Dear All,
Peak summer and early monsoon is that time of the year when the availability of diverse uncultivated forest foods – growing wild in Nature – is maximum. Our forest foods foraging walk at Vanvadi last year was a big hit. There were many we could not accommodate.
As rains are expected to reach our parts (Konkan Sahyadri foothills) in about 10-12 days, we welcome you to join us for a forest foods walk on Sunday, June 21, 2015 and more..
We are also having a collaborative, hands-on kitchen gardening workshop and planting camp over the weekend, ie Saturday & Sunday, June 20 and 21. Besides vegetables, we will be planting fruit/food trees, live hedge, etc., using seeds, seedlings/saplings, tubers, cuttings, etc. The plantings will largely be done under the guidance of Bua, Ambibai, Daulat and Ram, the local adivasi family looking after Vanvadi. (They mainly speak Marathi and some Hindi.) The organic food gardening workshop will be conducted by visiting young permaculturists, Sam (Samantha) and Shine, with collaborative local inputs of any other experienced friends present, including Bua, Daulat, ... (and hopefully, Arjun Do Beegha too!)
This will mainly be in English.
There is a maximum of 30 people we can accommodate. The requested contribution is Rs 500 per head for adults and Rs 250 for children, (inclusive of a simple vegetarian lunch with a sampling of forest foods, but not travel).
Advance registration with zuimansata@gmail.com is essential, informing the names and ages of people coming and the date/s you will be present, and whether you would like to participate only in the forest foods walk, or also in the kitchen gardening workshop/ planting camp. Further details will be sent to confirmed participants ( regarding directions, coordinated travel, timings, what to bring (rain protection!) etc.) The actual payment may be made when you arrive at Vanvadi.
Sharing below some pictures taken at the Vanvadi Forest Foods Walk (and rice transplanting) on 27th July 2014, a few weeks after the monsoon arrived last year.
You are also welcome to bring for us some seeds/planting material, keeping in mind that we are located in the wet Konkan Sahyadri foothills with rainfall exceeding 90 inches per annum. We are particularly looking for sagargota, and other suitable live hedge material, but also welcome seeds of jambul, mango, sitaphal (custard apple), jackfruit, gavti papaya, drumstick (preferably cuttings from well fruiting trees), some citronella grass, pudina (mint), etc.
Look forward to hear from you, and see you, quite soon!
Warmly,
Bharat Mansata
PS: Please forward to any others who may be interested.
PS: Those interested in volunteering for some serious planting work at Vanvadi may please email bharatmansata@yahoo.com
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