Thursday, April 28, 2016

Sreyly

Sreyly


Sreyly is 17 and has been with us for 6 years.
We've been working with Sreyly and encouraging her natural artistic abilities.  We buy here little things here and there, paints, pads, e.g.   I use to do a lot of art so I've been able help a little.  Mostly it's just showing we care and giving little things to help her along the way.  On and off we've had other ladies drop by and share different things with her, especially the ladies from Japan have had a big influence.

Well the other day I had a random idea for her to make cards and sell them.  I showed her a number of ideas online and she's jumped on it in a flash.  I think in an hour she had a card upstairs to be critiqued.   Today another card.  So here I am to offer that little boost.  I'll post what works she has and I'll let you make comments under the facebook link that you find this post.

I might try and create a little FB page that her works can be purchased from.  Really depends on your response.   Obviously the funds would be hers, and it somehow the funds were to great, a savings account would ensue.

Also she's gotten quite good with makeup and has been doing all the staffs makeup for weddings lately.

The bad pictures with my phone are my fault next ones will be much better. 

  Cards are 4.5 x 6 inches for the most part.

1st card



2nd card

altered premade card set






My birthday card which she made and framed

Our Christmas cards



Any thoughts?


I am also going to help her make a flower press next.


Wednesday, April 13, 2016

What are we growing?

Our gardening has been going quite well this year.

One of our best plants/trees has to go to our Rabbit island coconut palm found on a beach by a guest landscaper Neal and planted with Mr. Tee's help.  This impressive tree has been growing about three feet a year and is over 12 feet tall now.  It represents to me all of our guest's time here that remains fruitful with a Greater Hope kids over the years.


Zucchinis are growing

Thai Chilies will turn red soon

Our Rose apple tree in bloom again.

Potatoes are harder to grow than you think.  I've got two growing from the 30 something seeds we planted.

Sugar cane

Finally we've got the Dragon Fruit to survive.

The kids like to eat the guavas before their ripe. 

Beets were transplanted and covered with branches to help reduce the stress from the heat.
Keo helped me cook and eat her first beet.

A lot of different chilli plants.  You name it and we're trying to grow it. 

Papaya
worth trying.  Adding it to barbecue sandwich is the bomb.

We've two bunches of grapes on our red and green vines.
Something we're looking into doing more of if they do well the whole year.  Grapes are about $8 dollars a kilo here, which is quite expensive here.  
Bananas are $0.50 cents a kilo for some perspective.



Ream's finally got a flower bed which the dog loves to nap in.


This green asian watermelon taste more like a cantelope.  This one was a freebee. (we didn't plant it)

Unsure of this one, looks like a dandy lion that doesn't really flower and they eat in like a lettuce/herb.

Soybeans

 Jicama.  

Our vertical attempt is very slow, very slow.  The ground tomatoes have come and gone already and these are only a couple inches now.

Moringa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moringa_oleifera
We have a lot of these trees and add the leaves to almost dish as they are healthy and tasteless.

Chaya
Wiki page displays a different version.  The soft branches taste like sweet broccoli stems.  
They are very good in a stirfry. 
It can be dangerous, so use with caution.  We can answer questions if you end up getting some.

Chinese sour ornamental orange trees

Eggplants, did you know there are many.  
In Cambodia they eat a lot of little round ones that look like marbles.

Herbs
Thai Basil                                 Chives                           


Rose Mary                               Dill


Cilantro                                                        Sweet Basil


Mint                                       Lemon Grass



Cambodian Basil

Red and Yellow Onions

Tamatillo 

Cauliflower                           Yellow Chillies

                                                                       
Sam's Corn grown from a bag of popcorn.                     Peas      




Lots of different types of tomatoes.  I like the size difference in the leaves.  Cherry tomatoes versus Really big ones.




We got 2 to 5 kilo's a day from the previous crop of Cherry tomatoes


Beans, Cucumbers, and Pea.  We're trying plastic and water lines to see if it helps with saving water and weed reduction.  Some concerns are high heat on the roots the black plastic might cause.  I think if the transplants survive the bigger plants should do okay.

Spinach

Ung Choi - Morning Glory
If you've been here your likely to have eaten this and loved it.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ipomoea_aquatica


Our watermelons and squash we tries again and failed.  Always huge growth and a a quick death once they start to flower.  Every time same results. 
(Sad Photos not shown)  :(


There's a heck of a lot more going on that isn't as fun.

The kids work the gardens 3 times a day after or before meals.  It's often a fun family experience where conversation and laughter takes place while watering, turing dirt, or moving animals. 


We are always open to a more professional farmer/gardener dropping by and helping us better understand how we might reduce cost and increase yields.