Let's Build Gonave, Haiti!

As  I mentioned in a previous post, we ordered Bidens Pilosa (Photo 1.2).  These wildflowers are a key plant that Floridian honeybees use for honey.  The plant can flower throughout the year.  The plant also has many healthy benefits for people. Today we test planted the seeds on top of the soil.  We have a small greenhouse test box that will mimic the temperature and humidity of Haiti.  We will test how fast the seeds germinate, how fast the plants grow, and just gaining basic data on the plant. The Bidens Pilosa will form a future Forest Floor for La Gonave.  To understand the forest floor of what Haiti is suppose to look like, see photo 1.0. Photo 1.0 The Bidens Pilosa doesn't tolerate shade, but initially it would form the forest floor.  (Photo 1.1) Photo 1.1 Once the Under Storey and canopy is developed by Moringa and Banana Trees, the Bidens Pilosa will soon fade away and grow only in areas that lack...

La Gonave could produce a few different crops on a large production scale, which would hire many people in the process.  While farming is normally looked at as a small profit industry, it serves a few purposes.  It employs people of La Gonave, programs will help to fertilize farm soil in a natural way, the island brings in profit, and it creates a stable economy for the island. Coffee could hold promise in the near future.  There is currently a mid sized Haitian company that we are in talks with about coffee production on the island.  This offers farmers on La Gonave the chance to raise coffee beans.  This company sells coffee to big box American retailer Wal-mart.  The opportunity to put La Gonave on the map is happening in many different ways. Currently ideas are to have honey production, coffee production, Moringa, and wax production.  Other crops considered strongly are Sunn Hemp, which will provide potential biomass for the island as well as ...