2015 is United Nations “YEAR of the Soil”. We are joining the world effort by making healthy compost with which to aerate and nourish the existing red clay, orange clay and grey clay that forms the basis of Tienfu ( Forest in Heaven: Tien is ” heaven” fu is “forest”) in Sichuan province, south west China.

Last week our agriculture group cleared an “island” of plastic rubbish from its permanent vortex in the grey stream that runs through the property. (YES a microcosm of that Pacific Ocean Island of floating world rubble.)

Spruce and bamboo forests rim the fruit tree orchards and vegetable gardens on this forested mountain that is close to the sky. Discovering multitudes of golden stones and white quartz rimmed grey rocks remind us that this is ancient land. We taste the resins from the Spruce and Fruit trees as it drips in this Spring tide. Perhaps farmers hundreds of years from now will dig up crystalised stones formed from liquids of today.