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[body] => I know Salvador.
Goat Raising and the Enviroment
Northern Cebu and other areas in the country are sugar cane growers. Part of their traditional practice is burning the sugar cane fields after harvest. This allows them to turn around and plant again with minimal cost right away. The problem with this is it is damaging to the soil, air, micro organisms that help in the cycle of life, and contribute to global warming.
To sustain the damaged soil, the farmers pump chemical fertilzers to the ground. Again, such practices harm the soil further as well as the rivers, ocean, and drinking water supply. The cost of fertilizer (fossil oil based) is also growing which keeps growers from paying their workers adequate salary. Most workers get less than $2.00 a day for their hot and back breaking service in sugar cane plantations.
Goat raising can help overcome the environmental damage sugar cane industry causes. Farmers can raise nitrogen fixing plants for goat feed. Goat manure can be recycled back to the soil and bring back its original richness.
The financial benefit of goat raising for the poor farmers is also promising because goat meat is more expensive than beef or pork. Farmers can also milk their goats and sell their surplus or make soap or lotion. Goat manure is free fertilizer for their gardens.
If you wish to know more about goat raising as a means to empower the poor, especially children, please let me know. Feel free to pass this to others if you wish. Thank you.
Salvador Cariaga
PS. Currently, the Philippines import 90% of our milk and 80% of our beef products. The Philippines have enough land and natural resources to be exporting, not importing, such basic necessities.
How a Boer Goat is Changing a Community
Standard Boer goats are native to Africa. These goats can grow up to 280 pounds or more, and cost $600 (in Cebu) for a registered weanling. They usually have stocky white bodies and red heads. Although most Filipinos are familiar with goats, many have never seen a Boer goat. So when we decided to use goat raising as our flagship livelihood program, the people in the hills of Arapal (northern Cebu) shrugged it off. We were not the first livelihood project, or even the first goat raising program, they had encountered. The government had tried such offers in the past, and failed.
Determined to give it a go, the first thing I did was scout for all the homes that raise goats. There were quite a few. As many as one in five families have a goat or two, though mostly of the small, 20-40 pound native variety. They also do not milk their goats. I have traveled extensively around the island, and have yet to meet a family who milk their goats. So we conducted seminars on goat raising and milk production. We also lectured on organic alternatives and farming techniques, such as Vermi-Culture, Contour, and SALT Technology. We partnered with the government and feed companies on some of the seminars. As a matter of course, we also shared the Bible with these families, and invited them to church.
When it was time to disperse our small native goats, we had a few takers. We loaned most of our goats to children who were excited at the thought of having their own personal pet, and the parents and children signed a contract agreeing that the goat is actually loaned to the child. We then convinced a friend to donate money to buy an expensive Boer buck, and has been our most productive investment, both literally and figuratively.
In less than a year, the Boer has sired over 100 kids, and has changed the landscape of this community. Instead of the small native ruminants normally seen along Philippine roads, Boer hybrids are now popping up in this small village. People are lining up to borrow and raise a pregnant native goat mated by our buck. Early this week, a little old lady dragged her female goat (in heat) to the camp, insisting that the Boer sire her doe‘s offspring. Recently, 40 people attended a seminar to qualify for this goat-loaning program. They all want to have Boer kids. More are expected to join the next seminar.
The goats we disperse to poor children and farmers are usually pregnant when given. We divide their offspring, take our share, and pass these new additions on to others. We recently received another donation, with which we were able to purchase a new Boer buck. Deemed “Bubba” by his donors, Bubba the goat will sire the first Boer’s female offspring, and improve (upgrade) their breed line even more. Another sign of progress: our partnering farmers are now starting to milk their goats, and pretty soon will supply us with milk to market for them. We are also encouraging them to make good use of the goat manure for their gardens.
In the long run, we expect to see this community thrive economically, be healthy physically, and grow spiritually. With the food and fuel crisis looming on everyone’s mind, our goat program offers hope for a better future. We calculate that if the children to whom we loan goats will take good care of half a dozen goats, it can pay for their education from grade school to college.
Thanks to the first Boer goat, the community visually witnesses the results, and are now buying into our mission and vision.
Salvador Cariaga
Filipino Goat Roper
Estrella is either a single mom or a widow. She does not talk or explain her situation much, but she has four kids. All four attend our VBS and other church activities regularly. One of them hangs around the farm and camp a lot.
Estrella built her goat house herself. She used the most basic materials she could gather for free. She does not have land, but uses a neighbors property to gather feeds for her goats. She is very dedicated to raising goats which we are excited about. We hope to give her and her kids enough goats that their living conditions will improve and will support her children's education all the way through college.
Building up a community, one family at a time....
PS. Native mother goat mated with our Boer. Result is an upgraded baby boers, which made Estrella and her kids very, very happy.
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Northern Cebu and other areas in the country are sugar cane growers. Part of their traditional practice is burning the sugar cane fields after harvest. This allows them to turn around and plant again with minimal cost right away. The problem with this is it is damaging to the soil, air, micro organisms that help in the cycle of life, and contribute to global warming.
To sustain the damaged soil, the farmers pump chemical fertilzers to the ground. Again, such practices harm the soil further as well as the rivers, ocean, and drinking water supply. The cost of fertilizer (fossil oil based) is also growing which keeps growers from paying their workers adequate salary. Most workers get less than $2.00 a day for their hot and back breaking service in sugar cane plantations.
Goat raising can help overcome the environmental damage sugar cane industry causes. Farmers can raise nitrogen fixing plants for goat feed. Goat manure can be recycled back to the soil and bring back its original richness.
The financial benefit of goat raising for the poor farmers is also promising because goat meat is more expensive than beef or pork. Farmers can also milk their goats and sell their surplus or make soap or lotion. Goat manure is free fertilizer for their gardens.
If you wish to know more about goat raising as a means to empower the poor, especially children, please let me know. Feel free to pass this to others if you wish. Thank you.
Salvador Cariaga
PS. Currently, the Philippines import 90% of our milk and 80% of our beef products. The Philippines have enough land and natural resources to be exporting, not importing, such basic necessities.
How a Boer Goat is Changing a Community
Standard Boer goats are native to Africa. These goats can grow up to 280 pounds or more, and cost $600 (in Cebu) for a registered weanling. They usually have stocky white bodies and red heads. Although most Filipinos are familiar with goats, many have never seen a Boer goat. So when we decided to use goat raising as our flagship livelihood program, the people in the hills of Arapal (northern Cebu) shrugged it off. We were not the first livelihood project, or even the first goat raising program, they had encountered. The government had tried such offers in the past, and failed.
Determined to give it a go, the first thing I did was scout for all the homes that raise goats. There were quite a few. As many as one in five families have a goat or two, though mostly of the small, 20-40 pound native variety. They also do not milk their goats. I have traveled extensively around the island, and have yet to meet a family who milk their goats. So we conducted seminars on goat raising and milk production. We also lectured on organic alternatives and farming techniques, such as Vermi-Culture, Contour, and SALT Technology. We partnered with the government and feed companies on some of the seminars. As a matter of course, we also shared the Bible with these families, and invited them to church.
When it was time to disperse our small native goats, we had a few takers. We loaned most of our goats to children who were excited at the thought of having their own personal pet, and the parents and children signed a contract agreeing that the goat is actually loaned to the child. We then convinced a friend to donate money to buy an expensive Boer buck, and has been our most productive investment, both literally and figuratively.
In less than a year, the Boer has sired over 100 kids, and has changed the landscape of this community. Instead of the small native ruminants normally seen along Philippine roads, Boer hybrids are now popping up in this small village. People are lining up to borrow and raise a pregnant native goat mated by our buck. Early this week, a little old lady dragged her female goat (in heat) to the camp, insisting that the Boer sire her doe‘s offspring. Recently, 40 people attended a seminar to qualify for this goat-loaning program. They all want to have Boer kids. More are expected to join the next seminar.
The goats we disperse to poor children and farmers are usually pregnant when given. We divide their offspring, take our share, and pass these new additions on to others. We recently received another donation, with which we were able to purchase a new Boer buck. Deemed “Bubba” by his donors, Bubba the goat will sire the first Boer’s female offspring, and improve (upgrade) their breed line even more. Another sign of progress: our partnering farmers are now starting to milk their goats, and pretty soon will supply us with milk to market for them. We are also encouraging them to make good use of the goat manure for their gardens.
In the long run, we expect to see this community thrive economically, be healthy physically, and grow spiritually. With the food and fuel crisis looming on everyone’s mind, our goat program offers hope for a better future. We calculate that if the children to whom we loan goats will take good care of half a dozen goats, it can pay for their education from grade school to college.
Thanks to the first Boer goat, the community visually witnesses the results, and are now buying into our mission and vision.
Salvador Cariaga
Filipino Goat Roper
Estrella is either a single mom or a widow. She does not talk or explain her situation much, but she has four kids. All four attend our VBS and other church activities regularly. One of them hangs around the farm and camp a lot.
Estrella built her goat house herself. She used the most basic materials she could gather for free. She does not have land, but uses a neighbors property to gather feeds for her goats. She is very dedicated to raising goats which we are excited about. We hope to give her and her kids enough goats that their living conditions will improve and will support her children's education all the way through college.
Building up a community, one family at a time....
PS. Native mother goat mated with our Boer. Result is an upgraded baby boers, which made Estrella and her kids very, very happy.
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[body] => Ken, thanks for this info. It's really encouraging to find out how projects similar to ours made a difference for people.
Scott, thanks for signing up for this task. I also activated shared document (wiki) in the case you need it.
The manual documents are also available in "resource" section of our village.
Sonja
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Ken, thanks for this info. It's really encouraging to find out how projects similar to ours made a difference for people.
Scott, thanks for signing up for this task. I also activated shared document (wiki) in the case you need it.
The manual documents are also available in "resource" section of our village.
Sonja
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[body] => Hi Ken,
They are some very interesting letters/articles that you've posted. I am particularly impressed with the manner in which the goats have been incorporated into the family unit by being loaned to the [i]children[/i] as "pets".
This has an advantage in fostering continuity in the scheme - the children taking an active interest, and thus learning from their parents in the care and utilisation of their livestock.
I wonder if this is something that could work in Walungu...
--
Hi everyone,
I am in the process of looking at all the materials that I have at the moment, and then I will outline which topics I will be focussing on for my manual.
I have been asked to develop a manual that caters to the semi- and non-literate, so this will therefore involve a illustrative format, with very minimal text.
What exactly is the educational standard of the people of Walungu? Have the locals been exposed to any formal education, even to a small degree in their younger years? Which tasks do you think would be performed by the men, women and children respectively?
One of the difficulties highlighted in the research information I have, is in conveying objects and actions in the absence of words. Some people may not have been exposed to printed pictures or illustrations before, and as such the illustrations must be clear and concise in their design. Furthermore, testing may be required in the field to ensure full comprehension of the training material. These are points for consideration in my task that I thought I would share with you all.
Regards,
Scott
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They are some very interesting letters/articles that you've posted. I am particularly impressed with the manner in which the goats have been incorporated into the family unit by being loaned to the children as "pets".
This has an advantage in fostering continuity in the scheme - the children taking an active interest, and thus learning from their parents in the care and utilisation of their livestock.
I wonder if this is something that could work in Walungu...
--
Hi everyone,
I am in the process of looking at all the materials that I have at the moment, and then I will outline which topics I will be focussing on for my manual.
I have been asked to develop a manual that caters to the semi- and non-literate, so this will therefore involve a illustrative format, with very minimal text.
What exactly is the educational standard of the people of Walungu? Have the locals been exposed to any formal education, even to a small degree in their younger years? Which tasks do you think would be performed by the men, women and children respectively?
One of the difficulties highlighted in the research information I have, is in conveying objects and actions in the absence of words. Some people may not have been exposed to printed pictures or illustrations before, and as such the illustrations must be clear and concise in their design. Furthermore, testing may be required in the field to ensure full comprehension of the training material. These are points for consideration in my task that I thought I would share with you all.
Regards,
Scott
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[body] => Will it work in Walungu? My experience is that people are just people regardless of the country.
The only exception to this I found in NE Honduras. The people refused to use bucket drip irrigation. They are too lazy to carry water to have food.
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The book from South Africa has arrived to Rolphe's address. :-)
On Saturday, Jun 7, we will have a chat with Guillaume regarding graphic manuals. It would be great to have you all there and to hear your ideas and comments. The chat will be at 3pm Congo, 4pm Europe, 7am California, 10pm Hong-Kong and 12pm Sydney. MSN as usually.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
Sonja
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[body] => Hi everybody,
About the manuals (should be more than one) from S Africa- here is the description I have "it is small (52 pages) but is easy to read and has
numerous photos and illustrations". If the illustrations are good may be the community can make some additional copies (instead of waiting on us to create new ones). What do you think?
Have a lovely weekend :)
Tanja
PS Scott, welcome to the team!
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About the manuals (should be more than one) from S Africa- here is the description I have "it is small (52 pages) but is easy to read and has
numerous photos and illustrations". If the illustrations are good may be the community can make some additional copies (instead of waiting on us to create new ones). What do you think?
Have a lovely weekend :)
Tanja
PS Scott, welcome to the team!
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[body] => Hi Tanja,
Thanks. I'm pleased to be a part of such an enthusiastic bunch!
The manual sounds great. If the illustrations are good, then I see no reason why I can't recycle and manipulate them as needs be, with permission of course. I would really like to see how they've approached the task.
Cheers!
Scott
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Thanks. I'm pleased to be a part of such an enthusiastic bunch!
The manual sounds great. If the illustrations are good, then I see no reason why I can't recycle and manipulate them as needs be, with permission of course. I would really like to see how they've approached the task.
Cheers!
Scott
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[body] => Dearb Tanja and all,
I have the pleasure to inform you that the postal office at Bujumbura just give to me the packet from Tanja and I have just inform Guillaume about that.
I need to send it to Guillaume, in this day when I'll cross the board( From Burundi to DRC), He'll get it without any problem.
Hope to head from you once again.
Regards
Rolph
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I have the pleasure to inform you that the postal office at Bujumbura just give to me the packet from Tanja and I have just inform Guillaume about that.
I need to send it to Guillaume, in this day when I'll cross the board( From Burundi to DRC), He'll get it without any problem.
I heard today from Guillaume, he's in Walungu with the community.
They have prepaired the material for building, and as soon as they get dimensions they will start building the sheds.
According to Guillaume they will need about two weeks to build them.
Scot, how are the manuals for the housing progressing?
Great to hear Guillaume is back in Walungu and that the community is ready to start building the natural fencing.
Raul
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[body] => Hi Sonja,
Somehow I missed your message, so sorry for the delay.
The manuals are progressing slowly, but surely. I have been very short on time in the past week in particular, but I am hoping to block out as much time as possible in the next week to progress a bit further.
How have the materials been ordered? Am I right in assuming that they already have plans and dimensions for their first shed already, or do they require the manual in order to commence within the next few weeks??
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Somehow I missed your message, so sorry for the delay.
The manuals are progressing slowly, but surely. I have been very short on time in the past week in particular, but I am hoping to block out as much time as possible in the next week to progress a bit further.
How have the materials been ordered? Am I right in assuming that they already have plans and dimensions for their first shed already, or do they require the manual in order to commence within the next few weeks??
I know Salvador.
Goat Raising and the Enviroment
Northern Cebu and other areas in the country are sugar cane growers. Part of their traditional practice is burning the sugar cane fields after harvest. This allows them to turn around and plant again with minimal cost right away. The problem with this is it is damaging to the soil, air, micro organisms that help in the cycle of life, and contribute to global warming.
To sustain the damaged soil, the farmers pump chemical fertilzers to the ground. Again, such practices harm the soil further as well as the rivers, ocean, and drinking water supply. The cost of fertilizer (fossil oil based) is also growing which keeps growers from paying their workers adequate salary. Most workers get less than $2.00 a day for their hot and back breaking service in sugar cane plantations.
Goat raising can help overcome the environmental damage sugar cane industry causes. Farmers can raise nitrogen fixing plants for goat feed. Goat manure can be recycled back to the soil and bring back its original richness.
The financial benefit of goat raising for the poor farmers is also promising because goat meat is more expensive than beef or pork. Farmers can also milk their goats and sell their surplus or make soap or lotion. Goat manure is free fertilizer for their gardens.
If you wish to know more about goat raising as a means to empower the poor, especially children, please let me know. Feel free to pass this to others if you wish. Thank you.
Salvador Cariaga
PS. Currently, the Philippines import 90% of our milk and 80% of our beef products. The Philippines have enough land and natural resources to be exporting, not importing, such basic necessities.
How a Boer Goat is Changing a Community
Standard Boer goats are native to Africa. These goats can grow up to 280 pounds or more, and cost $600 (in Cebu) for a registered weanling. They usually have stocky white bodies and red heads. Although most Filipinos are familiar with goats, many have never seen a Boer goat. So when we decided to use goat raising as our flagship livelihood program, the people in the hills of Arapal (northern Cebu) shrugged it off. We were not the first livelihood project, or even the first goat raising program, they had encountered. The government had tried such offers in the past, and failed.
Determined to give it a go, the first thing I did was scout for all the homes that raise goats. There were quite a few. As many as one in five families have a goat or two, though mostly of the small, 20-40 pound native variety. They also do not milk their goats. I have traveled extensively around the island, and have yet to meet a family who milk their goats. So we conducted seminars on goat raising and milk production. We also lectured on organic alternatives and farming techniques, such as Vermi-Culture, Contour, and SALT Technology. We partnered with the government and feed companies on some of the seminars. As a matter of course, we also shared the Bible with these families, and invited them to church.
When it was time to disperse our small native goats, we had a few takers. We loaned most of our goats to children who were excited at the thought of having their own personal pet, and the parents and children signed a contract agreeing that the goat is actually loaned to the child. We then convinced a friend to donate money to buy an expensive Boer buck, and has been our most productive investment, both literally and figuratively.
In less than a year, the Boer has sired over 100 kids, and has changed the landscape of this community. Instead of the small native ruminants normally seen along Philippine roads, Boer hybrids are now popping up in this small village. People are lining up to borrow and raise a pregnant native goat mated by our buck. Early this week, a little old lady dragged her female goat (in heat) to the camp, insisting that the Boer sire her doe‘s offspring. Recently, 40 people attended a seminar to qualify for this goat-loaning program. They all want to have Boer kids. More are expected to join the next seminar.
The goats we disperse to poor children and farmers are usually pregnant when given. We divide their offspring, take our share, and pass these new additions on to others. We recently received another donation, with which we were able to purchase a new Boer buck. Deemed “Bubba” by his donors, Bubba the goat will sire the first Boer’s female offspring, and improve (upgrade) their breed line even more. Another sign of progress: our partnering farmers are now starting to milk their goats, and pretty soon will supply us with milk to market for them. We are also encouraging them to make good use of the goat manure for their gardens.
In the long run, we expect to see this community thrive economically, be healthy physically, and grow spiritually. With the food and fuel crisis looming on everyone’s mind, our goat program offers hope for a better future. We calculate that if the children to whom we loan goats will take good care of half a dozen goats, it can pay for their education from grade school to college.
Thanks to the first Boer goat, the community visually witnesses the results, and are now buying into our mission and vision.
Salvador Cariaga
Filipino Goat Roper
Estrella is either a single mom or a widow. She does not talk or explain her situation much, but she has four kids. All four attend our VBS and other church activities regularly. One of them hangs around the farm and camp a lot.
Estrella built her goat house herself. She used the most basic materials she could gather for free. She does not have land, but uses a neighbors property to gather feeds for her goats. She is very dedicated to raising goats which we are excited about. We hope to give her and her kids enough goats that their living conditions will improve and will support her children's education all the way through college.
Building up a community, one family at a time....
PS. Native mother goat mated with our Boer. Result is an upgraded baby boers, which made Estrella and her kids very, very happy.
Ken, thanks for this info. It's really encouraging to find out how projects similar to ours made a difference for people.
Scott, thanks for signing up for this task. I also activated shared document (wiki) in the case you need it.
The manual documents are also available in "resource" section of our village.
Sonja
Hi Ken,
They are some very interesting letters/articles that you've posted. I am particularly impressed with the manner in which the goats have been incorporated into the family unit by being loaned to the children as "pets".
This has an advantage in fostering continuity in the scheme - the children taking an active interest, and thus learning from their parents in the care and utilisation of their livestock.
I wonder if this is something that could work in Walungu...
--
Hi everyone,
I am in the process of looking at all the materials that I have at the moment, and then I will outline which topics I will be focussing on for my manual.
I have been asked to develop a manual that caters to the semi- and non-literate, so this will therefore involve a illustrative format, with very minimal text.
What exactly is the educational standard of the people of Walungu? Have the locals been exposed to any formal education, even to a small degree in their younger years? Which tasks do you think would be performed by the men, women and children respectively?
One of the difficulties highlighted in the research information I have, is in conveying objects and actions in the absence of words. Some people may not have been exposed to printed pictures or illustrations before, and as such the illustrations must be clear and concise in their design. Furthermore, testing may be required in the field to ensure full comprehension of the training material. These are points for consideration in my task that I thought I would share with you all.
Regards,
Scott
Will it work in Walungu? My experience is that people are just people regardless of the country.
The only exception to this I found in NE Honduras. The people refused to use bucket drip irrigation. They are too lazy to carry water to have food.
Hi there,
Any news on the goat keeping manual that the university in South Africa mailed to Menga Rodolphe Po Box : 402 Bujumbura Burundi?
Tanja
Hi Scott,
Welcome on board.
It will be great to cover these initial questions with Guillaume in a chat. He will probably be the best one to tell us more about it.
Talk soon,
Raul
Hi everyone,
The book from South Africa has arrived to Rolphe's address. :-)
On Saturday, Jun 7, we will have a chat with Guillaume regarding graphic manuals. It would be great to have you all there and to hear your ideas and comments. The chat will be at 3pm Congo, 4pm Europe, 7am California, 10pm Hong-Kong and 12pm Sydney. MSN as usually.
Looking forward to seeing you there.
Sonja
Hi everybody,
About the manuals (should be more than one) from S Africa- here is the description I have "it is small (52 pages) but is easy to read and has
numerous photos and illustrations". If the illustrations are good may be the community can make some additional copies (instead of waiting on us to create new ones). What do you think?
Have a lovely weekend :)
Tanja
PS Scott, welcome to the team!
Hi Tanja,
Thanks. I'm pleased to be a part of such an enthusiastic bunch!
The manual sounds great. If the illustrations are good, then I see no reason why I can't recycle and manipulate them as needs be, with permission of course. I would really like to see how they've approached the task.
Cheers!
Scott
Dearb Tanja and all,
I have the pleasure to inform you that the postal office at Bujumbura just give to me the packet from Tanja and I have just inform Guillaume about that.
I need to send it to Guillaume, in this day when I'll cross the board( From Burundi to DRC), He'll get it without any problem.
Hope to head from you once again.
Regards
Rolph
Hi Rolph,
great news!
Talk soon,
Raul
Great!
Thanks a lot Rolph!
Take care,
Sonja
Hi guys,
I heard today from Guillaume, he's in Walungu with the community.
They have prepaired the material for building, and as soon as they get dimensions they will start building the sheds.
According to Guillaume they will need about two weeks to build them.
Scot, how are the manuals for the housing progressing?
Take care,
Sonja
Great to hear Guillaume is back in Walungu and that the community is ready to start building the natural fencing.
Raul
Hi Sonja,
Somehow I missed your message, so sorry for the delay.
The manuals are progressing slowly, but surely. I have been very short on time in the past week in particular, but I am hoping to block out as much time as possible in the next week to progress a bit further.
How have the materials been ordered? Am I right in assuming that they already have plans and dimensions for their first shed already, or do they require the manual in order to commence within the next few weeks??