News Briefs 2.....
An American Woman's Design.....
RPU President Joe Griswold with Father Alfred of St. Thomas's Church in Brigantine, NJ stand in front of an unusual chicken house.
It is a very strange building, indeed! People visiting the Lukaya campus of Mustard Seed Academy had never seen anything quite like it. Ugandan visitors recognize the sticks, mud and dung contruction materials used to build houses and barns, but it's shape and size were unexpected. The new poultry house on the farm emerged from the design efforts of American volunteer Liberty Merrill who worked at MSA for 5 weeks at the end of 2010. Liberty's background in building with local materials matched our needs for a larger facility that allowed options for egg production, incubating fertile eggs to produce more chicks, and moving in new flocks as older ones stop laying and are sold for meat. Inside there are three levels: on the ground is a manure collection area, on the main floor laying birds can occupy 3 different pens separated by walkways for caretakers and egg collectors, and in the "penthouse" there are nest boxes for hens to brood eggs from which chicks will hatch.
The hybrid birds in the first flock are busy laying eggs for the consumption of RPU children and staff. Eggs are a great protein and fat source for children who get too little of both in their regular diet. Thanks to Liberty's creative design and the hard work of the new Tree of Life Farmer, Sakka, the Mustard Seed children are enjoying healthy eggs! One special feature of the structure are two outdoor yards for the chickens to forage during the day. Joe and Father Al are standing directly in front of one yard. No caged birds in this flock: the hens are able to range freely and have food and water outside along with the unlucky bugs or small lizards that don't keep out of their way.
The picture above has an interesting story as well. Father Alfred Mungujakisa is a Ugandan priest, but serves a Roman Catholic parish in Brigantine, NJ where Joe and Elaine Griswold live. Of course, the three have become friends. Father Al just happened to be back home in Uganda on vacation while the Griswolds were working in Lukaya, and he made a special trip out to visit the school---and his friends from New Jersey. His appreciation of the work done at MSA and encouragement was a gift! Following the visit he traveled by taxi to the airport at Entebbe and flew back to the US and his church in Brigantine.
The hybrid birds in the first flock are busy laying eggs for the consumption of RPU children and staff. Eggs are a great protein and fat source for children who get too little of both in their regular diet. Thanks to Liberty's creative design and the hard work of the new Tree of Life Farmer, Sakka, the Mustard Seed children are enjoying healthy eggs! One special feature of the structure are two outdoor yards for the chickens to forage during the day. Joe and Father Al are standing directly in front of one yard. No caged birds in this flock: the hens are able to range freely and have food and water outside along with the unlucky bugs or small lizards that don't keep out of their way.
The picture above has an interesting story as well. Father Alfred Mungujakisa is a Ugandan priest, but serves a Roman Catholic parish in Brigantine, NJ where Joe and Elaine Griswold live. Of course, the three have become friends. Father Al just happened to be back home in Uganda on vacation while the Griswolds were working in Lukaya, and he made a special trip out to visit the school---and his friends from New Jersey. His appreciation of the work done at MSA and encouragement was a gift! Following the visit he traveled by taxi to the airport at Entebbe and flew back to the US and his church in Brigantine.
