We are melting the wax over a charcoal fire for shiitake log inoculation. The electric hot plate went out and this is the next best thing. I'm learning how to fan the fire. My shins got a little toasty. Ghanaians have a saying, "If a woman has hair on her legs, she's a terrible cook." Means she doesn't sit close enough to the fire to do a good job. When I said this at the dinner table, elderly Ghanaian Sister Edith laughed and Sister Ursula, a German, didn't get it.
This has been a tough week. We were to begin inoculating about 50 logs and training the Bemcom Staff last Tuesday. We have a BIG BIG BIG Farmer's and Stakeholder's Forum this coming Tuesday, with TV, radio and press coverage: A ribbon cutting for the new Spawn Laboratory and Launching the Research Program. The farmers will inoculate about 80 logs, if all goes according to plan.
This is Sunday, our assignment ends on Thursday, and because of unavoildable delays (a death in Bernard's family, heavy rains, licensed chain saw operators not available, electrical and phone outages), equipment failure (3 chain saws, drill, wax-melting burner), unscheduled presentations (for the greater good, but still delaying our production work), misunderstandings and "failures to communicate," we are still not inoculating.
25-30 logs each of two tree species are still to be cut and delivered.
Doug was pretty frustrated as the inoculation and laying yard activities are his responsibilities and he couldn't make any progress. I continued with computer work and developing training and program materials, so I wasn't as distressed. It's been very hard on Bernard, as he is the only one who can gather the local resources. We got to the inoculation on Saturday at 2 pm and the Staff, supposed to leave at noon, stayed. We plugged in the drill -- 120 volt -- and it got hit with the 220 volt current (shouldn't one of us have thought of it?!) and it literally blew up. It was a 2-hour excursion to the city of Sunyani replace it. But there were complications and it took 4 hours and the staff went home. Doug and Bernard returned just before dark, and the power was off.
My official part of the project is "packaging and preservation of oyster mushrooms." However, my plans have gone awry, because I didn't know the cost of things, legal considerations, local customs, etc. Rather than scripting, the present reality requires IMPROVISATION. Taking what's here and developing from that some direction and support. This is a repeated theme in my life situations in general in these times. And I was WORRIED that I wasn't sufficiently prepared. Creativity and inner guidance brought me to this Truth and a way opened.
I'll be collaboraing with the farmers, starting with a little guidance from the Sisters here at the convent, and see what we come up with together. Then I am teaming up with one of the best chefs in the area to present the "Chef's Invitational Oyster Mushroom Cooking Seminar." I finished my power point today and I've written a little cookbook with recipes from the internet adapted to Ghanaian cooking culture as I understand it (I'm sure there will be several revisions before Thursday). It is very possible that some of the members of the audiece won't read English; but I am expecting a higher level of experience and education than with the Farmers as many of the invitees will be cooks and chefs.
The lab equipment, drills, teaching materials, production equipment for the Farmer's and Stakeholder's Forum and food for the cooking seminar are being paid for by Mushrooms in Ghana Project. Thank you, thank you, thank you for making it possible.
Sandra
