INSECTICIDE POST

Have you ever had to pilont (Creole for mashing with mortar and pestle) a few kilos of hot peppers, neem leaves, and garlic then squeeze the pungent, spicy pulp through a strainer?  Well that’s what Ford, Sega, Dr McGrath, Bosquet, our haitian partners in Bois Jolie, and I all did today in order to make a natural insecticide for the seedlings in the nursery.  The whole process took two days and included climbing a steep learning curve.  The first day we tried to be high tech and use a blender, but it promptly overheated and broke.  Luckily, it all worked out for the better because we were able to make the natural insecticide much more efficiently and easily in Bois Jolie with our friends.  It turns out technology isn’t always better or faster.  We were able to make the pulp in a fraction of the time that it would have taken with the blender.  Plus I’ve always wanted to pilont with the traditional mortar and pestal.  I was a happy camper.  See some photos below.

Ford gives a friend a hand at Wilfrid Saintillus’ house

I give a try at pilont.  We can’t just let the boys have all the fun all the time.

Here is a photo of some of the crushed neem leaves.

Straining some of the diluted pulp through one of Sega’s old T-shirts.  You are witnessing on the spot innovation at work.

Some of my lovely friends back at the nursery.  The woman in the middle with the white shirt, Manuchkah is one of my good friends.  She is Jean Philippe’s wife who is the son of Santillius Santillus, a manager of the nursery.

Everyone crowding around to watch and learn how to make the natural insecticide.

The group at the end of the day at the nursery in Bois Jolie.Thanks again for reading!