Meet Grandpa Tameja : The Oldest Farmer Who Joined Our Program And This Is His Story.

Meet Grandpa Tameja : The Oldest Farmer Who Joined Our Program And This Is His Story.

Tameja is one of our farmers since 2019, and he has shared his life story as a farmer with us. Let’s read his story!

Tameja (72 years old) was born in Karangreja Village in Central Java, Indonesia and still lives there with his wife and 5 children. He became a farmer at a young age and helped his father work in the fields. 

“Being a farmer has been my way of life”, he said. 

“My father was a farmer too, I am proud to be able to continue his way until now”.

He told us about his concern, none of his children want to be a farmer like him. It means Tameja must take care of the field alone with his wife. He has many questions that keep popping up in his mind, like; Who’s going to continue my spirit to keep my field growing and green after me? What will happen to the trees I planted? He recalls that he planned to stop farming and empty his field because he’s too old to continue, but then someone from Trees4Trees offered seedlings and asked him to join their program.

“I remember when they reached out to me and said; “Congratulations, Grandpa Tameja, you are chosen to get seedlings from our donor”. 

“I think I will plant trees for the rest of my life”, he smiles.

Tameja has his own farming method. He grows coffee trees with an agroforestry system, where he combines other trees and spice plants in one field. He believes by implementing this method, farmers will benefit both environmentally and economically. He also likes it when his land is full of plants.

“In my experience it’s better to optimize the field, the denser the better”. 

We asked him which trees benefit him more, and he took us to his coffee tree field – showing off the coffee beans.

“I like to plant coffee trees because they do not require intensive care and do not take too long time to harvest so it’s profitable for an old farmer like me”, he said.

Thank you Grandpa Tameja for sharing your story! We are relieved that we are able to help and motivate you to make your field greener. We wish you the best of health and happiness!

Karyadi’s Biggest Dream Is….

Karyadi’s Biggest Dream Is….

Meet Karyadi, one of our farmers since 2019. He’s very cheerful and likes to talk a lot, but the most interesting story is when he talks about his dreams.

Karyadi is a father of 2 children, a daughter (20 years old) and a son (9 years old ). He lives in a small house on a hill near his field with his wife and his son. His daughter is now working and living in Jakarta. When he starts talking about his children, you can see his eyes sparkling with pride.

“My daughter is now working in a big city, Jakarta”, he says proudly. “I pray for her every day… I wish her success”.

He told us that his only concern now is to raise his children. He wants them to have a better life and he’s always working hard for that.

“My wife and I have hopes for our children. We wish our children success in the future and to help build their village”.

“Kalibening village is our home, we were born and raised here. Somebody has to develop this village and protect it, that’s my dream”, he continues.

He works as a farmer as his main source of daily income but that’s not enough to cover his economy, so he decided to participate in our planting program sponsored by ‘Plant for the Planet’ in 2019 and received various trees – especially fruit trees.

“Thank you for the seedlings! Trees4Trees has helped me through tree planting and it has surely benefitted me economically. Before that, I only worked as a cassava farmer which only harvests annually”, he laughs.

He has a request for us in the future. He hopes there will be more planting programs and help more farmers like him. His dream is our dream as well, and we wish Pak Karyadi for the best. Thank you for sharing your dream. You are doing a great job!

CURIOUS KIDS: TREES THROUGH KID’S EYES

Curious Kids : Trees Through Kid’s Eyes

We had the opportunity to visit a private kindergarten, Yayasan Annisa in the Mijen area, Central Java, Indonesia. We’ve heard and learned what kids have to say and what they want to know about trees from their perspectives.

“Our activities are not always to be in the classroom, but a closer introduction to the natural environment will help the process of achieving educational targets. Children have the ability to easily absorb and understand information, in a more fun and engaging way.”, Said Nuning – The Headmaster

Of course, outdoor activity brought up many interesting questions from the kids and they shared some questions that we thought were worth sharing and addressing.

“Why trees are so important?” – Cinta, 6-year-old

A great question! Trees are to earth – and our survival – as lungs are to the human body. They produce oxygen for us to breathe, as well as improve air quality. Many wildlife species also depend on forests for their habitat, since trees provide shelter, food, and protection. Another important quality is that they reduce erosion, which helps keep waterways clean and prevents flooding. In addition, trees remove large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, which is a key component to tackling climate change. 

“Who lives in the trees?” –Aisyah, -5-year-old

I think we should find out who lives in the trees, we can take a walk to look at the trees around our school and we collect materials that might tell us something about who is living in and around trees. Maybe we can find ants, maybe bugs and maybe we can find feathers, which means birds are living in the tree.

“Why do leaves fall off trees?” –Rasyid, 6-year-old

Great question! The short answer is that leaves fall off trees when they are not doing their job anymore. A leaf’s job is to turn sunlight into food for the tree. To do this, the leaf needs water. This water comes from the soil, and is sucked up through pipes in the trunk and branches to the leaves – this can be a very long way for tall trees! If there isn’t enough water, the leaf can be damaged and stop working, which becomes a dead leaf. The tree doesn’t want to waste all the good things in the leaf, so it takes the nutrients from the leaf back into the stems and roots. This way, they can be recycled. When the leaf is empty, the tree stops holding onto it and it falls to the ground or blows away in a gust of wind.

“Why do trees grow fruit?” – Hafidz, 6-year-old

Some trees produce flowers and some produce fruit to help with seed dispersal. Animals and birds eat the fruit and then poop out the seeds at another location, thereby dispersing the seeds, and produce trees – which can take a while to grow.

Now, do you ever wonder how kids all over the world draw the same picture: the two mountains, a river, the sun, the birds, and some trees? Do they understand nature and trees? 

Well, it has two reasons: first, the one is because they are naturally connected with the environment. They love looking and being in nature and learn from them. They are always curious and excited to know and study about the environment and get more knowledge practically. The second thing is a beautiful nature drawing with all these elements of nature are the easiest topic to draw in a drawing because we are surrounded by it and therefore can draw it naturally.

We want to thank kids from Yayasan Annisa for their amazing questions. It’s always wonderful to hear how people connect with a tree, especially kids because they are our next Gen-Z generation to protect our earth and their future.

 

Tree planting

Tree planting

5 Fundamental Tree Planting Tips for You

Tree planting is a thing that leads to many benefits in the future. It provides some shades for the surrounding areas. Moreover, it contributes to the environment as well. So, it is reasonable that many people want to plant some trees at home. You may want to do it as well. Yet, do you know how to do this particular thing appropriately? It is more complicated than it seems at first.

Tree planting

5 Fundamental Tree Planting Tips for You

Consider the Region

One of the most crucial things about tree planting is to think of the region you live in. It is the same as moving into a new place with a different climate. Your body will adapt to the weather because we are capable of doing that. Plants, on the other hand, cannot do that. So, you need to understand the weather and climate in your area. You will find the appropriate plants to plant and grow after that.

Consider the Season

Most trees require the best conditions to grow well. They need to establish their roots for their growth. So, it is pivotal to find the perfect time to start planting trees at home. For example, it will not be a good idea to do this in summer. The tremendous heat is not going to be beneficial for trees, plants, and crops to grow. In a moderate climate region, early spring and fall will be the perfect time for it.

Consider the Location

The spot where you will commence the tree planting activity is pivotal to consider thoroughly. It affects the growth of those greeneries that you have in mind. For example, an area around your dwelling that gets less sunlight than others is not a good spot. More importantly, think about the water flow or drainage as well. An area with an overflow of water is not a good spot either for this thing.

Understand the Needs

Well, tree planting requires many things. It is not enough for you to buy the plants, trees, and crops to grow. You will need appropriate tools to dig the hole. Moreover, you will have to prepare some nutrition for the soil in the form of fertilizer. Some plants may grow by themselves at ease. Unfortunately, some others need proper care to grow well. So, think about it before starting to plant some trees.

Think of the Benefits

Lastly, you have to consider the advantages of growing trees at home. Some of them offer their benefits once they are growing well. For example, a tree with large crowns can provide shade during a hot summer day. On the other hand, small evergreen trees can break the wind that hits your house. You will enjoy the most benefits of those greeneries when considering this matter correctly.

Tree planting is not an easy thing to do at first. There are numerous things to consider before doing it for the first time. Nevertheless, it provides many advantages alongside proper procedures. So, get yourself ready by addressing those matters and start planting. You will enjoy the good things that come from them in no time. If you need more information, please contact us.

Quick Tree Planting Guides for Tight Spaces

Quick Tree Planting Guides

Quick Tree Planting Guides for Tight Spaces – Tree planting does not require a vast space. It can be surprising for you that a tight space can hold many trees and plants. There are several things that you can do to optimize your small garden or greenery corner at home. More importantly, a small area of trees and plants requires less time to take care of regularly. If you have no space for it just yet, you can make use of even a corner of your porch.

Quick Tree Planting Guides for Tight Spaces

Quick Tree Planting Guides

 

Make Use of the Vertical Space

It is the most common method of small space gardening at home. The vertical space means the area on the wall or fence that goes upward. It is not a new thing that you can use this kind of space to put some plants. There are numerous ways to do this kind of thing. More importantly, it is easy to look for the necessary items and tools for vertical gardening. Find the spot and start doing it.

Consider Large Containers

If you want to do tree planting using some containers, it is best to go for the large ones. Larger containers end up using less floor space than the smaller ones. More importantly, you can put several trees in one of those containers that you have. So, instead of buying a lot of small containers, go for the bigger ones. You will need to arrange some of the plants that you have in it for the best appeal.

Use Peculiar Spots at Home

You may realize that there are some peculiar spots at home. Vacant corners where walls meet each other are among the common areas that have no function at all. You can make use of the space for your tree planting plan. You can put some containers on the floor. Then, you can add some vertical greeneries as well right there. You can be as creative as you want on this matter.

Go with Layers

You will find this layering thing at many stores. The display uses layers so that all of the items will be visible to visitors. You can adapt this idea for a tight space tree planting purpose. There are many things you can use to create the so-called layers. The fundamental idea is to put smaller and shorter trees or plants at the front. At the back, you can go for tall trees or plants with large crowns.

Consider Small Plants

If you plant a large tree in a small space, it will occupy the entire area in no time. So, you have to consider small plants. On the other hand, you can also make use of slow-growing trees. It means that the trees will not get big too quickly. You will not find out that the space is too small for your tree planting activity too soon.

A small space comes with tons of possibilities for gardening at home. You do not need to worry about it at all. As long as you know how to do the tree planting appropriately, even a tiny vacant spot at home can be a beautiful green space in no time. If you need more information, please contact us.

Quick Tree Planting Guides for Tight Spaces

Tips to Plant Trees at Home

Tips to Plant Trees at Home

Tree planting is a fun activity to do. Some people even love gardening as their hobby. If you want to plant trees at your house, there are several things you must consider since not all trees are suitable to plant in a garden or backyard. For example, your purpose in planting trees. If you plant trees to enjoy the harvest, you can plant fruit trees, for instance. If you want to know more, here are the tips to plant trees at home.

Tips to Plant Trees at Home

Tips to Plant Trees at Home

 

Determine Your Purpose

As it is said before, you should determine your purpose of planting trees first. If you want to plant trees to relieve stress, kill time, or beautify your yard, planting decorative plants is a good idea. But if you want to plant trees that can produce something, you can plant tomatoes, apples, mangoes, and so on. By knowing your purpose of planting trees, you will be able to determine what kind of tree you should plant.

Prepare the Space

The next tip of tree planting is preparing the space. You do not need to have a spacious garden, just make sure that the space is large enough for the tree to grow. Also, make sure that the space you prepare gets enough natural sunlight and a water source is available since trees need them to grow.

Know the Characteristics of the Tree

You need to know the characteristics of the tree that you are going to plant at home. Such as the height, width, root and stem growth. Do not forget to choose a tree that is suitable for your needs. For your information, not all kinds of trees are ideal to plant in a garden or yard. For example, the Palm King tree has hard roots so that it is dangerous for a building’s construction. If you want to plant this tree, you need to have a spacious garden so that the roots will not reach your house.

Choose the Right Seeds

For a successful tree planting, choosing the right seed is important. Moreover, you should also understand what plant seeds are suitable to plant at certain times and weather conditions. Also, make sure it can survive in the environment where you live. Choose vines if the balcony or rooftop is your gardening area. These vines will be helpful in reducing the intensity of excessive sunlight at certain times.

If this is your first time planting trees, you can choose to plant decorative plants with various colours and kinds. It is because decorative plants are relatively easy to plant.

Adjust the Distance Between Trees

If you are planning to plant more than one tree in your yard, do not forget to adjust the distance between trees. This extremely determines the growth of the tree. The minimum distance between trees is 3 meters. With this distance, trees can grow well and last for a long time. You should also consider the distance between the trees and your house since their roots might damage the structure of your house. Are you ready for tree planting? please contact us now…