Come join me in mulching 101
Right after breakfast M and I headed up to the durian plantation to collect brown for our compost pile. This has serve as part of our daily routine since the group arrived. And of course getting out at this hour in the woods we serve as nice breakfast to the mozzies. They must be delighted to have us visit. As much as they can be quite an nuisance but I must also make a case for these blodd-sucking bugs – mosquitos do serve their purpose too. The male are responsible for pollenating flowers and fruits – just like bee does.
Today we went through the Berkeley 18-Day compost. Composting may be nasty but to do a good compost it is definitely more art than science. Understanding chemistry, the various characteristics of fungi and bacteria interaction to create this wild orgy of mass organic matter and micro-organism that will then be used to rehabilitate and heal a piece of dying land. Using nature to heal nature. Micro-organism belongs in the soil and we are helping ourselves when we place them right back where they should be. Every living thing every element in perfect harmony. Guess who at the end of this food chain? Us. You and I.
Quick briefing for the group before we get going
Vast majority of vegetables and fruits today are grown with synthetic fertilizers. They may provide the plants with what’s needed for fattening their fruits (because they fetch a better price and because we the consumers never cared or was never informed how they were grown) but after years of abusing the land in our pursuit for fatter fruit, more chemicals are added and this process have destroyed most agriculture land. And when the sudden realization that people are falling sick hit us, it is no longer as sudden as first thought. The robbery of our health and well-being has long been set in motion. But of course we still have Choice. We still can choose to live in good health.
Laying the bed for our mulch
I’ve been working with ingredients and food for quite some time. I have met organic farmers and heard their stories but coming this close to the “fooding and fruiting” process has really helped to changed the way I looked at the food we grow that eventually becomes the food we eat. And this fooding process does not end there…the food we consume continue to nourish and build up our health. Maybe they know (better than us) that foreign virus and bacteria can do us harm, maybe they know (better than us) the wear and tear of daily life can wear us down. Maybe they know (better than us) we are subject of dietary, biological and emotional abuse. Good food is like our faithful guardian – working in a trillion ways we cannot see with our eyes all for our benefit.
The 3-ft mulch near completion
Maybe they just know us better than we do ourselves.
The sad reality of humanity’s ultimate betrayal is already here - we abuse the land we grow our food and the food we eat, we created junk food and made it so cheap and affordable. We were told the money we pay is the price of the food, but in reality we have thrown in our well-being FOC in the buying process too. Guess who is at the end of the food chain?
I admit I have many indulgences and I may never be able to give up on ice cream, chocolate, my favorite tonkatsu and tempura, the list really goes on and on. But I know for sure I will always choose to make mine with fresh quality ingredients instead free from synthetics and artificial flavors. 3 times a day every day. The choices we make. These are the consequences we bear. Oh yes the good news is we still have choice.
However, I would be visiting Asakusa,Odaiba, Harajuku, Shibuya and Shinjuku. And of course, DisneySea… Also going to Hakone and Kyoto. Unfortuately I am not staying at the traditional inns so will not get to eat the wonderful dinner and breakfasts normally found in these places.
