The San Juancito area was mountainous and the apple trees were mostly planted on steep slopes. I helped demonstrate some soil conservation practices.... Small semi-circular terraces for each tree. And I showed how to prune and shape young apple trees so as to get more production from each tree. Walking up the mountain to visit farms was hard work....so the Peace Corps bought me the mule in the second photo. One night I gave a talk in the Rosario school up above and when it was over it was so dark I literally could not see my hand in front of my face. I got on the mule and he took me down the steep road and we arrived in town safely in about an hour. He was a lifesaver that night.....but most of the time he was a pain in the butt. 😁 I finished up my year in San Juancito by getting a grant to pay for a 4 day field trip to visit successful apple farms in Guatemala. Ten of us went and the trip went very well and for 7 of the farmers it was their first opportunity to travel to another country.
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