Week 25: Farewells

This week, I began wrapping up experiments in the lab and made my final village visits. It was bittersweet to say goodbye to the farmers, because working with them and visiting their fields was my favorite part of my Tanzania trip.  I’ll keep many good memories of the farmers that I worked with, and I’ll always appreciate how welcoming they were and how helpful they were during our field research.

Pics from this week below!

I could have posted serious farewell pictures, but I think these capture a bit more of the fun we had in the villages.

I could have posted serious farewell pictures, but I think these capture a bit more of the fun we had in the villages.

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That's a lot of O-H-I-O going on

That’s a lot of O-H-I-O going on

One last roadside nyama choma stop

One last roadside nyama choma stop

In other news, another gecko rescued from my shower. Bonus points for catching it during a power cut!

In other news, another gecko rescued from my shower. Bonus points for catching it during a power cut!

A beautiful moth

A beautiful moth

This goat was trying to eat the car's antenna

This wacky goat was trying to eat the car’s antenna

I started giving this kitten milk (I couldn't resist!)...

I started giving this kitten milk (I couldn’t resist!)…

But it's mom is always lurking and growling at me.

But its mom is always lurking and growling at me.

Week 24: Almost Done

With only two more full work weeks in Tanzania, I’ve been working hard to make sure I’m getting things done in the lab.  This week, I prepped some soils for my final soil tests, did a little bacteria work, and completed some DNA extractions.  Next week, I should start wrapping up by having my final village visits.

A few pictures for this week!

A toad taking advantage of some pots I left soaking in the screenhouse.

A toad taking advantage of some pots I left soaking in the screenhouse.

Seriously, I caught another gecko this week. This one got stuck in my shower.  Crazy gecko!

Seriously, I caught another gecko this week. This one got stuck in my shower. Crazy gecko!

 

Another gecko (not a very good pic though), this one is a yellow headed gecko. It's pretty cool looking!

Another gecko (not a very good pic though), this one is a yellow headed gecko. It’s pretty cool looking!

DNA extraction fun, if the vortex adaptor doesn't fit the vortex, just stick a paper towel in the adaptor part and hold it on the vortex with a centrifuge tube for 15 minutes (it's a long 15 minutes!!)

DNA extraction fun, if the vortex adaptor doesn’t fit the vortex, just stick a paper towel in the adaptor part and hold it on the vortex with a centrifuge tube for 15 minutes (it’s a long 15 minutes!!)

Finally got some good wilting from Ralstonia in my tomatoes and some lovely bacterial streaming

Finally got some good wilting from Ralstonia in my tomatoes accompanied by some lovely bacterial streaming

Looks like my bacteria is gram negative! (the KOH test)

Looks like my bacteria is gram negative! (the KOH test)

Week 23: Mountain Tomatoes

This week, we finished our final village visit for the tomato disease survey.  We visited a mountain village which made for a strenuous day of trekking through tomato fields.  In this village, there were some interesting intercroppings: tomato/maize, tomato/radish, tomato/pea/maize, and tomato/potato.   The rest of the week was spent in the lab and screenhouse, mostly doing takedown of a big assay.

Pics below!

Eager and ready to begin the day!

Eager and ready to begin the day!

One of the paths we walked along between fields: it was about 1 foot wide and on one side, there was an irrigation stream and on the other side, it dropped off into a field. Don't lose your balance!

One of the paths we walked along between fields: it was about 1 foot wide and on one side, there was an irrigation stream and on the other side, it dropped off into a field. Don’t lose your balance!

The soils here have a lot of mica in them.

The soils here have a lot of mica in them.

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Check out that terracing

Check out that terracing!

It looks like an amphitheater

It looks like an amphitheater

If your tomatoes have late blight ...

If you’re intercropping tomato/potato and one gets late blight..

The other will get it too!

The other will get it too.

Adorable goat

Adorable goat

Sleepy pig

Sleepy pig

There are peaches and apples in this village, too. Here's some peach leaf curl (Taphrina deformans)

There are peaches and apples in this village, too. Here’s some peach leaf curl (Taphrina deformans)

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In other exciting news this week, I found a baby gecko inside my mosquito netting. Luckily, I was able to safely remove if and place it outside.

How did that gecko get in there?

How did that gecko get in there?

Gotcha! Get out its awesome eye!

Gotcha! Check out its awesome eye!

Week 22: The Usual

This week I had a pretty typical week (in terms of typical for Tanzania): inoculated some plants, worked in the lab, took down an assay, and entered data. Routine things can be good, especially when there’s only one more month remaining in my trip.  Next week should be a bit busier!

Only two plant pics from this week!

Amaranth trials on campus, beautiful plants!

Amaranth trials on campus, beautiful plants!

The tree outside my house is blooming and it's quite lovely!

The tree outside my house is blooming and it’s quite lovely!