Back in November, Contour Lines and the people of Tatín Village continued with the food forest projects. The next round built upon the achievements of the previous round, both the successful installation of the food forests and the crowdfunding campaign that surpassed its target .
Furthermore, the interest among community members expanded beyond the capacity of Round 1 to employ, train and provide the fruit trees. So Round 2 expanded accordingly. Our strategy of worker-to-owner means the workers of Round 1 are now the owners of their own projects for Round 2. And the 12 workers they selected for Round 2 will eventually become project owners of Round 3. The crowdfunding video above explains the strategy.
There are many who have seen this work and like it a lot; many who are interested… So I want it to continue moving forward.
Higinio Chub Ax, Round 1 Owner
Round 2 expands the existing project scale threefold, including:
600 fruit trees (combinations of mango, avocado, lime, orange and rambutan as selected by the project owners)
1,800 support trees (namely inga edulis and gliricidia sepium for mulch, firewood, and to fortify the erosion-control lines)
9 acres total (formerly erosive, chemical, corn monocultures converted to organic agro-reforestation)
60 man-days of labor for 12 new worker-trainees
The Benefits of these projects span the economic-environmental-social trifecta. The article on Tatín Village Project – Round 1 explains them in detail.
Part 1 covers the first round of projects, completed June 3rd. For the second round of projects, beginning in November, see Tatín Village Project – Round 2.
Contents
Introduction
Objectives
Updates
Budget (initial and updated)
Further Links
Sean of Contour Lines Corp. meeting with Tatín community members to plan their agroforestry projects.
Introduction On May 29th, we began installing three agroforestry projects on community lands around Tatín Village, near Livingston, Guatemala.
Each project site includes 100 fruit trees—combinations of mango, avacado, rambutan, lime and orange, as chosen by the project owners—each on roughly one acre of former cornfield, planted on contour and maintained with organic, ecological methods.
The recipients of these projects are Don Carlos, Higinio, and Victor (and their respective families), the three local campesinos we employed on the Don Adolfo Project (DAP) back in January/February. During the DAP they were fully trained in Contour Lines methods, including marking contour lines with an A-level, planting them with fruit trees and companion plants, mulching and spraying of organic pesticides/fungicides. Now they are applying these methods to their own lands, as founders of their own projects and teachers to six new workers, two per project (who will be recipients of their own projects for the next round in November).
The project owners, Don Carlos, Higinio and Victor, retain full rights to their land, produce and income. [See the contract on Google Drive] The role of Contour Lines Corp, beyond securing funds for the initial trees, worker salaries and other expenses, is to continue supporting the projects with equipment and training in pruning, organic spraying, processing, marketing or other needs.
Don Carlos with his family in Tatín Village
We only plant corn. Corn this season, corn next season. We would like to plant trees and other crops, but the seeds cost money, and we have very little.
-Don Carlos Enrique Caal
Updates We completed installation of all orchards on June 3rd. The six days of labor include: -2,040 meters of contour lines installed (680 per site), marked with 1,200 resprouting stakes (400 per site) -All 300 fruit trees planted (100 per site ) -All 900 guama seedlings seeded and germinating (300 per site) -Four neem seedlings delivered and planted for future fungidice/herbicide use. -Six workers employed, trained, and ready for their own projects in November.
Don Carlos and Higinio mark Contour Lines at the Tatín Village Project.Worker-trainees haul stakes for marking Contour Lines.Sean from Contour Lines explains tree spacing to worker-trainees.Worker-Trainees unload donated fruit trees in Tatín Village
Objectives The objectives of installing agroforestry systems in Tatín Village encompass the whole economic-ecological-social pyramid, similar to the nearby Don Adolfo Project. The main difference would be the location and benefactors. Rather than for a large landowner, the Tatín Village Project develops communal lands of a Mayan Q’echi village, directly benefiting locals who have been living far below the poverty line.
Economic
Organic produce. Worker/community sustenance as well as income from local and foreign sales. Produce includes both short-term (cassava, banana, taro, maize) and long-term crops (fruit trees), all with value-adding potential such as chips, flours and jams.
Employment. For six local campesinos (as well as training and future ownership of own enterprises)
Tourism. Hiking, camping, bird-watching eco-tourism and agro-tourism.
2. Environmental
Using agroecological methods, such as erosion control lines, cover-crops and mulching, polycultures and organic pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers:
Ecosystem restoration. From eroding, chemical cornfields to organic, biodiverse (agro)forests
Ecosystem services. Including carbon sequestration, air and water purification and wildlife habitat.
3. Social
Education. In sustainable agriculture practices (contour lines, organic fertilizers and pest control, mulching, composting etc.) through training employees, hosting workshops and guiding tours.
Health. Supplying local, organic food should improve diets and reduce malnutrition. Improved ecosystems should reduce stress, micro-climate extremes, air pollution, etc.
Cultural. Improved food-autonomy, less dependence on foreign imports. Furthermore, locals may develop greater appreciation for their native ecosystem, and possibly by extension for their Mayan ancestry, through the common principles of farming ecologically.
Budget (actual, June 26th) The real costs to date have been 13,629 GTQ, or 1,767.7 USD, which includes the fruit trees, companion plant nursery, labor for installation and first round of cleaning.
The remaining costs to date are an estimated 9,500 GTC, or 1,232 USD, which includes the two remaining cleanings, pruning and organic spraying.
In January 2019, Contour Lines began planting its pilot site for the Livingston area: the Don Adolfo Project (DAP). Don Adolfo is a local landowner who committed two acres to the project, removing the land from his dairy operation in the hopes of a future agroforestry system.
Meeting with Don Adolfo to plan the project. Oct., 2018.
An avid birder and tree-lover, he dreams of restoring his pastures to forest, eventually phasing out the dairy operation… while still generating a livelihood however, to support his family and maintain the land. Meanwhile, Sean (Contour Lines founder) was looking for land to plant an agroreforestation model, designed to restore soil fertility, generate income, and employ and train local campesinos. Through the common goals of regenerative land use, the DAP was born.
Before (Jan. 10)
After (Jan 16)
A Timeline of our work. From installing to planting to harvesting, the DAP demonstration site employs and trains locals on all stages of the agroforestry conversion:
Instal
Plant Annuals
Plant Trees
Maintain
Harvest
First we cleared the site, chopping most of the existing vegetation, a mix of pasture weeds and pioneer trees. (Endangered native trees like San Juan and Santa Maria were not cut).
Then we market the lines, using an A-level and marking with stakes of madre de cacao (which will resprout and help form the “living” terrace walls.
The cut trunks and brush we piled along the contour lines to reinforce their erosion-control function.
For shorter term production, we planted between the lines yuca, chaya, banana, pineapple, sugarcane and others.
To restore soil fertility in more degraded areas, we seeded “fertilizer bean” (Mucuna pruriens) and left the land fallow.
[Update, Dec., 2019: after the beans have improved the soil (through fixing nitrogen, building rapid biomass, and changing the vegetation structure), we are now re-clearing restored areas to plant more annuals.]
Higinio preparing cassava cutting for transplant.Don Carlos prepares the “fertilizer beans.”
For longer term production, we planted the contour lines with 200 fruit trees: mango, avacado, lime, orange and rambutan.
Coconut, breadfruit, jackfruit and others we planted in the corners and along the roads.
The original trainees plus more workers from Tatin Village have been employed over the months to maintain the pilot project site, while learning skills such as pruning, organic pest control, and maintenance of contour lines/support trees.
Higino, Cergio and Don Carlos prune an orange tree.
Sean harvesting yuca.
Before
During…
Before
During…
The main goal of the DAP is a demonstration site, that educates and promotes regenerative agriculture models throughout the Livingston region.
Specific objectives span the economic-environmental-social trifecta:
Economic
Organic produce. Worker/community sustenance as well as income from sales. Produce includes both short-term (cassava, banana, taro) and long-term crops (fruit trees), all with value-adding potential such as chips, flours and ferments.
Employment. For three local campesinos, as well as training, and then ownership of own projects. [See Tatin Village Project]
Tourism. Hiking, camping, bird-watching eco-tourism and agro-tourism.
Selling DAP yuca to local restaurant (Nov. 2019)
Environmental
Using agroecological methods, such as erosion control lines, cover-crops and mulching, polycultures and organic pesticides, fungicides and fertilizers:.
Ecosystem restoration. From eroding cow pastures to (agro)forests.
Ecosystem services. Carbon sequestration, air and water purification, soil building and wildlife habitat.
Social
Health. Supplying local, organic food should improve diets and reduce malnutrition. Improved ecosystems should reduce stress, micro-climate extremes, air pollution, etc.
Cultural. Improved food-autonomy, less dependence on foreign imports. Furthermore, locals may develop greater appreciation for their native ecosystem, and possibly by extension for their Mayan ancestry, through the common principles of farming ecologically.
Education. In sustainable agriculture practices (contour lines, organic fertilizers and pest control, mulching, composting etc.) through training employees, hosting workshops and guiding tours. The DAP site is perfectly situated along the main road for demonstration purposes.
Family of Don Carlos, the original DAP trainee and current project owner.
Outcomes. A one-year update.
Education/training – The original 3 trainees, Don Carlos, Higinio and Victor, learned skills here such as pruning, organic pest control, and marking contour lines. They have since applied them to their own project on their own land in Tatin Village. Six other workers from local communities have worked on the site at various times, becoming introduced to these methods.
Tree planting – 200 fruit trees planted. survival rates 90%, establishing, happy
Annuals production – 400 lbs of yuca harvested. only trial portion of site was planted with production annuals (the rest in “fertilizer bean”). Good thing, as much of that was eaten by invading cows, which entered because of fence-cutting humans [see firewood theft below].
Land regeneration – 2 acres of former pasture have improved soil fertility. frijol beans, 1-yr of cattle exclusion/fallow
–A valuable lesson learned: Loss of the contour walls. About 70% of the wood piled along the contour lines has been stolen. The wood, from weed trees cut during the initial installation, were intended as erosion control barriers, which appear very effective at accumulating soil and forming terraces in areas where wood remains. Sadly, where wood has been removed the erosion control function of the contour lines is severely reduced.
The reason for theft of the wood is for use/sale as firewood, the main source of cooking throughout the Livingston Area. Don Adolfo and I have determined several solutions: 1. Greater presence to deter theft, including the building of a residence overlooking the site. 2. Planting species with no firewood value, such as jobo (Spondias mombin) or chino (Bursera simaruba), and using the trunks of banana or papaya to build the contour walls. 3. Improving neighbor relations, including offering firewood from other parts of the property. 4. Locating projects where there is less need for firewood. Don Adolfo’s lies on the outskirts of the Livingston population center; In the distant Tatin Village, by contrast, firewood theft is non-existent because all community members have their own land and their own supply.
The Tatín Village Projects are underway
Please donateto help plant these agroforestry systems. Only $20 covers five rambutan, eight mango or ten citrus trees. Contour Lines is registered as a 501(c)(3) for tax-deductible donations. Click here to Donate to the campaign.
Special Thanks to -Don Adolfo of Livingston, Guatemala -Don Carlos Caal Romero, Higinio Chub Ax, Victor Chun Caal Sr. & Jr. and Ernesto Ax Chun, campesinos of Tatin -Arnoldo Ax Chun and Samuel Coc of Apro-Sarstun -Dwight Carter of Fruta del Mundo -Thomas Leonard of Contour Lines Corp -Juan Pablo Martinez and the rest of the Wübu Team
On the “Dry Hills,” an estimated three quarters of the 400 bamboo planted there in recent years died. Poor management may have contributed to the losses (infrequent weeding, and weeding practices that exposed bare soil to erosive rainfall and drying heat), but the harsh conditions also contributed.
The slopes are steep and rocky. The southwest-facing aspect exposes the hill to full afternoon sun and heat. Furthermore, years of corn monoculture and herbicide use further degraded and eroded the soil. Such conditions limit the vegetation to fast-growing, “weedy” species, which quickly overtook the planted bamboo.
Marking the contour lines with a water (i.e. bunyip) level.
To solve these problems, the replanting plan included several strategies:
Heavy mulch around all plantings, to prevent erosion, retain moisture and eventually build soil.
Companion plantings of hardy timber trees and legumes, which will provide shelter and mulch for the bamboo.
Planting on contour, along rows of living fences. [see more on these methods at Wübu Agroforestry]
More frequent observation and maintenance.
Pedro and Santiago planting bamboo, above contour lines of madre de cacao stakes.
The replantingprocess was as follows:
Mark the contour lines. We used a bunyip level, or water level, which allowed for covering greater distances across the hill, through shoulder-high weeds, quicker compared to our A-level, which can only be placed on cleared ground.
Clear the lines. We weeded along each line, 2 meters wide.
Install Stakes. We staked the lines with poles of madre de cacao (Glericidium sepium), which will resprout as living walls, providing shade, erosion control and mulch.
Replant. Then we planted bamboo, about 1.5 meters above each wall, with a spacing of 5 meters between each bamboo. Then we planted Santa Maria (Calophyllum brasiliense), two between each bamboo with spacing about 1.5 meters.
Mulch. Finally, we cleared about 2 meters around each planting, and threw the cut vegetation around the base of each tree/bamboo as mulch.
Final Stats: 489 meters of contour lines, with roughly 815 stakes of madre de cacao, planted with around 100 bamboo and 200 Santa Maria, on under one hectare (2 acres) of hillside.
The Witherspoon Retreat is a 3.8 acre property nestled upon Cedar Mountain on one of the first mountains ranges of the Appalachians and one of the only mountains in South Carolina.
The property lies on a moderate to steep slope with natural spring emerging from the ground on either property border. The northern half of the property is forested, and a home is built on a terrace a third of the way up the property. The house receives its water from a RAM pump that uses no electricity, and moves water from the western most spring to the faucets in the house.
The back yard has a moderate slope. The front yard has a steep slope that causes erosion problems.
The plan is to use the RAM pumps to move water from the spring into a system of berms built on contour. The water will slowly move downhill throughout the property settling in a series of aquaculture ponds, a bathing pool, livestock troughs, and animal ponds.
Berms along the tree line constructed from soil excavated from the ponds. The clay soil is tamped down to prevent erosion. Pond located above the house.
Wübu is a sustainable development project located across the river from Livingston, Guatemala. The main plantations are guadua bamboo, used for construction and furn, polycropped with yuca, platano, ginger, taro, pineapple, papaya, chili and a variety of tropical fruit trees.
Swale in coconut plantation.
Total length: 43m (141ft)
Erosion control in Banana Plantation. Total length: 229m (754ft)
Contour rows in Food Forest. Total length: 352m (1,157ft)
Contoured Cornfields. Total length: 2,019m (6,624ft)
Thomas Leonard and Carlos Terry built a system of berms and swales on contour at The Generous Garden Project at Thrive Upstate in Greenville, SC.
The objective of these water-harvesting ditches was to reduce erosion by slowing the downhill flow of water and trapping organic matter. In addition the swales hold water allowing it to percolate into the ground. This additional ground water provided superior plant growth of perennials, fruit trees and shade-tolerant annuals .
The system was built in four hours by a team of two people.
First, the team used an A frame to mark the contour lines.
Second, they lined them with fallen logs and branches collected from the adjacent forest.
Third, they used an excavator to dig a ditch uphill from the marked contour lines. This depression resulted in the swale.
Finally, the excavated soil was piled downhill to cover the wood, which formed the berm.
Lastly, the berms were planted in a poly culture of different crops. Perennials such as mint, asparagus, strawberries, rudbeckia and artichokes were planted on the shady edge. Crimson clover and peas were used as a cover crop to fix nitrogen and compete with weeds. The ends of the berms were planted with apple and pear trees that were trained to the fence.
Terraces on Contour at CENIT Arte-Natura Total length: 24m (79ft)
In April of 2017, Sean Dixon-Sullivan built two terraces and a banana circle at CENIT Arte-Natura* in Minca, Colombia. There were several objectives to this contour system:
Erosion control – to catch any soil eroding from the construction site on the hill above.
Food production – to provide healthy, organic food to the kitchen and to offset food costs.
Education – to serve as a demonstration to locals and a subject for permaculture workshops, of which there have been three to date (August 2018).
Construction took two days with one person. On the third day the terraces and banana circle were planted with students from CENIT’s first workshop. The process, pictured below, is as follows:
First, Sean marked a level line across the hill using an A-level.
Then at each marker he excavated a hole using a post-hole digger and inserted stakes of Gliricidia sepium (i.e. matarraton, madre de cacao, madera nerga), which resprout to form living terrace walls.
Then he piled bamboo, logs and other debris against the stakes to form the wall’s main structure.
Then he dug a trench above the wall, also on contour, and piled the excavated soil against the wall, forming the final ditch-mound-wall-path formation.
Then he mulched the ditches with heavier organic debris such as branches, and mulched the mounds with finer debris such as bamboo leaves.
Finally, on the workshop day, everyone planted the mounds with tropical crops, such as tomato, basil and pineapple, and planted the banana circle with three banana pups.
*CENIT Arte-Natura is a project that uses theater as rehabilitation for victims of conflict and abuse.
Swales on Contour at Ludoteka Minca Total length: 26m (85ft)
In June of 2017, Sean Dixon-Sullivan and Samson Berhe built two terraces on contour at Ludoteka Minca*. At the end of each was a 6-ft wide banana circle, planted with three bananas each. Both the objectives and building process were identical to project at CENIT, explained above.
*Ludoteka Minca is a project dedicated to teaching sustainable design and construction.
