tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716087909843648936.post8189890633871089677..comments2023-09-21T03:36:10.644-06:00Comments on Fabulista De Costa Rica*: Bamboozled in the Jungle!Kat Sunlovehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18241336391150267232noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6716087909843648936.post-67437193979666517432011-05-17T07:07:58.528-06:002011-05-17T07:07:58.528-06:00the “Learning Curve Bamboo blog” continues.......
...the “Learning Curve Bamboo blog” continues.......<br /><br />After Layne and Kat jumped ship and headed back to San Jose, two new unsuspecting French volunteers arrived. Since I do everything by the Farmer’s Almanac moon cycles, the next morning was NOT a good day to harvest. We decided to gather wood and prepare to “fire cure” the newly cut bamboo. Bamboo is one of the few construction materials in which you can use the raw product to create finished product. Also while removing the old dead “ramas” from the clump promotes better health for the plant and looks nicer too.<br /><br />The following morning we “learned” several things while fire treating the bamboo.<br />1) preparations and patience. <br /> a) build a rack ahead of time so you can keep the material off the heat (preparation)<br /> b) COALS not fire is best. (more patience)<br /> c) cut them into pole lengths before treating (preparation)<br /> d) SLOWLY move them into and out of the heat as the chambers will EXPLODE. (Patience)<br />It is like gently toasting marshmallows rather than cremating them!!!! (lots of patience)<br /> e) Each variety will “toast” at a different rate. As they gently turn from dark green to light green you will know you’ve got the hang of it.<br /><br /><br />Now, we have Ziggy’s hooch to deal with....... humm you have to give the guy credit he built the skeleton SINGLE-HANDEDLY during my two Christmas vacation. It had numerous structural problems so we had to strip it back to the frame. In order to rectify the flaws, we had to build a ladder to reach over 30 feet!!!!<br /><br />with Guillaume being an engineer and Margerie a graphics designer, I figured I’s let them create these ladders on their own. So, off into the Enchanted Bamboo forest in search of non-structural grade bamboo. Whow, take a look at what they created!!!!!! First order of business was to test the ladder and what better motivator than AVOCADOS!!!!!! Yippie.<br /><br />The ladder is great!!! and the avocados ripening.askelenahttp://www.fincaamanecer.com/index.htmlnoreply@blogger.com