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Yesterday morning we took a field trip to the campus of ECHO farm, in North Ft. Myers. Doug and Matt have been there before and we wanted to go in November, but tours are given only at certain times, and we missed out. Saturday was gray, and the sky was threatening rain when we arrived.
ECHO stands for Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization. The staff provides solutions to agricultural problems in some 180 countries. They provide information, seeds and training.
There are 7 demonstration gardens on the site, as well as a nursery where local people can buy and try out tropical food plants for themselves, including the papaya. A recent freeze had killed much of the foliage, but often the fruit was still viable, as it was on this plant.
This is the original ECHO house on the grounds. The farm started with a small plot and now more acres have been added, and new buildings house the offices, staff and interns, but this is still in use.
Our tour group set out with our guide, Bob, to see the various areas in the Global Village. One plant grown extensively is bamboo. Unfazed by the freeze, the stands of bamboo towered overhead.
Sustainable farming for various parts of the tropical world is demon- strated at ECHO. Terraces can create level growing space on a mountain, and stop erosion. Rocks from the area can stabilize the terrace. And a simple device consisting of an a-frame and a rock suspended from a rope makes a perfect level.
Part of ECHO's mission is training. Each year a group of interns spends a year in residence. Each intern is responsible for a plot in one of the growing areas. These vegetables in raised beds are in a simulated semi-arid area. They are watered by drip irrigation from a nearby well.
The well in this area is quite a piece of engineering. The pump is hand- or foot- powered. Water is raised to the tanks, then flows through hoses to water the various crops. Many other simple irrigation devices that can be built with recycled materials on site by the people served were shown throughout the villages.
This duck was one of a group that had a cage above a pond. The droppings from the ducks enriched the pond, which also was stocked with fish. Water from the pond could be siphoned off to use to fertilize certain crops. One part of the ECHO philosophy includes using animal byproducts to create free fertilizer.
These chickens, called Turkens, are moved from food plot to food plot to scratch, eat insects, and provide fertilizer. This one is part of a group feeding in a field of sugar cane. The cane was frozen in the recent cold spell, but it will be felled by volunteers and composed, and the chickens moved to another fenced area.
Rabbits of many varieties are housed and fed in raised cages. Their manure is collected and composted. We also saw a raised crib for goats, but I didn't get a good picture.
Many tropicals, such as bananas and coffee, were blasted by the recent, unexpected cold. One green leaf on this plant shows its determination. New plants will arise from the roots and bear a crop in one year, so the damage is not permanent.
Among the most luxuriant crops at ECHO were the citrus trees. These were small oranges or tangerines, and seemed quite healthy.
This ruby red grapefruit looks a little more rugged than one found in a northern super- market, but it probably will be sweeter to the taste. Various fruits are for sale in season at the farm store.
These looked so good. I didn't write down the name but it was some kind of tangerine- citrus cross. It was enough to make a person hungry.
And here are key limes on the tree. All of the lime varieties had fruit on the trees, but they also were coming into bloom. Key lime pie would be good right about now.
Because many people in the topical zones live in cities that are pretty much concrete jungles, ECHO also does research on urban rooftop gardening. Various methods include planting in shallow containers with compost on the bottom and a thin layer of soil on top, covered with mulch. Another technique is wick gardening, that uses old socks or other cloth to draw water for plants out of discarded containers, such as soda cans.
One container that caught Norm's eye was this gutter garden that was growing straw- berries. The container was two lengths of guttering laid side by side. Water escapes through small drain holes. A good use for battered gutters that have been replaced by new, at least in our country.
We were a little surprised but also impressed to see plump berries growing in less than 3 inches of soil. This kind of gardening is intensive, but adaptable for folks who have no other way to grow fresh foods.
Our guide paused at a display of Moringa trees and clipped off a branch so our group could sample the leaves, which were minty and citrusy. ECHO promotes the culture of this plant that has edible leaves, flowers, pods and green seeds. The leaves are said to be high in calcium, vitamin C and vitamin A, as well as protein and potassium. The leaves are dried and powdered and used as a nutritional supplement; the powdered seeds are used to purify dirty water.
ECHO works through missionaries and Peace Corps workers, mailing seeds to them that they can experiment with in the countries where they work. The second year they pass on the saved seeds to local farmers. Farmers attend training session on how to make the most of the seeds, and also how to grow them effectively, using some of the techniques that have been pioneered at ECHO. The organization is non-profit, interdenominational Christian in origin. Two teams have gone to Haiti to assess how they can provide farmers there with seeds and expertise in the aftermath of the earthquake. ECHO has worked with partners in Haiti, and other parts of the world, for decades.We look forward to another visit in a different season to see other crops in season.
Although we have been to Ft. Myers 4 times before this trip, we had never been downtown. So after our trip this morning to ECHO Farms (which I'll blog about tomorrow) Doug and Matt took us through the historic old neighborhoods of Ft. Myers and we stopped for lunch at an Italian cafe down this quaint street.
We walked for a couple of blocks through the district, in a light rain, after lunch. We could imagine being outside enjoying the weather on a day later in the spring. It was a cool 50 degrees or so for the high today.
We found this art gallery lining an alley. The paintings, possibly by local artists, were all for sale.
Pink and aqua are two of the most popular colors in the older part of town, in contrast to the terra cotta hues of most of the new developments. This movie house pays homage to prominent winter resident of yore, Thomas Edison, whose estate we visited on an earlier trip here. 
Norm and I thoroughly enjoyed the noontime visit downtown. Every time we come here we get to see something new. After lunch we all came home and took naps. Tonight we went to a performance of the Ft. Myers Symphonic Mastersingers that was delightful. Doug has sung with this group although this year he took off in order to concentrate more on his book. But they are an amazing choral group. Our second day here was full of new information, great food, fascinating sights and lovely sound. We are told that Monday it may get to 70. More to look forward to.
Thursday was a beautiful day for flying, if you were heading Southeast out of the heartland, and not to the northeast. I got a window seat and as we approached our destination, I tried taking some pictures from our SW airlines Boeing 737. Here, after flying the length of the Florida peninsula just off the Gulf Coast, we sight the estuary of the Caloosahachee River where it joins the Gulf of Mexico at Ft. Myers. The river drains Lake Okeechobee.
Ft. Myers Beach is a separate community, with one long main street, expensive real estate, resorts, and a lovely beach.
The islands of green floating in the water are groves of Mangroves that provide habitat for many other plants and animals in this ecosystem. The buildings, of course, provide habitat for humans, especially those who like their winters to be at 70 degrees instead of 30.
Every square inch of Ft. Myers Beach appears to be developed. We have been there a couple of times: once to visit a beach and once on the way to somewhere else, just sightseeing. It was captivating to get a clear view from several thousand feet up.
Next thing we knew, our aircraft was making a 90-degree turn to the east and we were heading inland. I think that is U.S. Highway 41 (the Tamiami Trail) winding through south Ft. Myers.
Ah, an airport called RSW really does exist. We will make two more turns on the approach before we reach the ground. Meanwhile we look at the developments, cleared spaces, water features and some fields in the landscape below.
Agriculture is a dominant part of the economy in South Florida. I don't know what these crops are. The ground cover on some of the fields glints in the sun and catches your eye from the air all across the region.
Crops grown in this area include potatoes, tomatoes and citrus. During this next week we plan to visit Echo Farm and learn more about sustainable agriculture.
When we landed it was in the low 60s, and last night's low was in the 30s. Today it is cool, but still sunny. It is supposed to get into the 70s in the next few days.
A new 9-minute video of an interview with Kim and Patrick Bentrott has been posted on the Disciples of Christ web site. Click HERE to access the page. In this edited YouTube version, they discuss what happened during the earthquake, their meeting with CONASPEH leaders, and their activities since evacuating to the United States with their two adoptive Hatian children.
Even better is the raw footage of the interview. If you scroll down the page, there are links to view segments of the interview in either Windows Media or Quick Time. In the last of the three, Patrick discusses at length what he feels are the misconceptions the "big countries" have about Haiti and Haitian character, as well as how the media slant has perpetuated them.
Also in the interest of pursuing All Things Haiti, especially of interest to Disciples congregations that have supported the initial effort to send Kim and Patrick as missionaries to Haiti, Global Ministries has posted a new report from Felix Ortiz about his recent visit to Haiti and meetings with mission partners there. You can access that page by clicking HERE.
Last night a friend whom we are visiting observed that I had gotten kind of intense about the situation in Haiti because of my frequent posts here, interspersed with the expected family news. He is probably right, but I have also seen that when bloggers repost this information, it gets to people who might not otherwise have found it. In the unedited video, Kim talks about how it felt, once they were able to get on the internet a few days after the disaster to read e-mail, to see an overwhelming number of supportive comments on her blog and messages offering hope and comfort in the aftermath of the earthquake. She mentioned how overwhelming it was to see people from all over the U.S. and in other countries following their fortunes. I've seen some of that myself, as people from Oregon to Massachusetts and Canada to Texas who are on search engines manage to see a reference to them here and then jump to the link I've posted. It reminds me somewhat of how ham radio operators relay information in a crisis. Bloggers who repost (as well as those on FaceBook who share and Twitter who retweet) keep the information moving. If 10 more people a day find the Bentrotts through these posts who would not have found them otherwise, I'm happy, and I'll keep feeding my Haiti obsession for a little while longer.
This past weekend my guild had its annual retreat at the Pallotine Center in far North County. The sisters see that we are fed and the dishes cleaned up so all we need to do is snack, sleep and sew. Which we did for about 36-40 hours. This year's quilt project, taught by our past president, Teajuana, was called "Trip Around the Scrap Basket." It was a wonderfully striking design and most of the quilters who took the class finished their tops before the weekend was over. I was one who elected to "do my own thing" (see previous post) but I enjoyed seeing the fantastic results.
The retreat started on Friday evening, and we had the chance to make a useful tote bag with the guild emblem quilted on it. Some people then worked on their own projects late into the night. I know I fell in bed about 2 a.m. Bright the next morning, after breakfast, we were getting ready to sew all day again. Here are Norma, Sarah, Lenore and Karen checking their bobbins, tension, and other settings, while the day outside is warmer and sunnier than usual.
We are arranged in tables of four, and my very compatible sewing mates are Valerie, Joan and Christine. Everyone is already busy and you can see by how neat the area is around my humble Kenmore that I haven't really started yet.
I wasn't able to get photos of everyone's projects at Show & Tell on Sunday afternoon, but here is Valerie with her completed project--random nine-patches make a throw quilt to decorate a special room in her home. It was her first retreat and she had a great time.
By Saturday afternoon I needed a walk and the day was mild enough. Here is a view of the retreat center from the east side. One sign of coming spring I noted was a field full of mole hills. If the moles are active, there must be food for them near the surface, which means the ground is thawing, which means...plants coming up?
This view is on the opposite side of the building. Guest rooms are on the top floor, and mine is the second from the left on this trip. The wing to the right houses a large gymnasium (floor is great for laying out quilts) and the lower level houses the swimming pool (which we did not rent--too expensive.) I had hoped to walk the new outdoor labyrinth that has been installed, but it still had snow and ice on it. 
One of the joys of mealtime at Pallotine is looking out the dining room windows and watching the birds and wildlife, as well as the two horses in the pasture. The grounds cover more than 180 acres that are an oasis in the midst of housing developments. The bit of rural life that is preserved is one reason I treasure this place. Debbie got acquainted with one of the horses; this is supposed to be the one that doesn't like to bite.
I arrived home on Sunday afternoon a little bleary (went to bed at midnight on Saturday) but very satisfied with the progress I had made on the projects I took with me, and happy to have had the chance to get to know several of my quilting friends better. And I didn't lose my shirt in the (fabric strip) poker game, but hey, what happens on retreat stays at retreat...right?
The annual Flower Valley Quilt Guild retreat ended yesterday with a Show and Tell session. I didn't do the retreat project, although it was lovely, because I am on a mission to finish up some projects that have been hanging around for a while, and get them on their way to someone who will love them.
The Sunbonnet Sue blocks, depicting Sue through the seasons, was an optional block project from several years ago. I won the drawing for some of the blocks, and finally set them with sashing and borders. Next step is to get it quilted, and maybe it can be my next raffle donation. The second quilt is the Linville Family Reunion project, with signature blocks from gatherings in 1992-1995. Relatives have quit even asking me when it will be finished. But it is getting closer! I have rearranged the original plan of 9 blocks by 9 blocks, to be 8x8. It was simply getting too big. All signatures will be included, but some will go in the border instead of having their own pieced blocks. Each block is unique, pieced primarily of vintage 1930s fabrics donated by Norm's Aunt Doris in 1991, with a few '30s reproduction prints added for variety. There are now 7 rows by 7 rows complete and added to the top. Only two more rows to go--one each way. On this retreat I finished the vertical row on the far right.
I am so blessed. This year my Valentine gave me a pot of blooming miniature roses, or a living bouquet. They are on the kitchen window sill where we both can be cheered by their bright blossoms.
This week has flown by as I have been getting ready for a program about human trafficking for the area Disciples Women that will be next Tuesday. Every time I check my e-mail, there is another potential change--more people than expected, so print more programs. Switch from Power Point to DVD. This speaker cannot come, but two others can. It has been a challenge. Norm is dealing with some chest congestion and taking antibiotics. We are trying to plan what to pack for Florida next week. We had snow earlier in the week and we are supposed to get more, plus rain and sleet, this weekend.
And then there is This Weekend. I am all packed and about ready to head for the Flower Valley Quilting Guild's annual retreat. 48 hours of sewing, inspiration, snacking and fun. I'll write and bring photos when I get back. I'm getting behind on posting--have meant to have the orchids up by now, and then there's Corkscrew Swamp from last November. Oh well, someday.
Last Sunday afternoon we made our annual winter visit to the Missouri Botanical Garden. We spent a lot of time in the Orchid Show, but we also visited the Camellia display in the Linnaean House, the oldest greenhouse west of the Mississippi River. Many varieties of camellias as well as teas and begonias and ground covers are a warm sight on a cold day.
Something about these blooms, this one and the one above, remind me of the corsages we used to wear to high school dances. They were pink carnations, and these are so much more exotic.
The Missouri Botanical Garden was started by Henry Shaw, a British hardware merchant who made his fortune in St. Louis and then gave the city an incredible gift by creating a garden on his country estate, and planting it with all kinds of trees, bushes, and flowering plants. This was the first greenhouse and it still is in operation. A wonderful destination on a winter day.
The grounds outside the greenhouse also had plenty of orna- mentals. These grasses caught the rays of the sun as it slanted toward the west. This was about 24 hours ahead of the start of our Monday snow storm.
As a girl growing up in Oklahoma, I was familiar with the crepe myrtle bush that blooms so lavishly in summer. Over the years, hardier plants have been bred, and the winters in St. Louis have been milder over the past 20 years or so as well. So crepe myrtle is starting to flourish here. These seed pods are beautiful and help bring interest to the winter landscape.
A plant I often heard about, but have seldom seen, is witch hazel. The Garden has several varieties of witch hazel, and this was in bloom on a trellis behind the greenhouse. We savored the clean air and cool breeze for a few minutes and then started home. Walking to the car, we noticed the cloud formations overhead that I wrote about in last Monday's post. Monday night we had about 4 to 5 inches of snow. A lot of it is still around, although it has melted where the sun shines. Now we have another 2-4 inches forecast for Saturday night into Sunday morning. Even though we have so far escaped the monster deep snows others have seen (I'm thinking of Tulsa, and Dallas, and most of Kansas, not to mention Baltimore where a college friend measured over two feet on her deck) but we have had accumulating snow about twice a week for what seems like eons now. The beauty inside Henry Shaw's garden helps me remember that eventually Spring will come!
Yesterday morning we took a field trip to the campus of ECHO farm, in North Ft. Myers. Doug and Matt have been there before and we wanted to go in November, but tours are given only at certain times, and we missed out. Saturday was gray, and the sky was threatening rain when we arrived.
Our tour group set out with our guide, Bob, to see the various areas in the Global Village. One plant grown extensively is bamboo. Unfazed by the freeze, the stands of bamboo towered overhead.
Part of ECHO's mission is training. Each year a group of interns spends a year in residence. Each intern is responsible for a plot in one of the growing areas. These vegetables in raised beds are in a simulated semi-arid area. They are watered by drip irrigation from a nearby well.
The well in this area is quite a piece of engineering. The pump is hand- or foot- powered. Water is raised to the tanks, then flows through hoses to water the various crops. Many other simple irrigation devices that can be built with recycled materials on site by the people served were shown throughout the villages.
These chickens, called Turkens, are moved from food plot to food plot to scratch, eat insects, and provide fertilizer. This one is part of a group feeding in a field of sugar cane. The cane was frozen in the recent cold spell, but it will be felled by volunteers and composed, and the chickens moved to another fenced area.
Rabbits of many varieties are housed and fed in raised cages. Their manure is collected and composted. We also saw a raised crib for goats, but I didn't get a good picture.
Among the most luxuriant crops at ECHO were the citrus trees. These were small oranges or tangerines, and seemed quite healthy.
This ruby red grapefruit looks a little more rugged than one found in a northern super- market, but it probably will be sweeter to the taste. Various fruits are for sale in season at the farm store.
These looked so good. I didn't write down the name but it was some kind of tangerine- citrus cross. It was enough to make a person hungry.
One container that caught Norm's eye was this gutter garden that was growing straw- berries. The container was two lengths of guttering laid side by side. Water escapes through small drain holes. A good use for battered gutters that have been replaced by new, at least in our country.
We were a little surprised but also impressed to see plump berries growing in less than 3 inches of soil. This kind of gardening is intensive, but adaptable for folks who have no other way to grow fresh foods.
