Post by canadamike on May 1, 2008 18:04:38 GMT -5
I am at the moment having an active exchange with a friend from Syria, a french agricutural technician, specialised in both field and greenhouse production, who moved there a year ago to join a friend, who had found in Aleppo his paradise. Gaetan, tired of our materialistic society, found his too.
Gaetan, was Quick to point out that life is great there, despite all the american media bullshit about the country, life is far from its CNN description.
Aleppo is in Northern Syria, not to far from Turkey. I would say climate is pretty similar to Georgia...with more extremes.
Gaétan, who might join us despite the language barrier, is sending me lots of local seeds, many I will have to pass along to our more southern folks, and will be growing and working with us.
His friend is the largest seed grower in this part of the country, and has allowed him 6 acres for his growing and experimentation. They will try some of our seeds, we will try theirs.
It is a cultural exchange that is both mind opening and helpfull, as they will try certain of our crops that could feed their people, who are not very rich.
Right now, they are looking for watermelon seeds and broad/fava beans with long pods or large seeds, their varieties are small and not the most productive.
Can anybody who is wishing to help by sending seeds PM me please, I am asking you this as a favor, we would send a collection of watermelon there to be tested. For those of you who have already planted and have none, could you keep the seed in the fall to be sent there please? It might mean hand pollinating, but it is just fun.
Count on different seeds and herbs from them, some are already in transit.
I am doing my best to bring in experienced people from other countries, those of you who have a vast international network would be nice to invite their friends or send me their e-mail or address
We want to make HG a place of sharing and helping each other, we are already there I think, and make available to you the vast resssources of other countries for us to discover...and if we can do it by helping people to eat in places of rich history but with poor people, it is even better
Take good care, have a great season and thanks for your help...
Michel
