Shifting Priorities (ACTIONS) Require Careful Use of Resources

Shifting priorities require the adaption of existing resources to create new functions.  Raising strong and healthy goats and sheep has become an increasing priority for us.  As all Paleros know, both of these animals are important and vital within the munanso.  Finding healthy, vibrant, well raised animals can be very difficult in the "market" that is out there, with the increase in animal brokers who keep these animals in bad conditions that are full of diseases.  

It has come to the point that we decided to repurpose some of our pigeon coops as well as a large pergola, to allow us to create some good long term shelter for the goats and sheep.  They need this shelter specifically during winter.  During the spring, summer and fall, they will be on the pasture, and also assist us in clearing out invasive weeds.

We begin here with the goat nanny house.  Our boer nannies (does) are meat goats, originating in Africa.  They are large, horned, and very friendly.  We will be breading them for the first time in the fall and expect the "kids" in early spring.   Their shelter allows them interior space as well as a large porch where their hay bale sits.  

A small coop of pigeons lives in the same barn and can be seen from this angle, the other half of the goat barn houses white roller pigeons.

Goats love to be up high and the raised barn is perfect for them to jump up and feel safe.  There is also an old table that they like to jump up on.  Goats are very friendly animals and each one has a very distinct personality.  All our boer nannies have one grandparent or great grandparent that is a milking breed (Nubian or Alpine) which makes them better mothers, and increases their milk yield slightly.  

These goats are much more than just produces of goats for the Munanso or to sell or eat.  In the summer they will be excellent helpers to us, eating thorny bushes and poison ivy.  Their goat milk makes excellent cheese and yogurt.  We look forward to being able to produce most of our own cheese and dairy once the herd builds up.  

We have had a pergola up on our hill for over 10 years.  It had become a space we really had not used in a number of years.  We decided to build a sheep barn for our ewes.  Using boards salvaged from some old fencing we had removed, plus boards and roofing salvaged from an old shed we had taken down, we adapted the pergola to be a sheep barn.

The sheep barn has two stalls in the back where we put the moms once they have their lambs so that they can bond well before having to go back to the herd.  However, since sheep are herd animals the stalls are designed so that the isolated sheep can see her herd mates, so that she does not get anxious.  

The sheep, like the goats, also have a porch where their hay goes.  They munch the hay all day long, eating as much as they want to.  
The hay is very important for the functioning of their digestive system.  Whatever hay they leave, as well as the bedding from their barn will be used for mulch for our Conucos.  The manure will add fertility and the hay will add organic matter and these will build the fertility of the Conucos and create healthy environments for the soil life.

We have come to realize that the choice of breed of the sheep or goat is very important.  Some breeds are very prone to parasites, or are not good mothers, or have problems with the birthing process, have issues with summer heat and so on.  We selected the Barbados Black Belly Sheep because they are "hair sheep" meaning they will not need to be sheared, and they naturally shed their winter coats.  They are hardy, they are good mothers, they give birth easily, and they like to browse on various invasive weeds.  Their meat is excellent.  Because they are Caribbean sheep they deal with summer heat without any problems.

In our herd we have two "pure bred" and two with a "wool sheep" ancestor.  The pure bred are more flighty and nervous, so it seems the wool sheep influence is somewhat stabilizing and we are appreciating its influence.  

When it is time to move our ewes from one place to another we simply call them and they follow us.  They are very intelligent and fast.  In fact we discovered through a neighbor (about 1/2 mile distant) that our sheep were traveling through the forest and to his corn field every day and every night on a schedule.  He discovered this through his trail cameras set up to look at the deer.  We thought they were simply free ranging on the Ceremonial Grounds and were surprised to discover that they were sneaking out every day and night to eat corn!

For much of the year the rams are with the ewes, however we moved them once the ewes started lambing.  They have their own area, which we are currently upgrading (again using salvaged materials).  The rams do not come when they are called, and have to be caught.  They are very protective of the ewes and more distrustful than the ewes.  

Sheep and goats are amazing animals, and have taken up vital roles on the land.  Their behaviors are fascinating and give us insight into their roles within the Munanso.  They provide us with meat, milk, gardening assistance, laughter, and education.  Inside of the Earth Changes that are upon us, these animals have become very important elements in our response to Earth Changes.  They are also a stabilizing element in economic terms due to their contribution to the table, to the fertility of the Conucos and pastures, to the Munanso, and because we can sell any surplus.  We are delighted to see how they are thriving, and the task of interweaving them with the Conucos, forests, and fields in a sustainable way that restores Mother Earth's fertility is a fascinating  challenge.  

A Taino Palero's Aspiration

Both Misterio and Ancestors have their favorite animals.  Some are very specific as to the color and temperament of the animal as well.  We have many animals on the Land that are there first and foremost to satisfy the Misterio and Ancestors, and secondly to make their contribution to the fertility of the Land and to contribute to our well being and enjoyment of them.  The animals bring an important spirit to the Land and contribute to our continued manifestation of the Munanso and Bohio/ Batey!  

The two horse above are a gelding (Kaguaso) and mare (Kalichi-who is pregnant) who are best friends.  It is important for herd animals to have companionship, and these horses have a very strong bond.  Kalichi turns from the calm horse in the photo into a bundle of nerves if we take Kaguaso away from her.  Kaguaso is a quater horse who we saved from the auction at the 11th hour where he was in danger of turning into dog food.  He is the calmest horse most of the time, and very independent (which is unusual in horses), it does not matter to him if he is alone or with horses, and he behaves the same way towards dominant horses as he does to passive ones, and never is aggressive.  

These two female donkeys (Josefa and Julia) are also good friends, one (Julia) is the mother of the stallion donkey who hangs out with the stallion.  From observing the unique characteristics and behaviors of the various animals, you gain further insight into the Misterio and Ancestor who favors these animals.  Both are stubborn and exceptionally greedy, neither wants to do any work.

Above Emma and her baby Brujita are playing.  Brujita is the baby of Emma and the Stallion (below).  Emma is our largest horse (a "work" horse, the type utilized to pull plows, rakes, etc).  She is very strong and very calm.  Brujita will become a large horse and is already very big at 8 months old.  

The stallion (Kasike) and his friend the donkey stallion (Pepe) keep each other entertained with an ongoing stallion game involving a lot of chasing and stallion posturing, but never to the point that they hurt each other.  

Tobacco our male llama is the dominant animal of the field, until it is time to eat, at which point one of the female donkeys, Julia, becomes dominant.  Both Tobacco and the female donkeys wait with eager anticipation for their opportunity to attack the dogs, but the dogs are too aware and quick to be caught by the llamas and donkeys.  Llamas and donkeys are often used to be companions with sheep because they will attack and kill any foxes coming for the lambs.  Tobacco uses his chest and neck to attack.  He also enjoys herding the donkeys down to the shed and keeping them there by blocking the door.  

Cohoba is a gentle Alpaca, she is very mellow and stays out of the llama-donkey disputes.  Tobacco does not allow anyone to come near her, and she spends most of her day laying down sunbathing.  Alpacas are very sacred animals in South America and are well known for their exceptionally soft and beautiful hair which is harvested each year in the Spring.  Llama hair is also very soft but not quite as soft as the Alpaca.  Llamas are larger animals in general and more aggressive. Both animals are very soft on the earth, unlike the horses who tear up the ground, especially when it is muddy.  They have a very light way of moving around, and have a very fast way of moving when they want to.

Booty is our wonderful Ram who is about 8 years old.  He is very gentle and friendly towards people and very aggressive towards other animals, although in a playful way, but when horns are involved playful becomes dangerous.  He sometimes entertains himself by ramming trees with his head which is very strong.  

Wind is our pit bull who guards the chickens so that they can free range the way they should!  He is much more relaxed than the other dog (Pancho- below) who barks at anything unusual.  Wind only barks when something is really happening.  Pancho (AKA Psycho) is a high energy cattle dog who is a very good guard dog, and he takes his job to an extreme when given the opportunity.  He is convinced he can outrun the llama and entertains himself by running into the field to bark at Tobacco, knowing he can run out and Tobacco can't get at him once he is through the fence.  

We also have chickens, pigeons and doves (as well as a tortoise, frog and snake) which all "belong" to different Misterios and Ancestors, and there are also "requests" in for additional animals.  There are also the wild animals that are showing up more and more frequently, including, significantly turkeys and deer.  The turkey in particular have made a huge comeback in the years that we have been on the Land.  

Changes are Inevitable

Many years ago, talk of "Earth Changes" were low profile, but many of us (Tainos and others) at that time were very concerned with the challenges that these Earth Changes would inevitably bring to the People including the Plant People and Animal People.  Of greatest concern was the movement away from "land" towards urban and suburban residences that has occurred in the last 100 years.  Many of my People, Taino, Boricua, Afro-Caribbean found themselves displaced from rural settings in Boriken and transplanted into the belly of the beast in "nuevo york and surroundings" as well as other metropolitan areas.  A People once largely agriculturalists had become entrapped within the most deprived economic cycles of city life.  I am not excluding in my concern or thinking a similar story of those from other Caribbean Islands, or Central or South America, or the multiple stories globally.

Years have since passed and the numbers of my brothers and sisters who have empowered themselves to make the changes necessary to be prepared as best as possible for these "Earth Changes" are disturbingly low.  I see many of my people totally dependent on and engulfed within the energies of total lack of sustainability and enslavement, and many who express anger and resentment when faced with the suggestion to make these positive preparations and changes which not only provide a preparation for the future but also enhance the health, harmony and stability of the present.  However there are many of my younger brothers and sisters who are actively pursuing these changes and it inspires me to see their level of consciousness, creativity and dedication.  

Today "Earth Changes" has become a common phrase within the thinking and speaking of all people, whether it is described as "global warming" or whether it is concern over the Maya prophecies of 2012 (or what is being presented as the Maya Prophecies of 2012?).  What I see when I speak of "Earth Changes" is both a Cycle within Mother Earth but also the effects of human beings industrialization upon the Earth and the consequences of that and the "backlash" from that.  I also see "Earth Changes" in terms of what the insensitivity towards the Earth brings about, which is illness (rampant disease primarily caused by a diet which does not nourish the body and puts the body out of balance), technological overload and consumerism where although all the gadgets are supposed to save time and improve the quality of life of the people, the effect is the opposite and they have undermined families and communities.  And there is the economic changes which are inevitable as the Earth's resources continue to be plundered and waterways, air and land continues to be polluted and destroyed leaving less and less fertile land, less and less clean air and less and less clean water available for "us", humanity, People to thrive from, and the economic changes caused by an increasing dependence on global corporations who have NO HEART and the subsequent disempowerment of local industry.  

Back in the day, our solution was simple, "Land and Community" where we could be self-sustainable.  We knew we could not control all factors in what was coming, we knew that the energies were much larger than us, but we also knew that creativity and working together could take us a long way.  Here is a brief view of how in my humble way I respond to the accelerating Earth Changes and encourage those others whether in urban or rural settings to also embrace these humble achievements.  At one time (and even today) "farmers" (or in my homeland Jibaros) were looked down upon as the lower class, lacking in sophistication, poorly educated, and it is essential that we overcome that mental block.  This prejudice can also be seen in the behavior of the various people on certain Caribbean islands towards people of other Caribbean Islands who they consider to be "less than".

One challenge we face here is WINTER.  In the Autumn the first heavy frost kills most of the vegetables, peppers turn brown, tomatoes rot, potatoes rot and so on.  This is very different that the tropical climate of the Caribbean but the Caribbean faces its own challenges, one being an intense dry season.  Regardless of where one is upon the Earth there are cycles that must be appreciated and worked with (not against).  Here we have two "cold frames" which are basically two wood boxes placed on the Earth with a window cover.  As you can see we have many leafy greens which because the cold frame does not "freeze" are able to grow all winter long and provide important nutrition that would not otherwise be available without a dependency on the supermarket.  All this without the use of any electricity.  The only heater is the solar rays of Grandfather Sun!

The supermarket's leafy greens are firstly limited in scope, the supermarket tends to stock those varieties and types of leafy greens that are convenient for them (long storage life, easy to produce, bland) which means that many types of wonderful leafy greens never hit the grocery shelf.  Secondly the leafy greens in the supermarket have traveled thousands of miles by truck from (usually California, or Florida, and even further afield) and every step along the way they lose vitality and nutrition.  There is an astounding difference in taste between the greens that come out of our cold frame and the best that the supermarket has to offer.  Another concern with supermarket produce is its potential to be infected with pathogens which we know is a real threat based on all the recalls that go on with various produce.

In these photos you can see piles of snow around the cold frames and the green of the cold frame stands out far more strongly than it would in the summer time.  The contrast is not only visually refreshing but it helps to combat the "winter blues".  

The cold frames allow us to appreciate the lushness of the Spring, Summer and Fall in a tiny dose which brings further awareness of how dependent we are on the Cycles of Mother Earth when the false illusion of security of power plants, fossil fuels, electricity grids, TVs, is cracked as we find ourselves without power in the cold of winter due to a storm, high winds or what have you.  

Greens in a bag to be taken to the table for salad.  It is important to realize that much of our Indigenous Spiritual Practices revolve around these "humble" concerns, abundance, thriving, fertility, harmony, balance and community.  There is an ironic breakdown in the individual who claims an Indigenous Spirituality yet walks upon the Earth with a total lack of sensitivity, or speaks of loving "Mother Earth" yet consumes and absorbs products from the market and stores which cause destruction to the very same "Mother Earth" in the ways they are harvested, quarried or formulated and causes destruction to the sacred temple the human body!

Garlic, a crop which gets planted in the fall to be harvested the following summer.  It takes in the coldness of winter as an empowerment and it provides a powerful immune stimulant that can be especially used during the winter!  We take the very best of our garlic harvest and replant it so that we can continue to adapt these varieties of garlic to the Land, with its unique make up of minerals and soil components.  Garlic is also good for combatting the fall out from those "chemtrails" which we continually see streaking across our skies as we turn our faces upward to make prayers to "Yokahu Bagua Marocoti", or prayers to the Sun or to Nsambia Mpungo or Great Mystery!

The garlic is hanging in the gazebo (which we also use to dry tobacco, sage, sweet grass (see sweet grass braids to left of garlic) and other herbs.  Later the garlic is moved inside where ideally it is kept in cool conditions in a root cellar or unheated basement, but failing that garlic deals fairly well with most conditions (other than moist).  

One of the staples of our South American Relatives, the Potato is truly a wonder.  There are thousands of varieties of potatoes most of which we supermarket goers have never seen or even dreamed of.  These are purple potatoes, with a purple flesh that retains its color and brings a beautiful addition to soups and stews.  Every year we try different varieties but the purple potato is one of our favorites.  Although we grow our potatoes in a large garden, they can also be grown in containers on a sunny balcony and some gardners have produced amazing harvests with various techniques in urban settings.

Our chickens!  The hens produce eggs almost year around (they take a short break in late December- January) and the roosters are used as well (spiritually and for food).   We could stimulate the chickens with false light to lay eggs year around but we know that allowing them to live in their natural cycle keeps them healthier and happier and ultimately more productive, and the eggs and meat are healthier for our well being.  The taste of the eggs bring many of our Older Relatives back to their old memories of rural life and to their memories of eating farm eggs when they were children in Boriken or elsewhere.  The taste of the chicken itself is much more "gamey" than your typical store bought chicken.  The tastes are miles apart and the flesh itself is much healthier and densely nutritious than the market chicken.  When someone in our family falls sick we go out grab a rooster or older chicken, hand process it, and throw it in the pot with potatoes, onions, winter squash (all from the garden) as well as medicinal herbs, lots of garlic to give us a nutritious and warming meal!  The chickens also eat all the kitchen scraps as well as worms from the garden, any insects, any unwelcome garden grubs, slugs or bugs.  They also eat ticks.  Since we have had the chickens the tick population has decreased dramatically because we let our chickens free range once summer comes around and the hawks and foxes are less hungry.

One of our outdoor grills fired up ready to cook.  We appreciate the fact that even though we only cook outside in winter on rare occasions, we always could if we needed to.  Our indoor stove is propane, but if for whatever reason we could not get the propane or the propane was unavailable or became astronomically expensive we could easily cook our meals outside.

Buffalo meat cooking with peppers and onions from the garden.  We eat vegetarian meals primarily but approximately twice a week we cook some meat, buffalo, chicken, lamb, goat.  We especially like the buffalo and appreciate that buffalo tend to be raised primarily on pasture (unlike most beef) and so the quality of meet is consistently higher and healthier (although more expensive).  We also honor and appreciate the Spirit of the Buffalo which is a very powerful spirit and it is especially good for those who are weak in Spirit to occasionally eat Buffalo even if they are "vegetarian".

A pot cooking on the grill of a mixture of squash, potatoes and onions.  Every variety of potato has a unique taste, as does every variety of squash, and a unique texture.   We like to mix them all up then compare all the different flavors as we eat them.  Our daughter has her own names for certain potatoes like "the creamy potato" the "butter potato".  By eating different varieties not only do we provide different tastes for our taste buds but we take in different spiritual properties and energies which in turn work on our mental body to expand our mental capacity and perspective.  We especially seek out heirloom and Indigenous Varieties for their great flavor, connection the Ancestors, and because many of those seeds are rare and in danger of extinction and by growing them we help to prevent their extinction.

A summer meal, buffalo with onion and pepper, two varieties of potato with whole garlic cloves cooked in olive oil and herbs from the land, and a Tomato and scallion salad with basil.  

These two dishes are the purple potatoes (above and fish with onions and herbs (below).  You can get a good look at the purple flesh of the potatoes and their dark purple skins!

Eating from the Land where we live is more than just convenient, economically sensible and fun, it is allowing us to take in some of the Soil's properties where we are living, harmonizing us with the environment where we live.  This is very different than taking in the properties from a factory farm or large plantation type farm thousands of miles away from us.  We take in the Spirit of the Land herself in minute quantities when we eat from the Land.  This is very important to us as Paleros and as Tainos and as People who love "Atabey" Mother Earth.  Spiritually it is very significant and it is also significant when we can utilize animals or fruits and vegetables to give the Nkisis and Cemis which have come from the Land herself.  There is a significant difference!

Cafe!  Important to us all Muerto y Vivo!  On this day it began to snow but did not interfere with the process or cooking that was about to take place.  All the wood for the grills comes from the Land herself, and we are not just taking wood, we are also replacing it with new live saplings.  So all this wood is sustainably harvested and does not represent net CO2 emissions into the climate.  Wood after all is a renewable resource!  The ashes from all the fires is collected and used for both spiritual purposes and to add to the gardens for fertility.  Last year we found tobacco seedlings growing from our Ceremonial fire's ashes that sprouted from the tobacco we grew the year before that we used to make offerings to the fire.  We transplanted the seedlings to the tobacco garden where they flourished and produced tobacco which is now drying to be used next year!

The wood that is placed on the fire comes from a tree that has died or a branch that fell off a tree in a storm or a tree that was harvested   for whatever reason.  The wood is often from a tree that has been around for 30-50 years and has been a witness to much upon the Land.  Many animals built their home in the tree, ate from the tree, urinate, defecated on the tree, or even died on or within the tree.  Woodpeckers poked holes in the tree, bugs made special tracks in the tree, worms ate the tree and much more.   The tree took in many rains, many winds, and many rays of the Sun and took in the flashes of lightning and sounds of thunder and storms that passed by it.  The tree took in the snows and the many minerals from the soil.  In other words the tree has taken in energies from all the Mpungos! This tree is now put on the fire, the flames start to release the spirit of all this by using the oxygen in the air that is present, and the material essence and spiritual properties of all these spirits is left in the ash.  When this ash is for example placed ceremonially upon a Baton (ancestral staff) all this spiritual energy is given to the Baton and brings the Spirit of that Baton to "Life".  

The fire and behind it Lucerito's Monanso (hut).  The hut is made from sections of tree trunk which all have a spiritual property to them.  What better way to a make a Palero's Monanso?  Palo of course meaning TREE!