After the selection of the tree, we introduced to our friends here the tree planting technique that we presently use in Sadhana Forest. This technique is an attempt to replicate natural systems. After selecting the area to be planted, a circle with a radius of a meter is marked. A trench is dug along this circle in a way that the depth of this trench is even at all points.

With the soil that is dug out to make the trench, a circular mound with a hollow centre is created in the circle. The empty centre is left for the tree to be planted in.

After the mound is shaped it is filled with water up to the top. As a result of this the moisture content in the soil increases and the water goes into the soil to create a conical shaped water trough under ground to keep the roots hydrated as they make their way into the earth. In this way the trees don’t need much post planting care and attention. The conical water trough serves the tree until the roots get strong enough and is able to fend for itself.

Our tree planting friends from Omkareshwar who were earlier following a different technique of digging holes and planting in one to two feet deep holes were very open to this idea.

The first tree was planted in the presence of several children from the school, Sarabjeet Bharaj, the director of the organisation, and several other members from the ashram and the school.

A Delicious Salad with Radishes from our Garden.

   The international border market is a busy bustling place, every Monday and Friday we have the opportunity to head off to market to buy our food for the week. While the locals load their produce, baskets and bags onto hard-working donkeys, we start to load ourselves with backpacks and bags for the walk to the border.
   The crowded passageways are filled with a diverse mix of people, sounds and smells; floor space effectively organised into crouched purveyors of dried black mushrooms, spinaches and mangoes. Young boys chime the merits of their plastic wares. And shuffling through the crowds we’re often blessed with a smile from a friendly face, a friend of few words, always pleased by our Creole greetings. 
   The market has more vegetables than a vegan could need, gnarled gargantuan roots, sweet smelling fruits and Dominican trucks heaving with coconuts. Loaded we head home to enjoy a delicious week filled with tasty home cooked vegan food.

Garlic bread from Strada, ordered by my assistant because I was working late on a pitch. Very disappointing. It was the only vegan item on the menu as well.

Strada, we don’t like you.

Some vegetable dumplings soup from Itsu. They do a great job on traceability with the detailed lists of ingredients used in every item on their menu, published and updated on their website.

Organic pear and organic peach from Hoxton Street market. Eaten on the kitchen table at Milena and Mark’s. With a cup of Mariage Freres’ Earl Grey French Blue.

Because my commitment is to be vegan on Wednesdays, I’d like to share photos of each of my Wegan Wednesdays meals, with a short explanation of where I got the food and tips on how to find, cook and eat great vegan food (specifically in London where I live).

I will also be updating a Tumblr, just because it’s the blog format that I’m used to working with on my other projects, and also because you can easily connect it with other social platforms and therefore help spread the word.

It’ll be pretty much the same thing but you can have a look at

weganwednesdays.tumblr.com

Hope you enjoy my vegan adventures xx

By Liz

This was an exciting week for the Green Kindergarten project, as the children are beginning to recognize us and feel more comfortable playing and interacting with us. Also, as the project is growing the team is expanding and on Monday we brought the volunteers from Children’s Land along with us! The children were able to play the instruments they had made last week along with some instruments from Children’s Land. We all sat outside in the shade, playing with the maracas, rain-sticks and coconut shells while singing songs led by Anna. Before leaving we made sure to invite all of the children to come to Sadhana Forest’s Children’s Land along with their families and their teacher this Saturday.

Linking up to another Sadhana project this week, our Eco-Cycle Yatra group visited Trichitambalam village for jewellery making and non-competitive games. Sadhana volunteers were able to spend even more time with the children from the Kindergarten and meet some of their families. It is so wonderful to see our Sadhana projects overlapping and to participate in activities with the communities surrounding us.

Also, this week at the kindergarten, the second coat of paint was applied both inside and outside of the building finishing up the paint job and creating a bright and warm environment for the children.

Now our Sadhana permaculture group is coming together to establish a plan for the garden, incorporating the ideas of the children in order to create an outside space in which the children feel comfortable and happy. The design will hopefully be ready by next week so we can start working with the children to make it happen! We are so excited for the upcoming weeks of working with the children to develop the garden and the relationship between Sadhana and the community as the children become more familiar with us!

Laundry – often overlooked as a part of life in the west – but we wear clothes and they get dirty and we’d like to wear them again…so we clean them. Sadhana had a small table for volunteers to wash the forest debris from their garments but when we jumped up to 120 people this December, our long term volunteer Sebastian (also known as Tobin’s Hygiene Assistant) had the gumption to give the area an overhaul.

The trouble with the previous laundry area was seating, drainage and workspace. Seb started by removing the small table and stone seats and leveling the area. He created a slope towards a deep trench that takes excess laundry water as well as the shower water. In this trench we’ve planted reeds and banana plants to absorb and clean the used water.

Once a flat area was created he laid a border of bricks to hold the floor. Sand was spread out as a foundation. On top of the sand he laid Kadapa stone (a local black lime stone) as a floor that would not get muddied and would allow the water to flow off of quickly. Around the large flat slabs of stone he put small stones as a border to catch any stray water or dirt.

He replaced the stone seats and decided to try out using the floor instead of a washing table to wash one’s clothes. A broom hangs in the middle so that users can scrub the floor before and after walking and washing on it.

So far it both looks nice and works well. Clothes are clean, water goes where it is supposed to and we now enjoy using the space. Well done Seb, many thanks.

During the celebration, Aviram and Yorit honored the hard work of Balu, Swami, Arumugam, and Mani who have been and continue to be integral to the work of Sadhana Forest.

For the Birthday, our long term volunteer Maja, organized a forest theater depicting a day in the life of Sadhana Forest. The theater performance was a great success and enjoyed by all. At the end of the performance we sang happy birthday and served delicious vegan muffins covered with chocolate jaggery sauce.

Following the performance we were joined live via Skype by our good friend Claire from Fotosintesia in Paris. Claire wished Sadhana a happy birthday and announced very good fundraising news. A generous donation will be given towards the building of a new dormitory

The Friday night festivities continued with the Eco-Film club followed by a delicious vegan dinner prepared by our long term volunteer and chef Jason.

The birthday energy concluded with a drumming circle and open stage performance. It was a great birthday party and joyful celebration. Happy 6^th Birthday Sadhana Forest!!!