Bananas.org - Student farm

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bepah

10-26-2008 08:39 PM

Re: Student farm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe15 (Post 55812)

I'm glad you brought this up, because plant spacing is actually a rather complex issue and not commonly a subject on our forum.

.......

And as for crowding, this is a farm, not plants growing out in the wild, and we manage them. We will remove pups as needed and make sure they don't form huge mats that encroach on each other. If we were to let them grow out fully, we may see a loss in gross yield, but then again, we don't really care because we are just a student farm, not a commercial grower trying to maximize production with every trick in the book. Each grower has a specific need for their plants, if you need them to produce huge bunches you will adjust your planting system accordingly, but if you need them to be easy to manage and require little work to be put into them then you will too adjust your planting system according.

Gabe,

Your response, after I mulled it around my feeble mind for a few hours, led to this response.

I would think that the farm would lead to a ton of experiments toward learning and publishing results, not just farming for experience. Productivity techniques, different fertilization and irrigation practices, and other areas that I cannot think of at the moment look to be possible given the gift you have received. For example, would it be possible to have control plots and then experiment with different techniques and measure the result? Monoculture vs. interspeciation (my term, meaning multiple species in close proximity) on single plots to limit insect and disease damage?

I am sure you may have thought of this, but what an opportunity!

Good luck in whatever you achieve!

Bananaman88

10-27-2008 12:30 PM

Re: Student farm

The farm sounds great, Gabe! I'm sure it'll be a great success for you all.

Gabe15

03-18-2009 01:29 AM

Re: Student farm

Here are some updated photos of the banana portion of our student farm.

If anyone is ever on Oahu and wants to take a tour let me know.

The 'Dwarf Brazilian' showed in the first post are all mostly flowering now (you can't see the bunches in the photo, but they are there). They took about 6-8 months from planting, even by Hawai'i standards this is very quick. They are from TC. (click on photo once, and then again when it loads for full size)

Here is a photo of our newly planted formal banana collection, about 25 different varieties. They are spaced about 20ft apart in 2 staggered rows. They are so far apart so that we can allow for intercropping. We are planning on filling the gaps with sweetpotato, kava and taro mainly, but may add in a few fruit trees down the middle.

We have about 30 other fruit trees of all different things as well as an herb garden. We are planting more this Friday.

In addition to the bananas, we have (off the top of my head...there are multiple varieties of most too):
Carambola
Guava
Loquat
Papaya
Mountain Apple
Breadfruit
Miracle Fruit
Black Sapote
Abiu
Jaboticaba
Fig
Avocado
Star Apple
Sapodilla
Matisia cordata
Santol
Canistel
Pomegranet
Grumichama

Some of our young fruit trees

Gabe15

03-18-2009 01:38 AM

Re: Student farm

Here is a list of the banana we have planted so far. I have a few more Id really like to add, but we may be out of room unless we overrun the whole place with bananas (which I'm not against, but I do appreciate our other crop attempts).

Bakurura
Igisahira
Inyoya
Mbirabire
Muraru Mshare
Muraru Mulalu
Pisang Buntal (Sucrier type)
Ngu (Sucrier type)
Gros Michel
Cocos (dwarf Gros Michel)
Goldfinger
Kluai Roi Wi (Thousand Fingers)
Yangambi no. 2 (not Yangambi KM5)
Kingala no. 1
Auko
Vunapope
Kamaramasenge
Ney Poovan (Safet Velchi/Chini Champa type)
Kunnan
Kayinja (Namwah type)
Exera
Ungoye Sweet
Kifutu
Foconah (Pome type)
Sukari Red
Pisang Jari Buaya
Obino l'Ewai (plantain)
Tango
Pama

Bob	03-18-2009 11:05 AM

Re: Student farm

No Durian Gabe? I've been trying to locate a fresh one , I've been told frozen is no good even by those who like them. That's one thing on my must do list.
Thanks as usual for the great pics.

chong

03-18-2009 11:34 AM

Re: Student farm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob (Post 67300)

No Durian Gabe? I've been trying to locate a fresh one , I've been told frozen is no good even by those who like them. That's one thing on my must do list.
Thanks as usual for the great pics.

Hey Bob,
Those guys are purists! You should try a frozen one. They may not be as good as a fresh one, but they are not bad. In fact, they're not that far off from a fresh one. Besides, if you've never tasted them before, what difference does it make? I have friends in Canyon Country, CA, that I used to bring some frozen durian (quadruple wrapped in plastic bags so the plane may be spared! not to mention my suitcase) to from Seattle, before they started selling them in CA, and they loved them. After eating the pulp, roast or boil the seeds . . . those are the biggest nuts you'll ever enjoy!

While you're at it, try frozen mangosteen (garcinia mangostana) and lanzones (lansium domesticum). While again not as good as the fresh ones, it's still a treat.

I can get all of those fresh in Vancouver, BC when they are in season. But, alas, the Big Brother will not let me bring them through the border. Unless, somehow I can manage to hide them inside the tires!

Bob	03-18-2009 11:48 AM

Re: Student farm

Thanks Chong, yeah why not. I'll get one this weekend when I shop.

Tog Tan

03-18-2009 12:35 PM

Re: Student farm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob (Post 67304)

Thanks Chong, yeah why not. I'll get one this weekend when I shop.

Hey Bob, NEVER take hard liquor or to be safe, any alcohol when you eat durians. There were a number of documented cases which resulted in death. This is not a joke as the enzymes in the durian have a weird way of interacting with alcohol.

Gabe15

03-18-2009 12:41 PM

Re: Student farm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob (Post 67300)

No Durian Gabe? I've been trying to locate a fresh one , I've been told frozen is no good even by those who like them. That's one thing on my must do list.
Thanks as usual for the great pics.

There are a few places in Hawai'i they grow well, but I don't think they would do good at our farm, and the trees are rather expensive. There are some growing in the area but it sounds like they are hard to grow in our part of the islands. Nevertheless, if I get a tree I would definitely plant it out there! Mangosteen too!

austinl01

03-18-2009 12:58 PM

Re: Student farm

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabe15 (Post 55702)

That's very beautiful!

Bananaman88

03-18-2009 01:02 PM

Re: Student farm

Are any of your Fe'i types ready to be planted out yet?

chong

03-18-2009 01:22 PM

Re: Student farm

1 Attachment(s)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tog Tan (Post 67307)

Thanks for the warning, Tog! Indeed this is not a joke, but read attached article regarding Durian in general, including the Durian-alcohol controversy.

Notable quotes from the article:
- "A common Malaysian belief is that it is harmful to drink alcohol after consuming durians."

- "It should be noted that deaths or maladies apparently do occasionally occur due to durians, but usually from being struck by one of these large spiny fruits as it falls from a tree, rather than by ingestion (Craig 1973)."

Here's the best!
- "an often quoted Malay saying states ‘When the durians come down, the sarongs go up’." (WOO-WHOOO!)

Read on . . . . .

Attachment 973

LilRaverBoi

03-18-2009 06:31 PM

Re: Student farm

Great pictures! I definitely support what you guys are doing! Organic farming is a great way to grow produce and still be environmentally friendly. When combined with some sustainable farming practices, it really makes the hippy in me smile! Thanks for sharing! I wish you the best of luck!

harveyc

03-18-2009 09:41 PM

Re: Student farm

Bob, there is supposedly a grower of durian in southern California near Palmdale which sells fruits in the San Francisco area.

Here is an article from June 2007. I haven't made the trip there yet, but hope to one of these days. A friend went there later in 2007 and said the exotic stuff was stashed below her tables in boxes, apparently for customers that knew to ask.

Quote:

WHAT'S NEW
Olivia Wu, Karola Saekel
Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Andrea Tran, 36, has the most winsome smile of any farmer at the
Saturday Alemany Farmers' Market. Which is unusual for a woman who
holds at least two jobs -- as a software engineer and a grower of
tropical fruits -- and who drives from Palmdale to San Francisco
every weekend.

Tran inherited Family Fruit Farm in Southern California, from her
parents. The family emigrated from Vietnam in 1975.

Since late April, and through the summer, she has been selling the
most aromatic, floral jackfruit, with dense coral-golden tones, that
I have had, including those from my hometown, Bangkok. The fruit,
about the size of a 20-pound sack of potatoes, is beautiful to
behold.

Tran's smile and cheerful refrain is the trademark I've come to know.

"You want to eat it today, tomorrow or in two days," she will say
about her Haas avocados. That's the kind of care and precision she
brings to orcharding.

In the beginning, her parents' longing for the tropical fruits of
South Vietnam led to buying 1 1/2 acres, which they planted with
avocados and cherimoyas.

"In the '70s, there were no Asians and no Asian fruit," she says.
Those acres grew to 40 with thousands of trees. She now sells
cherimoya, guava, mango, longan, lychee, papaya, coconut, tiny
bananas and durian.

It's a treat to have non-imported tropical fruits so many times
sweeter and more fragrant than one usually finds. From now on through
the summer is her prime season, a paradise for those who miss the
fruits of the tropics.

The Trans planted jackfruit trees in the 1980s to buffer the winds
that were whipping their guava trees. They now have 13 productive
trees, whose fruits range from 17 pounds each to 65 pounds. Tran
sells the pineapple-jasmine-flavored, chewy fruit at $4.50 a pound,
whacking off chunks with a big knife. She'll give you a taste or tell
you how to eat them -- always with a smile. She even smiles when she
tells you she's sold out, often by 10 a.m.

Alemany Farmers' Market, at the junction of highways 101 and 280, is
open Saturdays from dawn until dusk. Visit SFGov: Alemany Farmers' Market for
more information.

Bob	03-19-2009 08:36 AM

Re: Student farm

Thanks Harvey , if you get down there and would consider shipping me a few fresh fruits ,I'm good for it just let me know. I think this weekend when I get back to m local Asian market I'm going to take Chongs' advise and get a frozen durian , then have my wife take pics of my facial expressions eating it. Maybe post in tiki hut or the jokes section!

harveyc

03-19-2009 09:01 AM

Re: Student farm

Okay, Bob, it won't be anytime soon but I would imagine her harvest is later in the year anyways.

I tried a frozen one last year and did not care for it. Seemed like rotten garlic! :P

Harvey

momoese

03-19-2009 10:22 AM

Re: Student farm

Huh? How is this possible?

Quote:

WHAT'S NEW
Olivia Wu, Karola Saekel
Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Andrea Tran, 36, has the most winsome smile of any farmer at the
Saturday Alemany Farmers' Market. Which is unusual for a woman who
holds at least two jobs -- as a software engineer and a grower of
tropical fruits -- and who drives from Palmdale to San Francisco
every weekend.

Tran inherited Family Fruit Farm in Southern California, from her
parents. The family emigrated from Vietnam in 1975.

Since late April, and through the summer, she has been selling the
most aromatic, floral jackfruit, with dense coral-golden tones, that
I have had, including those from my hometown, Bangkok. The fruit,
about the size of a 20-pound sack of potatoes, is beautiful to
behold.

Tran's smile and cheerful refrain is the trademark I've come to know.

"You want to eat it today, tomorrow or in two days," she will say
about her Haas avocados. That's the kind of care and precision she
brings to orcharding.

In the beginning, her parents' longing for the tropical fruits of
South Vietnam led to buying 1 1/2 acres, which they planted with
avocados and cherimoyas.

"In the '70s, there were no Asians and no Asian fruit," she says.
Those acres grew to 40 with thousands of trees. She now sells
cherimoya, guava, mango, longan, lychee, papaya, coconut, tiny
bananas and durian.

It's a treat to have non-imported tropical fruits so many times
sweeter and more fragrant than one usually finds. From now on through
the summer is her prime season, a paradise for those who miss the
fruits of the tropics.

The Trans planted jackfruit trees in the 1980s to buffer the winds
that were whipping their guava trees. They now have 13 productive
trees, whose fruits range from 17 pounds each to 65 pounds. Tran
sells the pineapple-jasmine-flavored, chewy fruit at $4.50 a pound,
whacking off chunks with a big knife. She'll give you a taste or tell
you how to eat them -- always with a smile. She even smiles when she
tells you she's sold out, often by 10 a.m.

Alemany Farmers' Market, at the junction of highways 101 and 280, is
open Saturdays from dawn until dusk. Visit SFGov: Alemany Farmers' Market for
more information.

Gabe15

03-19-2009 12:23 PM

Re: Student farm

Quote:

Originally Posted by momoese (Post 67373)

Huh? How is this possible?

I thought the same thing, especially since they can hardly grow Durian out here even and I know well the status of coconuts in California. Perhaps that list was taken out of context, like things she sells but not necessarily grows herself? Or is it known for a fact that this lady does indeed grow Durian? It also talks a lot about jackfruit, which some people confuse with the Durian, but is very different.

Chironex

03-19-2009 05:23 PM

Re: Student farm

Next time I am in the area, I want to check it out.

harveyc

03-19-2009 08:39 PM

Re: Student farm

I am hoping to investigate her area one of these days. My wife was raised not far from her farm and my brother-in-law lives in the area but we haven't been down there for a few years.

Back when that article came out I did some searching in phonebooks, etc. and my best guess is that her farm is located on the top of a ridge as marked in this Google map: 36850 E. 92nd St.,Littlerock, CA 93543 - Google Maps. I'm not positive that's her place, but I would like to head down by that area to find out what I can see if I've got the time. Maybe you can drive by Mitchel and report back.

I am also somewhat skeptical and have experienced reporting errors firsthand, but it seems odd that they would mention these things. The farmers' market mentioned in the article is a certified market, I believe (as nearly all are) so supposedly everything she is selling is stuff she is growing. A friend of mine visited with her at the market in August 2007 and I just wrote him to ask for some confirmation of the fruit being grown by her.

In part, he wrote:

Quote:

I went this morning. Difficult to find. Parking is also very difficult. Primarily Asian vegetables. I did buy jackfruit from the lady who came up from Palmdale. She also had litchees, longans, big papayas and durian.

and

Quote:

I didn't get the price on the litchees, but the jackfruit was expensive--$4.50 per lb.

The Palmdale lady is there every Saturday. She is also at the Oakland old town market on Friday mornings but doesn't sell her tropical fruits there because she says the people who come to the Oakland market usually don't have the money. Her brother sells at the Santa Monica market and two of the other beach towns in SoCal.

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