We first brought to your attention in a previous blog, Yonatan and Shoshana Rappeport and their vision for the Negev that could change the Desert into a blooming forest with a cash drop. We support this amazing effort by these two visionaries. Now we have a follow up report on their progress toward meeting this goal.
Here is a link to the previous blog: https://israelseen.com/2013/03/27/the-greening-of-the-negev-israel/
Yoni and Shoshana are simple Jews living the dream of building the Land of Israel. With your support that dream is becoming reality. We love the land. Our intention is to see the desert blossom and bring forth fruits that will serve the local community and the nation.
http://www.arganofthenegev.com/
The following are photos of their progress:
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- The first step: a fence to keep animals from the young trees. Where to start?
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- driving fence posts
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- rolling out the fencing wire
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- Yoni and Haggai stretch the wire on the fencing posts
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- 80 dunams (20 acres) to be fenced…
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- Yoni checks the fence
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- The fence is good
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- we measured out a grid 4.5 meters between each tree and 6 m between each row. Sites for holes were marked for 1000 trees.
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- A backhoe dug holes 1 m deep and 1m wide for each hole, loosening the compacted earth.
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- the backhoe holes
-
- A good start- but the irrigation lines can’t go across this and there is still a lot of work to do…
-
- Large clods in each hole need to be broken by hand..
-
- stones removed and the pile is raked flat..
-
- stones removed and the pile is raked flat..
-
- Yoni sights the placement for the hole.
-
- That’s more like it. Just need to remove those rocks.
-
- bringing the rocks to the wagon, to be used as fill in the fence rows..
-
- Some rocks are bigger than others.
-
- now that’s a hole ready for an argan tree!
-
- measuring the land, in preparation for the irrigation system installation
-
- Our container is delivered. This will house the irrigation system controls.
-
- A channel is dug from the highway to the land for the water hookup.
-
- A channel is dug from the highway to the land for the water hookup.
-
- On the day the irrigation system is installed
-
- Tamping the earth
-
- First the dirt must be partially backfilled by hand to make sure no big rocks are on the pipe. The backhoe will fill the rest later.
-
- The line goes through the ditch to our land..
-
- Finally! Our water hookup!
-
- Eek! What are they doing here? A swarm of hungry locusts looking for something to eat! Thank God we are behind schedule and there are no argan trees to munch on. The danger passes and we are grateful…
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- Watering trees sure aint what it used to be!
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- Yoni with a box of argan babies. Today is the day the first batch will leave Kibbutz Ketura for their new home in Mitzpe Ramon.
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- Dr. Elaine Solowey with the beautiful trees she has raised.
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- In the truck before the long trip
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- Yehudit installs the drip lines…
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- Two drippers per tree
-
- Planting. What a feeling! Hodu LaShem Ki Tov!
-
- Welcome to the world baby argan!
-
- The first step: a fence to keep animals from the young trees. Where to start?
-
- Welcome to the world baby argan!
-
- Planting. What a feeling! Hodu LaShem Ki Tov!
-
- Two drippers per tree
-
- Yehudit installs the drip lines…
-
- In the truck before the long trip
-
- First the dirt must be partially backfilled by hand to make sure no big rocks are on the pipe. The backhoe will fill the rest later.
-
- The line goes through the ditch to our land..
-
- Finally! Our water hookup!
-
- Eek! What are they doing here? A swarm of hungry locusts looking for something to eat! Thank God we are behind schedule and there are no argan trees to munch on. The danger passes and we are grateful…
-
- Watering trees sure aint what it used to be!
-
- Yoni with a box of argan babies. Today is the day the first batch will leave Kibbutz Ketura for their new home in Mitzpe Ramon.
-
- Dr. Elaine Solowey with the beautiful trees she has raised.
-
- Tamping the earth
-
- On the day the irrigation system is installed
-
- A channel is dug from the highway to the land for the water hookup.
-
- A channel is dug from the highway to the land for the water hookup.
-
- Our container is delivered. This will house the irrigation system controls.
-
- measuring the land, in preparation for the irrigation system installation
-
- driving fence posts
-
- stones removed and the pile is raked flat..
-
- Yoni sights the placement for the hole.
-
- That’s more like it. Just need to remove those rocks.
-
- bringing the rocks to the wagon, to be used as fill in the fence rows..
-
- Some rocks are bigger than others.
-
- now that’s a hole ready for an argan tree!
-
- rolling out the fencing wire
-
- Yoni and Haggai stretch the wire on the fencing posts
-
- stones removed and the pile is raked flat..
-
- Large clods in each hole need to be broken by hand..
-
- A good start- but the irrigation lines can’t go across this and there is still a lot of work to do…
-
- the backhoe holes
-
- A backhoe dug holes 1 m deep and 1m wide for each hole, loosening the compacted earth.
-
- 80 dunams (20 acres) to be fenced…
-
- Yoni checks the fence
-
- The fence is good
-
- we measured out a grid 4.5 meters between each tree and 6 m between each row. Sites for holes were marked for 1000 trees.
