Category Archives: Plants

Belize, Our Products, Plants, Soap

Planting Pitahaya.

Pitahaya on Stone Wall.
Pitahaya on Stone Wall.

We are planting out some more Pitahaya (Dragonfruit) along our stone planting beds.  Once the cactus start drooping down, they will start to flower.  The most common variety in Belize and Central America is the one with red pulp.  The more common type in Asia is the white pitahaya.  These plants tend to prefer dry areas and have a hard time with wet feet.  We have planted pitahaya in Toledo with some success on high, dry ground.  We harvest the seeds to make our White Pitahaya Facial Soap:

White Pitahaya Soap.
White Pitahaya Soap.

These facial bars are made from coconut oil and are indicated for acne-prone skin.  They are deeply cleansing and exfoliating.

White Pitahaya Soap.
White Pitahaya Soap.

We use this all the time; that’s why we have beautiful skin!!

Beautiful Skin!
Beautiful Skin!

If you are in Punta Gorda, you can purchase these soaps at Vance Vernon Pharmacy.  Otherwise, check out The Apothecary for ordering details.

Belize, Farming, Food, Plants

Cutting, Mulching And Planting!

Together.Tank.Top

Phew!!  We’ve been busy on the farm.  Gnome has been cutting and clearing whilst I’ve been mulching around the trees.  We have been in Belize for long  enough to know that the rains are coming soon so we are trying to get things down before the big down-pour!

Spot The Gnome:

Clearing Grass.
Clearing Grass.

Mulch, Mulch, Mulch!

Mulch!!
Mulch!!
Mulch.
Mulch.

Planting Sorghum; originally we planted this for beer making but we have now decided to plant it as a food crop.

Planting Sorghum Seedlings.
Planting Sorghum Seedlings.

Sorghum is a tasty, nutty grain rich in protein (higher than corn), B Vitamins and manganese.  The fresh grain can be harvested and boiled for about 15 minutes to provide a nutritious cereal.  Can be consumed by man or beast.

Cooked Sorghum.
Cooked Sorghum.

Ohhhhh!!!  We are soooo tired….

Knackered!!
Knackered!!
Belize, Farming, Our Products, Plants

New Casa Mascia Product!

Lime Sulphur Fungicide Treatment.
Lime Sulphur Fungicide Treatment.

We are pleased to announce that we have a new product: Lime-Sulphur Fungicide For All Plants.   This is an organic product indicated for the treatment of plant fungus.   For more product details and usage directions click on the link.

This is available at The Farm Store in Punta Gorda, Toledo.  If you live outside this region, you can check out ordering information in The Apothecary.

Combat the fungus with Lime-Sulphur Fungicide For All Plants.  If you can’t remember the name, just ask for Presidente No.2!!

Organic Fungicide.
Organic Fungicide.
Amusing, Belize, Farming, Food, Plants

Good Time To Harvest Roots.

Together.Eating.Fire.PotThe dry season in Belize is a great time to harvest roots.  We have been pulling up cassava from our beds.  Each plant has been giving us a generous 10lbs (5kg) of root.  Cassava requires immediate processing because it tends to go off after 1 or 2 days.  We usually peel a whole load of them in one go, boil them and then store them in the freezer.

Cleaning Cassava.
Cleaning Cassava.

This is food security:

Peeled Cassava.
Peeled Cassava.

This time we had a surprise harvest.  Gnome called me out to the veranda and said,

“Surprise!!  I found three brains for you!”

Gnome.Smiling

He was of course referring to these; elephant foot yam which we have humourously coined “The Brain.”

Triple Brain.
Triple Brain.

More Food!!

Amusing, Belize, Farming, Food, Plants

Definitely Habaneros.

Munchkin.BossieYip, these are most definitely habaneros.  A while back, I wanted to plant Jalapeños and bought a seed packet imported from the States.  When the first lot of leaves started coming out, I had some doubts because they were heart-shaped rather than elongated.  Nevertheless, Gnome told me to be patient and I waited a bit longer.  The plants started flowering and then I watched the formation of the fruits with great anticipation.  All this time, I kept on think to myself…

“Hmmmm…..”

Munchkin.Confused

Gnome: “My dear…be patient!”

Gnome.Straight.Smile

Well, there’s not denying it!  They are definitely habaneros!!

Red habaneros.
Red habaneros.

They are still nice and I do like the red colour of these habaneros.  Okay…back to looking for some real jalapeño seeds!

Amusing, Belize, Farming, Food, Plants

Surprise Sesame Seed Plants!

New.Munchkin.Gnome.Yellow.Boots

A while back, I bought some sesame seeds from the market in Punta Gorda.  It was sold in a thin plastic bag and when I got back home, I just placed the bag on the shelf in the kitchen.  I am one of those messy types of cooks with a plethora of bags and containers of raw ingredients placed on my kitchen shelf for easy access.

The next morning I found the bag ripped open with tell-tale cat teeth marks on the bag.

Our cat has a predilection for all food in plastic bags; this is because once he found beef jerky in a plastic bag and since then he will attempt to chew through all plastic bags in the hope of finding beef jerky.

Some of the sesame seeds had spilled on the floor so I quickly vacuumed it with my little companion Eureka.  The cat had scarpered by then and there was no hope of getting him to clean it up!

Eureka Is The One On The Left.
Eureka Is The One On The Left.

Thinking that it was just organic waste, I emptied the contents of vacuum cleaner into a nearby plant pot.  And look what I’ve got 3 months later…surprise sesame seed plants!

Sesame Seed Plants.
Sesame Seed Plants.

Looks like it is an easy crop to grow…will probably harvest this lot to plant on the farm.

Belize, Farming, Plants

Vanilla Pods!

Munchkin.Back.View

A few weeks ago, Gnome started pollinating the vanilla.  It was pretty hard work because he had to climb a ladder to get to the flowering vines.

Ladder For Pollinating Vanilla.
Ladder For Pollinating Vanilla.
Vanilla Flowers.
Vanilla Flowers.

We were actually asked if the scent of the flowers were like vanilla.  When I went to check the first time, I didn’t think that they smelt of anything.  With subsequent sniffs, I think they have a faint sweetish scent similar to honeysuckle.

Anyway, the pollinating has worked and we have pods forming!  Oooooh…look at that…we are so pleased!

Vanilla Pods.
Vanilla Pods.

We will have to wait for the pods to mature…takes about 6 months; indications are when they turn pale start to split at the end.  They get to about 15cm in length.  Harvesting still requires a lot of attention because each pod ripens in its own time so this is another job to add onto the daily list!  Phew…farming is actually a lot of work!

Belize, Farming, Food, Plants

Not So Dry!

Munchkin.Back.View

Yippee!!  We had a good rain last night which filled up half of the tank.  And now it’s raining again so we should have the tank completely filled.  Good thing Gnome sorted this out:

Tank In Place.
Tank In Place.

We were so worried because the dry days seemed never-ending (it always feels like that every year).  At least now our poor shriveled tobacco plants will start growing again:

Tobacco Plants.
Tobacco Plants.

And the pond might start filling up…look…it has been reduced to a single puddle!

Pond Drying Up.
Pond Drying Up.

Hopefully with this extra bit of rain, our mangoes will get fat and juicy.

Mangoes Growing.
Mangoes Growing.

All the fruit trees on the farm will benefit from this splendid rain…what a relief!

Jackfruit.
Jackfruit.
Akee Fruit.
Akee Fruit.
Belize, Food, Plants

Let’s Do Some Foraging!

Munchkin.Bossie

Do you know that you can forage for greens in Belize?  This is purslane…it’s a perfectly good vegetable to eat!

Wild Purslane.
Wild Purslane.

If you are really looking for “organic” one of the answers is foraging.  There is plenty of this around…just get your shade hat on and start walking about…

Wild Purslane of Belize.
Wild Purslane of Belize.

It’s got all the usual good stuff that you would expect from a green vegetable: It is rich in vitamin A and C and has a high percentage of omega 3 which is usually only found in fish oils and flax seed.  You can eat it raw in salads or you can cook it anyway which you want.  Taste wise, it is mildly acidic with a crunchy texture; the flowers and stems are edible.

C’mon then…get out there and start picking your greens…I’m doing it!

Bunch of Purslane.
Bunch of Purslane.

For more information click on Purslane.

I also have some recipes:

Coconut Purslane Salad

Purslane Chicken Chow Mein

Belize, Farming, Food, Plants

Bananas, Bamboo and More Harvests…

Munchkin.Back.ViewAfter the big rain, everything has started to pick up again.  We have bananas coming out of our ears; we have been making banana flour.  Also, just eating them ripe and green.  Dogs, cat, piggies and duckies have obligingly helped us out with the bountiful harvest.

Bunch of Ripening Bananas.
Bunch of Ripening Bananas.

We are going to get a ton of jackfruit this year.  I can count at least 30 fruit on one tree only.  These “big babies” can get to about 22lbs (10kgs) in weight; if you have never seen one before, they look like big alien pods once they ripen.

Jackfruit Tree With Fruit.
Jackfruit Tree With Fruit.

Ripe Jackfruit: Big Babies!!

Jackfruit Baby.
Jackfruit Baby.

We have a huge patch of Snake Plant (also known as Mother In Law’s Tongue and St. George’s Sword).  I am not actually sure what they are called locally in Belize.  Apparently, the plants have some traditional medicinal value; mashed up snake plant is put into chicken drinking water as a natural antibiotic.  Incidentally, it is quite funny that, once upon a time, I used to buy these as pot plants from Ikea to decorate my living room!

Mother In Law's Tongue.
Mother In Law’s Tongue.
Close Up Mother In Law's Tongue.
Close Up Mother In Law’s Tongue.

This is a slender bamboo often called “fish-pole.” The diameter of this particular type is only about 1 inch (2.5cm).

Fishing Pole Bamboo.
Fishing Pole Bamboo.

They split very easily:

Splitting Bamboo.
Splitting Bamboo.
Split Bamboo.
Split Bamboo.

We are going to dry a whole bunch of these to make tiles or blinds?  Something useful anyway.  I am sure that the artistic ones out there can automatically see the potential!