Uchima Propert in Vilcabamba - Riverfront Plantation
The property is blessed with an established river-front plantation.
This plantation is not part of the common land. It belongs to Quinta 15 which is
not for sale.
We intend to run the plantation professionally and make the organically grown produce
available to the quint owners at a cost.
At the time of this writing, we are still finding out what is in there. I went two
days ago with our friend Howard and our courteous Ecuadorian neighbour Manuel.
It was so good for once to be following someone who knows as opposed to being leading
the pack and trying to look like being the one who knows. Manuel showed us so many
plants with names that I did not remember, the plantation suddenly grew bigger in
my mind.
I know for sure that we have:
- bananas but not just one type,
we have the small well known sweet and fruity one, the one with the pink flesh,
the one that they slice thin and fry in oil
- coffee
- two varieties
of papayas
- yuca (nothing to do with yucca),
this is a plant they take the root of and make flour (see "pan de yuca", http://www.euroresidentes.com/Recetas/cocina-ecuatoriana/pan-yuca.htm)
- camote (the ground is entirely
covered with it, see http://www.lamolina.edu.pe/Investigacion/programa/camote/)
- beans (frijol in Spanish)
- naranjilla (see http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/morton/naranjilla_ars.html,
BTW don't try what they do on that web site's picture, you'll spend the rest of
day pulling prickles from your hand)
- we found
one pineapple plant, that's a start
- tabacco
- sugar
cane
- some medicinal
leaves that you put under your hat when your "brain gets too hot" (I asked Manuel
if it also works with the other brain, he laughed)
- herbs
and other plants that I will try to remember next time
There was also vegetable garden but it is in need of work as the weeds have taken
over.
It always feels good to be in the plantation
banana art
