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The A-Frame MATERIALS NEEDED · 2 poles about 2 metres long
STEP 1 Tie the poles very tightly together to make the shape of a letter A. Hang the stone from the top of the A-Frame, making sure the stone hangs below the cross bar. STEP 2 Holding the frame upright, mark with two sticks exactly where the poles touch the ground. When the stone stops moving, mark where the string crosses the cross bar. Turn the A-Frame around, placing the poles in exactly the positions marked by the two sticks. Again mark where the string crosses the cross bar.
STEP 3 Mark the level mark on the cross bar - exactly half way between the previous marks. If the first two marks happen to be on the same place - this is the level mark.
STEP 4 Before using the A-Frame, collect a number of sticks. Begin, ideally with two people, at one side of the field where the first contour line is wanted. Hold one pole firmly on the ground. Move the other pole until both poles are on the ground with the string touching the level mark. Place a stick into the soil by each pole. Move the A-Frame along, by turning it around (pivoting), keeping pole 1 in exactly the same place. Move pole 2 until the string touches the level mark and place another stick into the ground by pole 2. Carry on in this way, pivoting the A-Frame across the field.
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Food drying DRYING is one of the oldest methods of preserving food. Beans, cereals, meat and fish are commonly dried to preserve them. The drying of fruit and vegetables is less common but this technology is a very simple one and would greatly improve the variety in people's diet. Tomatoes, herbs, mangoes and onions are examples of vegetables and fruit which can easily be dried and stored. Drying provides the opportunity for preserving good harvests instead of selling when market prices are low. Well packaged, dried produce can be sold later when prices may be higher. When drying food, particularly if the produce is to be sold, it is very important that the food is kept as clean as possible. Workers must carefully wash their hands; all equipment should be properly cleaned. Any packaging must be clean and dry. Flies must be kept away from the food at all stages. The following methods simply use the sun to dry food. This will work well where there is plentiful sun and the humidity is not too high. In areas of high humidity or little sun, there are other methods of drying food, using fuel. (See page 12.) Tent drier This is a tent shaped wooden or bamboo frame tied together and covered with plastic sheeting. Clear plastic is used on the sunny side and black plastic on the shady side. Or the drier can be covered with clear plastic with black plastic on the ground. The wire drying frame should be about half a metre from the ground. One end is left loose for entry - and closed with stones or bricks. The sides can be rolled over a pole to allow air flow and to control the temperature. Mangoes Good quality, half-ripe large mangoes which do not contain too many fibres will give the best results. The mangoes are first washed, peeled and cut into thin slices (6-8 mm thick) with a stainless steel knife. Soak the mangoes in a bowl containing: · 1 litre of boiling water · 7-800 g (5 small teacups) of sugar · 3 g (1 heaped teaspoon or soda bottle top) of potassium metabisulphite (a preservative which can be bought in chemists) · 2 large spoons of lemon juice |
