things I had gathered from the internet. As I was trying to build on the system I raised enough money to buy the online emitter system and looking at where the time was in relation to the growing season, I had to reach a compromise,between on-line and in-line emitters, in order to meet the target of having a drip system set up this year. So I ended up having drip lines with in-line emitters. From time of initial payment up to complete installation, prices started going up and I had an increment of 10% on the initial quote. Between Monday the first of October and today some of the things have doubled in price, I heard of one guy who had a quotation of $2000 for some work on his bore-hole drilling process who is now paying $4000, because of inflation. The thought of this almost happening to me is shaking, it would have meant a halt to this wonderful dream, which is now a reality.
The importance of people could never have been fully explained to me. To be able to believe that the drip can be more than just a dream was initiated by a lady I met randomly for less than half a day, end of 2016 beginning of 2017. I think I shared an encounter with her in past posts in this
thread. Then the strength and moral support to keep pushing until I bought the system was from a person I have never met but we would communicate on-line. I would have really big obstacles created in my head, most of the times I would come back from looking for drip equipment, but through communicating, I would be able to get out of my head and truly see, what it is, that was on the ground and what steps I needed to take to go to the next phase. My family has always been my backbone, although I have to be selective on challenges share with them for now, since I am still selling the idea (I think the drip system set up will seal the deal with my family, as results of increased resilience and, a stable and improved yield will prove worthwhile). As soon as I am able to send the pictures of this great achievement, I will share.
One uncle who has always been into
gardening has shown great interest in sharing his experiences through my thread. As we talked it seems like he has been inclined towards permanent agriculture in his practices. He is of great interest because he is in the rural areas and he has been working on his homestead since the early or late 90s (more details will be from him). I also wish to start writing the progress at my mum's place through her planning and efforts, and smoothly allow a transition from my dream to hers, at her plot, and work on starting my own place.
I'm not familiar with the snot apple. Is it for food or mulch?
A snot
apple is a fruit from an indigenous tree. I hear it can also be added to animal
feed. It is also named the 'african chewing gum'