Since Monday, our neighbors (owners of a small coffee farm) to the south of the school began cutting large honey locust trees with their machetes, with two falling into the courtyard learning area. Thankfully no one has been hurt. Some branches fell on one of the learning huts, but as its roof was made of a synthetic corrugated faux-terra cotta, nothing came of the incident.
What is interesting, perhaps more than the 'close-calls', is the method of farming employed.
Since coffee plants require a good deal of shade to produce the best bean, trees are typically grown over them (various types are used, sometimes even Macadamia Nut trees). Depending on the tree type used, once they reach a particular height, they are cut and used for firewood, while the beans are of course harvested and roasted. The cycle is repeated.
When combined with Macadamia Nut trees, both plants are 'cash crops', and the nuts can be either sold directly as produce, or incorporated into any number of oils, soaps, cremes, etc. which can offer income in the beauty market. This is in fact the essence of As Green As It Gets, a local non-profit group which I intend to write more about in the near future... The founder and director of AGAIG, Franklin, was featured in one of my photos (day 8) of Constru Casa, serving me the finest cappucino I've had since in Guatemala. The best part was that the beans had been grown by one of the farmers he helped with starting a business.
Maybe if I'm lucky the school will get some free coffee in remuneration for the near fatal tree-falling... For now it is at least part of the experience...
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