After almost two years we are finally ready to receive and plant our cacao plants. This has meant in the last two weeks we have been re-assessing and mapping out where plants will be planted. Having had the holes dug and filled with compost over a year ago, and with stakes having rotted away or been moved as a result of weeding the plot, uncovering holes has taken a lot longer than was expected.
It has taken us over three weeks to determine where existing holes are and where new holes have to be dug. A new map has been developed with agricultural plant science students: this has been harder that at first we imagined. Due to the uneven terrain and the need to reduce erosion holes were dug following a contour, not a clean line of planting. Thus determining the location of holes and numbering them took multiple attempts. We are almost done, which is a good thing as the trees are being collected on the 28th March and being planted on the 29th!
A kind donation of organic matter was made by Dr Martin, our dean.