Two months into a drought, we have adjusted our daily life to the heat, dryness and smoky air. Forest fires have caused poor air quality, worse than China, Mexico and Los Angeles, in our valley and our entire province. We have focused on our activities in the cool forest and in the greenhouse, where is the air is cleaner thanks to plants and trees.
Forest management continues as we sort through the thick forest, transforming fallen and crowded thin trees into fences and other building materials. Forest floor "waste" is being raked up for use as mulch in the Eco Village Gardens
Venu Gopal prabhu has joined our village and morning program. He is helping prepare the land for transplanting 108 fruit trees and is sharing his permaculture knowledge with us. An important permaculture practice is mulching, putting plant matter, compost and tree chips on the top soil to preserve moisture and shield the earth from the hot sun.
Roof and chimney expert Trin, successfully moved our woodstove and pipes through the roof, during a very hot and smoky week. However are not yet able to use the woodstove (despite the cool mornings) because local residences are worried that a spark from the chimney may start a fire.
"One of the threefold miseries of the material world is adhidaivika, weather and natural disasters that originate with the demigods of the higher planets. We are always suffering from some disturbance, yet still we are thinking this material world is very nice, and we are trying to improve it. That is foolishness. The disturbances will always continue, so what is the meaning of improvement?" - Srila Prabhupada
