The Retsogile Permaculture Education & Training Trust (english version)

We spent our first month in South Africa, volunteering at the farm "travelers rest", north of South Africa, which belongs to "The Retsogile Permaculture Education & Training Trust."

It was an intense month, full of emotions and encounters, we work also well in the garden. Here is, in a few lines, photos and videos, a small presentation of the trust and of our passage.

The farm belonged to Ken Strang, founder, who fully bequeathed to the trust at his death.

Before we arrived at the farm, Shelley, one of the members of the trust warned us that the situation was likely to be a bit special. Indeed Ken was then dying in bed in his room. We have been able to meet him before his death, joy and sorrow were for us to go.

Ken was a colorful character, with many lives into one. At the end, he turned to permaculture, and wished to leave something positive for future generations.

Aurélie has already written an article about him: http://cheminsdinnocence.over-blog.com/2016/09/life-love-and-happiness-disait-il-ken-nous-a-quitte-hier.html

Words full of emotions jostle on the coffin of Ken !

The farm is located about thirty kilometers of Tzaneen, in the direction of Polokwane, close to Haenertsburg. It is a mountainous region with a warm and very dry climate.

It is located at an altitude of 1400 meters and is almost on the Tropic of Capricorn. In July, there is rare frosts, not every year, there are mango trees. The winter is very dry and rather warm, the summer is very hot with good rains in December, January and February.

The Retsogile Permaculture Education & Training Trust, aims to promote permaculture in South Africa, starting with the local people;

Thus, the trust offers free training for 5 days free, very practical, about the basics of permaculture for very poor local population. These courses aim to transform the lives of local by opening them at  healthy and sustainable agricultural practices in this difficult area because very dry. The management of water, waste, composting, soil cover, the fight against erosion are all vital points here.

These courses are also designed to encourage ever greater numbers of people to start a small independent farming, and thus provide its basic dietary needs, with a healthy food, but also generate small profits for exit vicious circle of poverty and crime.

The Trust also organizes PDC at the farm (with personalities such as Geoff Lawton particular), which has a large capacity (over twenty bed), the next will take place in November.

The farm also host volunteers, you're much welcome, there are many things to do...(contact: https://www.facebook.com/retsogilepermaculture)

There is Just over one year the farm was designed  in permaculture. The realization of this design is currently underway and will take a few years. They are a lot to do ...

There are over 80 hectares of which a good twenty are cultivable. For now a large garden of about 1500 m ^ 2 provides the farm in good vegetables (with huge cabbage). And a new small garden of 300 m ^ 2 has just started. This will have been a part of our work on the farm.

you can recognize Linah, a member of the trust, her husband Sam and Grace and Magdalene who work on the farm

Here is an interview of Shelley who speaks about her and the activity of the growing trust that promises so much.

With a quiet energy, it’s voluntarily in simple English, thank you Shelley.

We arrived in mid August at the farm (at the end of winter) for a month and have had the pleasure of seeing the arrival of spring.
Spring is celebrated September 1 in South Africa, it is an explosion of flowers on the farm. Its with real pleasure i show you some nice photos that you can scroll through.

Flowering Spring on the farm, flowers and fruit trees ...

We spent a month on the farm, we worked there (about 35 hours a week) dans la joie et la bonne humeur (French expression meaning "in the joy and good mood").

We will have arranged a few beds, with in main crop cabbage, for sale on the small Haenersburg local market.

Then follow, The harvest of sweet potatoes and the realization of a small trellis for peas.

And then, come the realization of a "Huggle bed", which, we hope, will work well in this dry climate. He shall request regular watering.

Then again, the construction of "wooden box", 28 in total, rectangular and triangular, for growing flowers and various vegetables.

But still, layout and leveling locations for boxes. Eight cubic meters of compost to move then, dig, dig, dig, it makes muscles, here the ground is dry and hard.

And finally plantations.

Aurélie will also be able to benefit the farm of these talents of cabinetmaker,  with restoring some furniture (at the request of Ken, a few days before his death).

Here are some pictures of us in action:

All this makes us want to start on our own farm, patience, patience ...

We really have had a great time at the farm, with the whole family of Linah, Ken, Kyle, Shana, Sherise and Shelley. We keep them in our hearts, perhaps we'll see again in few years on the farm, always more flourishing and beautiful.

See you soon, amigos !

And finally, how to talk about the farm, without talking about its animals, the chickens and roosters, the four pigs, the three cats, the twelve dogs, and the parrot "Piper", which are mostly rescue animals. They are great too.

Here we have had an amazing month, rich in emotion and meeting.

We dedicate this small article to the memory of Ken, without which the trust would have been possible.

A great talker that Piper, and Kitten a nice cat always closely follow us in our ballads. so cool dogs.