Electricity Supply to jeopardize expansion at Roux Pecans?

Due to bad planning and not reacting to timeous warning, the South African Government has made certain that there will be a lack of reliable supply of electricity until at least 2013.

It may mean that the expansion of the orchard cannot happen if we cannot get a transformer upgrade for increased supply. Using diesel motors is a scenario that we do not want to turn to - for many reasons. Among others are management, maintenance and cost of engines, besides the burning of diesel, and that escalating price in $US and a depreciating ZAR.

President Mbeki apologized that he and his ministers did not take heed of the warnings given them in 1996 that the country needed investment in infrastructure to deliver increasing demand from our expanding economy.

What is it with politicians that they think that they would know better than experts in the field, or any field of expertise other than being a politician?

It appears that one does not need much expertise to be a politician in South Africa anyway. Historically and current. They are and have been a blight on our country.

Slashing bush for new development

The pictures are self explanatory.
Simon is busy slashing the Salsola to a manageable height. Most of the bush is moribund old hardwood with few young fresh shoots growing from it. It is a very pallatable and highly nutritous feed for all animals.

The slashing causes the bush to grow vigourously and fresh. We don't intend removing it but rather, it can stay there as groundcover. We try to disturb the topsoil as little as possible. We will run a ripper along and across the rows before planting the trees to loosen any compaction.

New Development Progress and Orchard View

I can't get the pictures aligned properly and apologize for that.
Top left to right is a progression as is bottom left.

The bush (Salsola) has been cut and many of the trees have been removed, as seen in an earlier post

Materhorn in Cloud

Yesterday I was leaving the orchard at about 4.30pm , looked up and there was the "Materhorn" rising into the heaven with the afternoon sun sneaking through the cloudy sky. Enlarge the picture and marvel. This thing must be 15km high!!!