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We saw at the step 3, the interest of making windbreaks. An interesting publication about windbreak can be found here.
In September, we started the creation of the first row of windbreaks with the plantation of shrubs as living fence. We can now, in some place, plant the next rows. The sugar cane is far from fully harvested and we have to adapt to this situation.
A selection of 6 trees has been chosen for the second row, the medium size trees:
-Azadirachta indica, the neem tree, a versatile multipurpose tree for urban regreening, agroforestry, fuelwood production, and for a variety of other products, including biopesticides.
- Cassia fistula, the golden shower (picture), is an ornamental and shade leguminous tree used around houses, on the edges of roads, and in the streets, parks, and gardens of towns.
- The malunggay or Moringa oleifera is a so useful tree that, one day, we will reserve a chapter only for it. The owner of the Moringa farm write: "You can pick its leaves and make it part of a delicious fresh salad, use it in one our many moringa recipes, (It goes especially well with
chicken). Or you can dry the leaves to make a delicious green tea. You can also make tea with the leaf powder in a traditional coffee maker. If you have enough leaf, you can dry it and make it into moringa powder, like we do, and use it ‘s concentrated nutrition to balance your diet for increased energy and sense of well being. The possibilities are endless."
- Sesbania grandiflora, known in the Philippines as katuray is also a member of the leguminous family can be used as fodder for cattle and goats.
- The banaba or Lagerstroemia speciosa is member of the family of Lythraceae and one of th few deciduous tree of the tropics. Banaba is a well known medicinal plant widely used in the Philippines to treat diabetes and urinary problems and even malaria.
- and the Kamatsile ( Pithecellobium dulce or Manila tamarind) another leguminous. Sometimes, from July to August, along the roads, kids sale the fruits containing an acid or sweet pulp. Many other uses are known for this tree coming from South America.
The next row is the one of tall trees. We selected:
- Artocarpus blancoi, the breadfruit easily recognised with its large leaves until 80cm long and 50 cm large and with fruits consumed as fruit, vegetable, fermented or dried.
- Artocarpus heterophyllus, the jackfruit, so economically important in South-East Asia. And so big fruits also: until 1m long, 50 cm diameter and 50kg!
-Sandoricum koetjape, the santol (see picture of santol growing under coconut) which can grow as high as 45m has been introduced in the Philippines.
- Swietenia macrophylla or mahogany of which everybody knows the high value wood.
- Shorea contorta or white lauan, endemic to the Philippines and depleted due to logging and kaingin-making.
The next row is the one of medium size fruit trees:
- Syzigium cuminii, locally named as duhat. The fruit can be eaten fresh or used for jam, juice and wine. It is also a great medicinal plant.
- Persea americana or avocado already cultivated by the Aztecs 7500 years BC.
- Antidesma bunius or bignay (picture of the fruits) commercially used now to produce wine in the Philippines.
- Artocarpus odoratissimus or marang not exported because of the low yields and conservation.
Neem tree, mahogani, white lauan, duhat, avocado and bignay were bought to Negros forest and ecological foundation, Inc. and the other seedlings from our nursery.
300 hundred trees and 700 hundreds shrubs are now planted as windbreaks. By the way, this banaba is the 1000 th plant planted in the school farm!
1 comment:
They really look good from our last visit in sagay last october, it's like looking at a child first walk in life... and wishing to them... may your roots dig deeper and grow abundantly with flowers and fruits for my grandchildren to enjoy! sorry Daniel, I'm just being romantic and sentimental lately!
And michelle looks very happy!
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