A cocoa farm and the botanical gardens
On Saturday I invited a group to go with me up to Aburi for a day trip. We were joined by one Ghanaian first year, Fiona.
Our first stop was to the Tetteh Quarshie farm and homestead in the town of Maampong. Fiona explained that Saturday is "market day for funerals," which explained why there were about four taking place in the very small town of Maampong. The care taker of the Tetteh Quarshie farm was at one of them, but someone went to fetch him and we had a very interesting tour.
Tetteh Quarshie was a Ghanaian black-smith who traveled to (some Island, I'll fill in the name later), where he befriended the local farmers with his ability to make farm equipment and so when he returned to Ghana they gifted him with a live cocoa plant. Several people had been trying to establish cocoa growing in Ghana, and he also tried first in Accra, but failed. Then he headed up to Maampong where the chief gave him 0.38 hectars with a creek and he succeded! We saw two of the orrigonal trees planted by Tetteh Quarshie, which are about 126 years old. The rest of the orrigonal farm has trees about 50 years old, all in good health.
There was some controversy over who first introduced cocoa, but I believe a court case settled it on Mr. Quarshie. For a time, Ghana was the worlds largest producer of cocoa, but there was an infestation in 1982 or 83 which meant that many of the groves had to be burned and now they are second or third. Cocoa is still a major cash crop in Ghana, I think it is second only to gold as a foreign currency earner.
Our second stop was the botanical gardens in Aburi. There was more info on cocoa, and some interesting spice trees. We met some more nice folks and had a relaxing lunch.
We took a wrong turn and had to walk along the highway, but eventually made it to our third stop at the carving village portion of Aburi. Our friends from the botanical gardens were driving by and stoped to look with us also. I bought a small gift for Patti, but basically just looked.
I took lots of pictures, which I'm finally getting posted at the end of September!
Our first stop was to the Tetteh Quarshie farm and homestead in the town of Maampong. Fiona explained that Saturday is "market day for funerals," which explained why there were about four taking place in the very small town of Maampong. The care taker of the Tetteh Quarshie farm was at one of them, but someone went to fetch him and we had a very interesting tour.
Tetteh Quarshie was a Ghanaian black-smith who traveled to (some Island, I'll fill in the name later), where he befriended the local farmers with his ability to make farm equipment and so when he returned to Ghana they gifted him with a live cocoa plant. Several people had been trying to establish cocoa growing in Ghana, and he also tried first in Accra, but failed. Then he headed up to Maampong where the chief gave him 0.38 hectars with a creek and he succeded! We saw two of the orrigonal trees planted by Tetteh Quarshie, which are about 126 years old. The rest of the orrigonal farm has trees about 50 years old, all in good health.
There was some controversy over who first introduced cocoa, but I believe a court case settled it on Mr. Quarshie. For a time, Ghana was the worlds largest producer of cocoa, but there was an infestation in 1982 or 83 which meant that many of the groves had to be burned and now they are second or third. Cocoa is still a major cash crop in Ghana, I think it is second only to gold as a foreign currency earner.
Our second stop was the botanical gardens in Aburi. There was more info on cocoa, and some interesting spice trees. We met some more nice folks and had a relaxing lunch.
We took a wrong turn and had to walk along the highway, but eventually made it to our third stop at the carving village portion of Aburi. Our friends from the botanical gardens were driving by and stoped to look with us also. I bought a small gift for Patti, but basically just looked.
I took lots of pictures, which I'm finally getting posted at the end of September!
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