A favourite saying in Salone goes “when bad luck comes good luck is sure to follow” and so it proves as Uncle Williams returns, mechanic in hand, to collect our trusty but slightly distressed minibus from Kabata Junction where it suffered the bad luck of a breakdown.
By happy happenstance, Williams strikes up a conversation with Francis, who it transpires is an experienced abroriculuralist and could be the good luck we need for our cashews and fruit trees.
So, while repairs are effected, griffor in hand and keen to show off his pruning skills, Francis takes Williams and Hassan to see his cashews and tools and as the team discover, a rather fine pepper farm. Francis knows of Hope Sakuma and agrees to visit to show us his hand and pruning saw and secateur skills
Pa Francis makes it to Hope Sakuma, meeting up en-route with Ibrahim and Mohamed, the next generation of Bangura brothers, kindly bringing some fine plump chickens to start our poultry and some super sour plum saplings for the farm's orchard from their farms orchard and receiving a warm welcome from the team.
Our visitors lose no time getting to work breaking ground between the paddies and the entrance drive, Pa Francis taking the opportunity to show the Ladies how to incorporate our Azolla bokashi and plant the sour plum saplings.
The next day Pa Francis gives Hope Sakuma's visitors a masterclass in precision bed-making with the team constructing six 36' beds in remarkably short order, levelling the beds off and transplanting half (500) of the hot pepper seedlings nursed by Hassan and Amabest before watering them in.
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