ConservationLinks

The processing plant roof is up, the floor is done. Now the carpentry for the walls! @conslinks (at ConservationLinks) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDyU24eJLS-/?igshid=y2q1itcjl0tq

Day 3, the floor of the building almost done. Managed to get it done in between showers of rain. #conslinks (at Wetalawa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDXaAYyJiyS/?igshid=1crjufla4y3gb

Day 2 of the spice processing plant. The roof is starting to go up. A simple design and affordable materials. (at Wetalawa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDU-IfHpBrE/?igshid=rlhsf5acbae

Day 2. Concreting the floor of the processing plant. Ukku Banda and our team at work! (In between the rain). (at Wetalawa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDU9zsPpcSB/?igshid=tfzjv2bqgnxz

Our team just restarted work on our coffee/spice processing plant. It's been many quiet months since CoVID. This was day 1, levelling the floor before concreting. #conslinks #agriculture #coffee #spices (at Wetalawa) https://www.instagram.com/p/CDU9HnHJ6oi/?igshid=1u6kn9c7s6rwf

I finally finished my PhD today! To say that it has been an amazing journey is an understatement to say the least. While I head out for a good beer now, as the fact that I have done it has not sunken in yet, I leave this picture of me taken by my labmates. I would like to dedicate my PhD to my family, labmates (i.e. academic siblings at all levels) past and present, friends, field mates and peers. All who have made this journey what its is. Thank you and I will tag all of you here eventually! (at NUS Biological Sciences) https://www.instagram.com/p/B9J9RZugkQx/?igshid=1m8kjulbpq1ut

View from peacock hill. (at ConservationLinks) https://www.instagram.com/p/B8pvES5Ac9u/?igshid=1dchezgx7b5cr

A cobra on our farm. We knew he was somewhere, but didnt know he was so big. The responses from our staff highlight their concerns. We dont kill snakes, particularly cobras because of the social and religious reasons associated with them. But it is hard to share space with them too. Here our use harsh language to ask the cobra to go away. It does go away, but there is always a risk. #cobra #najanaja #biodiversity #conservation #conslinks #conservationlinks https://www.instagram.com/p/B4BfomSAfxN/?igshid=1okumguvxukb5

Some nice shots of yesterdays weeding, fertilizing and mulching. #ginger #agriculture #farming #conslinks #conservationlinks (at Hedunuwawa, Sri Lanka) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3swvEGAkPc/?igshid=1fl5389rdangg

Ginger planting beds need to be weeded, fertilised and mulched. The mulch is twice husk and slows down weed growth. Here our female staff and Somarathna at work. #ginger #spices #tropical ##SriLanka #permaculture #agriculture #conslinks #conservationlinks (at Hedunuwawa, Sri Lanka) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3q3OtBgoxN/?igshid=hacrw5iijfy0

Skill to separate green beans from seed coats. Again Premawathie displaying the skills needed. #coffee #traditional #permaculture #SriLanka (at Hedunuwawa, Sri Lanka) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3pBCypANQ3/?igshid=1w4emuncfxnfd

Separating the green beans from the seed coats. Takes skill! Premawathie is an expert! #coffee #tradional #smallfarmer #permaculture #conslinks #conservationlinks (at Hedunuwawa, Sri Lanka) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3o_1GGAYil/?igshid=1lktnwerqv7tm

Removing the outer seed coat. Too much force, and the beans break, too little force and the seed coat doesnt separate. Premawathie here is very experienced at it! (at Hedunuwawa, Sri Lanka) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3o-__ygXGs/?igshid=1ud07y77p6d20

The traditional way to remove the seed coat is by pounding the dried coffee beans in a granite mortar with a pestle made from coconut wood. The next video will show this in action. #coffee #tradional #permaculture #farming #SriLanka #conslinks #conservationlinks (at Hedunuwawa, Sri Lanka) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3nkaPBAO6u/?igshid=10xyoqb5ws3ft

Our first attempt at making coffee beans the traditional way. This is after sun drying. The next step is removing the outer coat. Stay tuned! #coffee #tradition #Srilanka #permaculture #conservationlinks #conslinks (at Hedunuwawa, Sri Lanka) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3nj-slAesd/?igshid=hmd47nifv9t9

One of our founding directors, Mr JK Wijedasa, and our staff planting three native lime trees on the farm. We hope to have a diversity of plants including everything needed for cooking on the farm. #lime #farming #agriculture #homegardening #permaculture #conslinks #conservationlinks (at Hedunuwawa, Sri Lanka) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3is5UggJtn/?igshid=1qjvmrh16epvl