Let's Build Gonave, Haiti!

One way to help build up the economy on La Gonave is by farming, but not necessarily traditional crops.  Currently we are using modern beekeeping to raise organic honey.  While beekeeping isn't new, using modern hives is something that is new for La Gonave and Haiti.  Using this method will produce more honey, and allow for a safer way to extract honey. Also while on La Gonave, we started the first steps of raising Kiwano.  Kiwano is a wonderful crop as it does will in tropical climate and can do well in drought.  The plant does well in Africa, so having such a crop in Haiti can allow La Gonave to have a strong market in Kiwano.  Currently this crop is already in the small sprout stage and will fruit sometime this summer. Hurko and Let's Build Gonave Haiti loves being the first at what we do.  The first Observation Hive was awarded to an organization on La Gonave, thanks to Hurko getting involved in the process.  The first Kiwano plant is also...

An Observation Hive WILL be heading to La Gonave island in Haiti.  The observation hive is part of a $1,650 investment to the island where the hive will serve to teach children and even locals in the city of Anse-a-Galets about honeybees. This is especially important to me as I wrote parts of the grant.  To get the grant is beyond words.  Our not-for-profit partner Greater Good Haiti will be getting this observation hive.  The hive will be installed this year with honeybees being purchased next month. On top of the honeybees for the observation hive, we will also purchase about two additional hives for honey production which will also be located at Greater Good Haiti.  This location will be our Anse-a-Galets hub for the honeybee network.  Coupled with the observation hive as well as production hives, it will allow La Gonave to have a working and teaching center for honeybees. We still await news on the pollination grant which will build the pollinatio...

Moving honeybees from the mainland of Haiti (Arcahaie) to La Gonave will be the longest movement of honeybees that we have even undertaken.  Currently we are researching ways to move the honeybees from the distance.  Logistically it is a major challenge due to moving the bees across water.  Simply put we see this as a challenge but one that we are very excited about. The hives could be several hundred pounds each.  Moving the bees have to be done at the right time of day, right temperature, and right weather.  We also want to make sure that we move the bees with the most amount of forager honeybees.  These are the honeybees that search for nectar, pollen, and water.  Without these bees, the hive will die.  Loosing a few isn't a big deal, but loosing too many foragers is disaster. So what is the best solution?  Moving the honeybees at night.  While this still has to be done with care, night offers cooler temperatures, honeybees are t...

By now you know where my main objective is.  The overall improvement for the people on La Gonave is to start with agriculture.  When you look at it, people have farmed for many generations on the island, however poor tools, lack of innovation, poor soil, lack of water, lack of seeds, etc.  There are many things that can be done, but La Gonave must have farmers who will become experts in the crops that they raise. Some NGO's are supplying seeds to farmers, and even go as far as providing water catchment systems, but the support ends there.  Providing seeds and water simply isn't enough.  Sure the farmer will raise the crops more successfully than they would have without adequate water, but again, this simply isn't enough. Farmers have to understand how to conserve and be strong supporters of conservation.  Conservation of trees, land, water, etc.  Then they have to be supporters of strong self sufficient farming practices.  This includes more ...

The honeybee fodder program relies heavily on the newly formed La Gonave Wildflower Association.  This association will grow and plant the various wildflowers and trees needed to support a large scale honeybee operation on the island of La Gonave. Currently in Haiti hives don't produce a large supply of honey.  The hives produce enough for them to survive and then a little extra honey, but not large extra stores of honey.  The problem is due to the lack of flowers and trees that honeybees rely on.  The use of trees to support the charcoal cooking industry has a massive effect on the environment.  Many plants can't exist in full sun, but love the climate of Haiti.  With the clearance of big trees, it affects these plants.  So with our cooperative, we have a responsibility to get off on the right foot.  The second phase of the honeybee fodder program is now starting.  The idea is that we will now supply plants that will aid in the health o...

So working with three different organizations to bring honey bee production to La Gonave Island.  An initial assessment will happen in Feb 2015.  So there will be someone personally that we will have that will go to the island to see if the island can support a bee colony.  The biggest obstacles are the correct plants that will provide enough nectar for the bees.  If the assessment comes back negative, meaning that the island isn't suitable, that isn't the end of the project.  What will happen is plants will be brought to the island from Haiti, or seeded into the soil.  These plants will have to survive on the island successfully before another assessment can be done.  When that assessment is complete and successful, then honey bees will be installed on the island.  The bees will be from a farm on the Haitian mainland.  Also beekeeping will be taught to a farmer or two on La Gonave as well.  This training is very important to keep the...

I could be sealing the deal with yet another not-for-profit group there on La Gonave.  This group is much larger than the La Gonave Haiti Partnership.  Both groups are doing amazing jobs, and the honey bee program at Let's Build Gonave, Haiti could be making a major impact early to mid-next year. I will keep the name of the second NGO a secret for now as we are working out major details, but this seems like a go.  Also I am working on a different program that will help with the deforestation issue.  The honey bees and the deforestation issue go hand in hand.  The bees pollinate flowers which allows them to grow and create new varieties.  This also helps with fruit bearing trees, as the bees will help to pollinate them as well.  Bees are key to these plants and trees survival.  The plants and trees are also very much important to have inorder to keep the bees alive.  This symbiotic relationship is key to life on the island. With plants ...

When you look at Haiti as a whole, there are so many challenges.   Often it seems very overwhelming when you see that everything is needed.  By everything, education, housing, clean water, sanitation, jobs, energy, security, etc.  Gonave has a unique chance to get this right with the correct leadership.  With the right leadership that isn't afraid to make bold change, and believes in selfless thoughts, Gonave can have a rebirth of sorts.  Many have promised Haiti a rne, or Rebirth after the earthquake.  Many places are still waiting years after it happened.  Much of the billions of dollars promised have yet to reach Haiti, and many NGO's or non-governmental agencies pocketed the money for operation costs.  Much of the money was lost due to corruption within Haiti itself.  Citizens have to be smarter and demand change.  This isn't to turn Gonave into an independent nation.  This isn't to rally against Haiti.  This IS t...

One of the folks here is working on a quicker solution that would require minor investment, but would have a strong future on Gonave.  I just wrote a blog today talking about using local coffee to supply Coffee Cubes LTD.  We are also looking to see if Starbucks would be interested in coffee that is from Gonave.  Our offices are based out of Seattle, which is where Starbucks is located.  So getting connections would be easier than say if we were in another part of the country. The idea would be to grow a specific coffee bean, that would then be imported to America, and then onto Starbucks.  Now this will require some homework on our part due to Starbucks having a large volume of blends, and due to Starbucks high standards.  This is still in the early stages, but could prove to be a major accomplishment if this gains traction.  Starbucks isn't the only company we are looking at.  Even Tully's will be considered as well.  Guess what, they ar...

Recently a division of Let's Build Gonave, Haiti has been doing research on native plants and trees that either once existed on Gonvae, or still exists.  The idea is to not only reintroduce species of plants and trees that are in limited supply, but to also bring up the natural level.  Some of the trees and flowering plants will help with soil erosion, ground cover, build tidal flats, etc.  Many of the plants will serve many different purposes.  A key to building the honey industry are trees and plants that offer flowers that attract bees.  In addition a few are known to attract butterflies.  Adding back the vegetation life on Gonave will help with farming and crop raising. Stay tuned as we develop a plan to help build up the vegetation life on Gonave.  Go Gonave!

This is your typical honey bee hive box which is made by a company in Oregon.  While these hive kits are about $150.00 US, these would be ideal for starting the honey farms on Gonave.  Hives generally create about about 100 or more lbs of honey per year.  Not only that, but you can do much more than produce honey, such as using the wax for soaps and lotions, amongst other things. The idea is to get about 4 hives started to see how well these boxes work on Gonave.  These hives boxes, could also be easily built on Gonave, and sold as part of a small industry. So for less than $600.00, 4 hives could be built on Gonave.  This would not take into consideration the costs of the bees, or transporting the hives and bees to Gonave. Not only could this be the start of an industry of honey, but also of light manufacturing of soap, lotion, and hive boxes. Go Gonave!

I went to the Albuquerque BioPark where they have a mock farm on display.  The farm has a farm house, and also has an actual farm with cows, goats, sheep, pigs, and chickens.  What makes this farm unique is that everything is built on a a little more than an acre.  The farm also had fruit trees as well, which I will put in another blog. This is a view of the farm house from the barn. This is the barn which held all of the animals mentioned Inside of the barn, which was very clean. Next to the barn was a chicken pen. View of side of the barn, and the chicken pen. Inside the barn was a goat bay. View of the bays/stalls for the animals. More of a view of the animal stalls. Another view of the chicken pen. This is inside of the barn for the chickens. Outside view of barn.  The sheep, cows, and pigs had their own pens. Another larger view of the barn and it's crude fencing.   This is the farm house with 3 bedrooms, kit...

I have been working on a plan, call 20-20-20.  It centers around farming on the island of Gonave using simple yet proven techniques.  Food production is low on Gonave and many cite this as a problem. With the plan, some 400 acres could be developed in 5 years. Types of farming would be from beef to fish, and from honey to pineapples.  The approach would be to start off with three different types of farming, which in Year 1 would be Apples, Honey, and beans.  There would be several farms of 1 acre in size, which allows for much less overhead, and also it would work well in areas with a small working plot of land. I'm currently in talks with a few of the current NGO's that are on the island to try and make this happen.  Given the small start up cost, I think this will be a success, and would even allow for enough food to be sold to Haiti.  We are also in talks with the Haitian government on the ability of leasing land to do this.  Stay tuned to more...