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Drylands Management, Sustainable Living

We have been harvesting some carobs in three trees placed in Los Molinos del Río Aguas. We collected the fruits by hand but when they were not easily accessible we used a long stick to knock down the fruits to catch them in a net placed on the ground. Sometimes we even climbed like monkeys through the branches. In total we collected 90 kg of carob!

One of the carob trees we used for harvesting in Los Molinos del Rio Aguas
One of the carob trees we used for harvesting in Los Molinos del Rio Aguas
An acrobatic harvester!
An acrobatic harvester!

Some carob will be cleaned and the seeds stored in the seed bank of the Drylands Management Department. They will be used later during interventions for reforestation in lands affected by erosion and soil degradation. Others of these carobs will be sold to a pig-farm as pig-food as an extra-income for Sunseed Desert Technology. And finally, they will also be used by the Sustainable Living Department for cooking purposes. Because it is rich in natural sugars and has a kind of “chocolate taste” is a good local alternative to sweet foods. In addition, it has a lot of health benefits because of the important amounts of proteins, fibers, minerals and vitamins. Carob is used for its medicinal properties too, mainly for digestive health (protecting intestinal mucosa), or because of its high amounts of tannins, a powerful antioxidant, which helps combat premature cell deterioration (preventing cancer formation).

Carob fruit and seeds
Carob fruit and seeds

Hemos estado recogiendo algarroba de tres árboles que se encuentran aquí en Los Molinos del Rio Aguas. Parte de la algarroba la recogimos una a una pero cuando no podíamos alcanzarla zarandeamos las ramas con un palo para que cayera sobre una malla que previamente había sido tendida en el suelo. A alguno de nosotros le invadió la vena animal y como monos recogían el fruto! En total conseguimos reunir 90kg de algarroba.

Uno de los árboles de donde se recogió algarroba
Uno de los árboles de donde se recogió algarroba
Una voluntaria acróbata!
Una voluntaria acróbata!

Parte de la cosecha se limpiará y las semillas serán guardadas en el banco de semillas del Departamento de Tierras Áridas. Se usarán en un futuro en las intervenciones del departamento para reforestar parcelas erosionadas y/o degradadas. Otra parte de la cosecha se venderá como comida de animales, siendo un ingreso extra para Sunseed. El resto será usado por el Departamento de Vida Sostenible con fines culinarios. La algarroba se puede usar como una alternativa local para endulzar las comidas ya que es rica en azúcares naturales y tiene un sabor similar al chocolate. Además, tiene muchos beneficios para la salud por su contenido importante en proteínas, fibra, minerales y vitaminas. Ésta es también usada por sus propiedades medicinales, principalmente para el sistema digestivo ya que protege la mucosa intestinal, o por su alto contenido en taninos, antioxidante que ayuda a combatir los primeros signos del envejecimiento y el deterioro de las células.

Una vaina de algarroba y sus semillas
Una vaina de algarroba y sus semillas
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Appropriate Technology, Drylands Management, Organic Gardening, Sustainable Living
The Sunseed team has been very busy this week trying to keep up with all of the exciting changes. A lot of new faces have been passing through the village to get a taste of sustainable living. These visitors had the treat of getting the full sustainable living tour during their stay. In addition, the visitors ate meals with the sunseed team and shared many stories during the night. This week there was also a jam session at Timbe’s for people to enjoy. Besides giving tours to newcomers the Sustainable Living team has also been doing some major experimentation! First the team is using donated oil from local restaurants to make bars of soap! I hear they have turned out really well! In addition, Markus and his team have been creating delicious goods out of figs that were recently harvested, and even baked up enough loafs of sour dough bread to feed a village! Drylands management has been very busy picking more than 60 kg of Carob Seeds from the trees by the water pump. The team of 4 consisted of Pablo, Natalie, and Delphine and was led by Alicia. Together they picked 5 huge bags in just a few short days. Now these seeds will be sold to feed piggies, and the rest can be used by sunseed to make sweet Carob treats. The Appropriate Technology department is working to repair the battery connected to the solar panels and working on a massive puzzle of building a stone wall. The Organic Gardening team has also been working away the days. They have been harvesting and weeding quite a lot of veggies including 2kg of basil! Today we received our shipment of vegetables and later we will get a lesson on Spanish from Alvaro. Our trusted water pump is working away vigorously! The communication team has just returned from their annual trip to Rototom music festival, where they did some major promo work for Sunseed. More photos and stories coming soon! water pumpcarrabgardening
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http://b.vimeocdn.com/ts/450/563/450563563_200.jpg

This is the first Sunseed Video News!

1) Harvesting carob 2) Drying carob 3) Making powder 4) Baking Cake with Biomass Gasification Stove sunseed.org.uk Cast: sunseedspain Tags: sustainability Vía Vimeo / sunseedspain’s videos http://vimeo.com/75893060

http://b.vimeocdn.com/ts/450/563/450563563_200.jpg

This is the first Sunseed Video News!

1) Harvesting carob
2) Drying carob
3) Making powder
4) Baking Cake with Biomass Gasification Stove

sunseed.org.uk

Cast: sunseedspain

Tags: sustainability

Vía Vimeo / sunseedspain’s videos http://vimeo.com/75893060

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