Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
FAO:Crop calendar
Crop calendar:
The Crop Calendar provides information about sowing and planting seasons and agronomic practices of the crops grown by farmers in a particular agro-ecological zone. It is a tool developed to assist farmers, extension workers, civil society and the private sector to be able to access and make available quality seeds of specific crop varieties for a particular agro-ecological zone at the appropriate sowing/planting season. It can be used by development-aid workers in the planning and implementation of seed relief and rehabilitation activities following natural or human-led disasters. Furthermore, the Crop Calendar can serve as a quick reference tool in selecting crop varieties to adapt to changing weather patterns accelerated by climate change.
The Crop Calendar database is being maintained at a regional level and is based on inputs from member countries. The Crop Calendar database currently covers 43 African countries and contains information on more than 130 crops, located in 283 agro-ecological zones.
The Crop Calendar database is being maintained at a regional level and is based on inputs from member countries. The Crop Calendar database currently covers 43 African countries and contains information on more than 130 crops, located in 283 agro-ecological zones.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Friday, August 19, 2011
Low tech wind power for small farms
Savonius Rotor
http://www.goodcompanionbakery.com/files/savoniuspdf2ndedn.pdf
http://www.technologyforthepoor.com/WindEnergy/WindEnergy.htm
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Friday, August 12, 2011
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Cassabanana - Melocoton (Sicana odorifera)
Cassabanana - Melocoton
The sicana odorifera or cassabanana is a member of the Cucurbitaceae family. Brazil native, and cultivated in parts of Central and South America. Sicana is a perennial vine, herbaceous and fast growing. This plant is heavy, requiring a strong trellis. It can climb trees up to 50 ft (15 m) high or more by means of 4-parted tendrils equipped with adhesive discs that can adhere tightly to the smoothest surface.
Renowned for its strong, sweet, agreeable, melon-like odor, the striking fruit is ellipsoid or nearly cylindrical, sometimes slightly curved. It is 12 to 24 in (30-60 cm) in length, and 2 3/4 to 4 1/2in (7-11.25 cm) wide, thick, and hard-shelled. The fruits can be orange-red, maroon, dark-purple with tinges of violet, or jet-black. The skin is smooth and glossy when ripe, with firm, orange-yellow or yellow, cantaloupe-like, juicy flesh, 3/4 in (2 cm) thick.
In the central cavity, there is softer pulp, a soft, fleshy core, and numerous flat, oval seeds, 5/8 in (16 mm) long and 1/4 in (6 mm) wide, light-brown bordered with a dark-brown stripe, in tightly-packed rows extending the entire length of the fruit. Can be eaten raw, or use for jam and preserves. The immature fruit is often cooked and served in soups and stews. Ripened fruits are also be used as a centerpiece, to perfume an entire room with a wonderful, fresh, melon fragrance. The cassabanana remains in good condition for several months if kept dry and out of the sun.
The young stems are hairy. The leaves are gray-hairy, rounded-cordate(heart-shaped) or rounded kidney-shaped, up to 1 ft (30 cm) wide, deeply indented at the base, 3-lobed, with wavy or toothed margins, on petioles 1 1/2 to 4 3/4 in (4-12 cm) long, with leaves as much as a foot across.Sicana tree produces bright yellow, fragrant blooms. The flowers are white or yellow, urn-shaped, 5-lobed, solitary, the male 3/4 in (2 cm) long, the female about 2 in (5 cm) long.
Renowned for its strong, sweet, agreeable, melon-like odor, the striking fruit is ellipsoid or nearly cylindrical, sometimes slightly curved. It is 12 to 24 in (30-60 cm) in length, and 2 3/4 to 4 1/2in (7-11.25 cm) wide, thick, and hard-shelled. The fruits can be orange-red, maroon, dark-purple with tinges of violet, or jet-black. The skin is smooth and glossy when ripe, with firm, orange-yellow or yellow, cantaloupe-like, juicy flesh, 3/4 in (2 cm) thick.
In the central cavity, there is softer pulp, a soft, fleshy core, and numerous flat, oval seeds, 5/8 in (16 mm) long and 1/4 in (6 mm) wide, light-brown bordered with a dark-brown stripe, in tightly-packed rows extending the entire length of the fruit. Can be eaten raw, or use for jam and preserves. The immature fruit is often cooked and served in soups and stews. Ripened fruits are also be used as a centerpiece, to perfume an entire room with a wonderful, fresh, melon fragrance. The cassabanana remains in good condition for several months if kept dry and out of the sun.
The young stems are hairy. The leaves are gray-hairy, rounded-cordate(heart-shaped) or rounded kidney-shaped, up to 1 ft (30 cm) wide, deeply indented at the base, 3-lobed, with wavy or toothed margins, on petioles 1 1/2 to 4 3/4 in (4-12 cm) long, with leaves as much as a foot across.Sicana tree produces bright yellow, fragrant blooms. The flowers are white or yellow, urn-shaped, 5-lobed, solitary, the male 3/4 in (2 cm) long, the female about 2 in (5 cm) long.
Additional Information
| germination | First, you need to soak the seeds in tepid water for 24 hours. Then sow them in a mixture made up with 50% of horticultural compost, and 50% sand or pearlite. Place the mix in the sun. Do not water too much. The best period for sowing is March/May. Germination takes anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks. |
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