June Meetings of Agricultural Commission and Analysts, Peoples Rallies

C-8-a-42a

[Handwritten notation at top of page: “Johnny”]

June 30, 1978
Memo: To Analysts Committee
By Gene Chaikin
S/M: Projected 100 acre citrus orchard

Before citrus is planted out on a large (commercial) scale, as is now planned, I felt some consideration should be given to the technical knowledge required and the risks involved. I have roughly budgeted the cost of getting 100 acres of citrus to production page (eight years) at approximately G $500,000, as follows:

Land: 100 acres at $1000 per acre, amort 25 years $34,000
Trees: 102 per acre at $1.00 each 10,200
Trees: Planting, at $0.50 each 5100
Fertilizer: Ave 3 lb/tree/yr @ est. $700/ton 74,900
Insecticides: @ 1/2 Fertilizer cost 37,500
Shell: 400 tons @ $80 a/ton 32,000
Tractor and trailer: 1 day per week, seven yrs 56,000
Labor: Weed, mulch fertilizer, spray, prune, $3/tree per year ($1.00 per hour) for 7 yrs 214,200
Total 463,900

Since current estimates done for projections indicate that at current market rates the net yield would be between $300,000 and $500,000, the projected cost seems fair.

That depends, however, on getting a good producing grove at the end of the seventh year. Though we have, I feel, sufficient knowledge to maintain the grove, and to plant it out, I question whether we have sufficient expertise to insure that the plant materials we used to bud our seedling trees are high production, disease-free varieties, and are resistant to such diseases as exist in our area. These questions were recently brought to mind by our view of the disease in our neighbor Wilford Jupiter’s citrus trees, and the information brought back from down river by Jan [Wilsey], especially relating to bacterial diseases transmitted in budding materials which destroy the trees in the seventh year or so.

I feel that if we are to plan such a grove, presumably at the end of this year and spread over two or three years, we should guard against these risks by getting a citrus expert to supervise the selection of our planting materials and to do the studies to see that they are free of disease, and of the proper varieties for this area. If we

 

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can not or choose not to do this, I recommend that we do not proceed.

 

C-8-a-43a

[Handwritten notation at top of page: “Johnny”]

JONESTOWN FARM
SWINE BREEDING PLAN
5 YEAR EXPANSION

The attached piggery expansion is primarily based on the concept that we will be able to develop our own feed rather than purchasing commercial feed. We are doing more research and planning in this area and at the present it looks rather promising. When the first few litters are born, we will be conducting a feed trial on 4 pigs and compare their weight and growth games to piglets on commercial  feed. The feed we are researching will consist of cassava tops, cassava tubers, wing beans, wing bean vines, and trace mineral powder added. We feel that we should try to develop our own feed from what we grow here in Jonestown rather than from outside areas to help reduce purchasing and transportation costs. We have planning to plant some acreage around the piggery and some test crops to be devoted to developing this animal feed.

In an attempt to show the proposed expansion of the pig population, but we found it necessary to use a flow chart to indicate the four (4) different time periods that we will be dealing with in the pigs. The time periods are as follows:

  1. 365 days – physical year
  2. 219 days between litters of piglets:
    1. 114 gestation period (pregnancy period)
    2. 105 lactation (nursing) period and rest time
  3. 200 days – Approximate time required for piglet to reach maturity
  4. 240 days – Young sows reach maturity and can be bred

This graph indicates the flow of the litters of pigs being born and reaching maturity age when they can either be slaughtered or sold. This will help us to plan how many sows to breed at a given time to prevent a buildup of mature pigs. It also shows you the number of piglets that haven’t reached the 200 day of maturity at the end of the year, the number of brood sows; boars; and mature pigs for either slaughter or market.

The basic plan is to breed the sows as groups of 16 with 8 being bred relatively close together. It is more profitable to have each sow produce four litters and then remove her from the herd. In this manner, she is productive and the piglets pay for her expense of feed and other costs. Naturally if the sow throws bad litters, meaning

 

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not very many or else unhealthy piglets, you would replace her and not breed her four times.

From the first group of piglets, you would select 16 of the best young sows. This plan will be carried out each year until you have 48 producing sows. From this point on, you would remove 16 sows each year that have had four litters of piglets as you replace them with 16 young sows. This will stabilize the herd at this point unless you wanted to increase the herd size and then you would introduce more young sows each year.

The building plan and organization for handling this expansion is based on the sow and her litters being in the piggery #1 (Upper Piggery) until 6-8 weeks of age and then the brood sow will be put back into one of the holding pens for the sows. The piglets will be moved to Piggery #2 (Lower Piggery) where they will be kept in the pens until they are large enough to go into the outside holding pens which will involve about 1 1/2 to 2 months in that building. By doing it in this matter and staggering the breeding of the sows, we should not need another building until the third year except for a feed storage building.

We will be needing acreage for pastures or holding pens along with acreage for growing crops that will be used for livestock feed. We will be getting with the analysts with this plan.

Thank You Dad,

 

C-8-a-44 – a-47 comprise four pages of charts and maps illustrating points made in memo.

 

C-8-a-48

[Handwritten notation at top of page: “Johnny”]

Johnny:

1 – Tent conditions

There is a problem anticipated with the large lift of supplies and materials coming down.  We must consider either additional tarps, more temporary warehousing, or… Imperative with consider this before the crates arrive in from the states. Also, should we first build the warehouses or the two housing units? Time is factor… [Handwritten addition: “& costs”]

2 – Ballyhoo – $40,000 for shell

can only get in August

Should we lease a ballyhoo or “try” to buy one this late… Or just go ahead and order the shell? Is our ship available to lay off the shell beach or will it be on a commercial run?

 

C-8-a-49a

[Handwritten notation at top of page: “Johnny”]

Minutes of ANALYSTS MEETING
10 June 1978
Chairperson: Johnny Jones
Secretary: Tish LeRoy

Attendance: Philip Blakey, Russell Moton, Gene Chaikin, Guy Mitchell, James Morrell [Bogue], James Simpson, Mike Touchette, Becky Flowers, Jack Barron, Demosthenes Kutulas, Teena Turner, Jocelyn Carter, Chris Talley, Shirley [Shirlee] Fields, John Harris, Tish Leroy, Lee Ingram, James Edwards, Johnny Jones, Shuanna Solomon.

Absent: Jan Wilsey excused (downriver)

Unexcused: Rob Gieg, Eartis Jeffery, Earnestine Blaire [Ernestine Blair],

WHO HAS FINAL DECISION ON WHERE THE CREWS GO?

If the analysts have made a decision, as in the instance of Jocelyn’s crew – where four of them were instructed to go into the sweet potato field and reap, and the others were to go to the cassava field – then if this is changed, the analysts should be called together to make the decision. Any emergency decision can be handled by two or three analysts. If a heated situation where the two analysts might have conflicting views – then several other analysts should be called in or one or two of the coordinators to sit as an unbiased person.

FOUR PEOPLE NEEDED TO GO TO PORT KAITUMA SCHOOL – seminar Legumes & Cassava

The four selected was Russell, James Edwards, Teena Turner, Gene Chaikin, and Mary Wotherspoon… It was said that Tuesday is for the technical staff and Wednesday for the Farmers… It is okay to send extra representatives along.

RUSSELL’S SCHEDULE… Since there is so much spraying to coordinate at this time, it was felt that Russell should tour the gardens daily – starting out to the fields at 7 am, and then in the afternoons he is to do his research in the office… Becky is to do the soil analyses, and John Harris helps her a little on this – as needed. A vote was taken. APPROVED.

SHOEING THE HORSES –

If we are shoeing the horses with the intention of their being able to pull wagons – we must remember they are small riding animals… We need draft horses for such heavy pulling. These are just not built for it, commented Jack.

It was generally felt some observers should be present when the first shoeing it is done. Danny Kutulas, Chuck Kirkendall… Forge is portable and can go down there.

Senior Garden – Selika [Bordenave] came late and was not present for this part of meeting…

All of the seed garden was lost because of cutworms… Russell had not come in soon enough to spray. This is why he is to tour the gardens daily for insects and pests… The cutworms are gone now, he says, and is spraying the soil as well… RUSSELL IS TO ANNOUNCE ABOUT EXTENSIVE SPRAYING PROGRAM so people will leave the foods alone growing in the fields.

HARNESSES – for the horses are needed at piggery…

Tish is to check with Georgetown… Jack and James said there are two places in town that do custom made harnesses; one place has heavier stitching and looks like better work.

– Need to get some draft horses, look for draft horses in Venezuela, said James Morrell [Bogue] – Jack B. [Barron] says go to East Bank.

 

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Tish to radio Gtn to get prices on some matched horses that are for draft purposes. Please get prices on horses that weigh 1800-2000#.

Prices on donkeys and need weights on the animals.

Need to check prices on the harness and find out how soon we can get the harness for our horses.

Enquire [Inquire] of Georgetown HOW DO WE MEASURE FOR A COLLAR FOR THE HORSES.

Land survey: Rob Christian has measured only what has been pushed. Has not yet completed the piggery and pastures. Does not know what the elevations or when he will have them done. WILL HAVE FIELD #7 measured for elevation by Thurs for Gene.

SIMPSON – How much land will he get from the new field area… He has heard Russell want some of it for Papaya. The sawmill does not need any of that land. They do need a road designated, preferably across the top of the ridge.

COMMITTEE WAS APPOINTED TO CHECK THIS OUT… RUSSELL MOTON, JAMES MORRELL [Bogue], JAMES SIMPSON & GENE CHAIKIN

They were further instructed to outline the space to be used for papaya at the same time as they determine where the sawmill road should run through.

DRAINAGE – Simpson says there is a drainage problem in his garden and he requests a ditch to make the water all channel into one place. James Edwards and the analysts that are on the walk-through tomorrow can go and look and make this decision. They are to invite Bob Rankin to go along, requested Johnny.

Cucumbers – James says the rain has messed up the cucumbers… He asked about past and present spraying. Chaikin said that James HAS CONTROL over his spraying – and should use it. James had not realized this.

Crews & final say so… Continued with arrival of Tinetra [Fain] and Tanya [Cox].  Jocelyn helped clean field due to guest coming; meeting of analysts without her voted 4 of her crew to be used to harvest sweet potatoes (announcement had been made and she did not come to the emergency meeting, though it had been stated publicly that it was for harvesting the sweet potatoes, as she had not chosen to come to the meeting). She had had her crew going back and forth today – and Johnny said it was a waste of time.

Lee said that the crews are failing to do good work; crews falling down in production, plants being stomped, bananas being chopped up etc. Tanya and Tinetra were immediate supervisors – did not seem to be taking another authority with their crews. Tish commented that the general supervision includes surveying the yield before the crew starts, evaluating what needs to be done and going over this with the crew, then seesawing back and forth thru the field entire time crew works to see that the work is up to par… and then a final tour when done to see that in fact the work is done satisfactorily… Otherwise the crew should return

 

C-8-a-49c

Analysts 10 June 78

-3-

Pam Bradshaw reported that there is not enough coming out of the fields, there is waste and destruction and lack of supervision. Too much talking, bathroom too often, tearing up pineapple and cutlass beans, not weeding as instructed, etc. Must get more production done in PM.

Teena said the day crews work better the 3rd or 4th day… First couple days the supervisors did not do well… GENERAL LACK OF CONCERN IS SHOWN BY EVERY CREW – THEY ACT LIKE THEY DON’T CARE ABOUT THE CROPS THEY ARE WORKING WITH… The crews feel supervision not strong enough. Too much emphasis on quantity and not enough emphasis on quality.

After brief discussion, it was decided to meet with the crews at 6:30 AM.

RALLEY AGENDA – Announce in Peoples Ralley that breakfast will be served only until 6:40 – seconds only after that… MAKE CARDS FOR KITCHEN TO PASS BACK TO END OF LINE. ASK “IS” [Internal Security] TO MAKE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM DISPATCH EVERY MORNING at 6:00 AM so people will know the time.

At the meeting in the morning, the supervisors are to have specifics to call the crew on – not just generalities.

Jocelyn wants to leave five people up here (New Brigade people) with a supervisor to pick sweet potato greens  and pig feed – and take the full-time people down the road to the regular maintenance. MOTION PASSED TO SO ALLOW…

Herbal Kitchen – presented some new foods they have developed. Fannie [Ford] presented a marigold rice; watermelon rinds; a hot sauce; and some papaya/mango butter… It tasted delicious. She had also made some biscuits made of the cutlass mature bean… Can do this in future, but not until we get the hammermill repaired.

John pointed out that it was made from stuff we have been throwing away in the pit and to pig feed.

FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE FERTILIZER WE PROCURED AND WAS SUPPOSED TO COME TO US… DID WE GET IT? IS IT CRATED? WHERE IS IT?

Russell was instructed to take 100# of cutlass beans and run through the hammermill for meal and follow the Dept of Ag instructions for processing it to do away with toxicity… Will have to wait until hammer mill is fixed. Motor blew up today – the pump motor… Is an international engine… Bruce [Turner] looked at it – but has had somewhat of an attitude said Jack Beam… Have Cleve [Cleave Swinney] and Bruce look at it tomorrow… Jack will talk with them and set this up.

REPORTS OF ANALYSTS need improving – Tish commented that a couple had said they just “put down” figures on their reports. This is to stop and they are to write accurate reports. This should be done on the job, as they go along… Also the work hours per job should be listed – # of person hours used. All agreed it would be done.

Cassava Mill – needs cleaning up for guests: Mary, Teena, Shuanna took responsibility to get it done.

 

C-8-a-50

[Handwritten notation at the top of page: “Please return to Johnny”]

REPORT OF THE FARM MANAGER

Responding to a report of problems in the garden production, an emergency meeting of the farm analysts was called this afternoon. A committee of Russell Moton, Jack Barron, Shirley Smith, Jim Simpson, James Edwards and a member of Jan’s [Wilsey] crew were appointed to immediately survey all ground provisions for table consumption and report back:

Following is a summary of findings:

3 meals of eddoe greens are ready; 10 acres of sweet potatoes are ready to be harvested – both tops and roots can be used (an emergency meeting of analysts shall be held at the table down front for a brief vote on picking and harvesting tomorrow) (Field 6); Mung beans top of Field 12 are ready to pick (dry) – good for suits and mixed with other bean dishes – very nutritious; we can gather them a while once or twice a week.

The rest of kidney bean field needs to be gleaned or a final picking – can be mixed with other beans for a meal.

We have a 9 acre kidney bean field that was planted for green beans but was not picked for that and is now ready to pick up for large dried beans…

Cutlass beans are now too big for green beans, but we have the scientific method preparation of them – Ann Russell is assigned to get some picked and into the kitchen along with the instructions of how to prepare so there is no toxicity.

Bok choy will be ready in 25 days (July 14), Radishes will be ready July 5, Mustard will be ready July 10, Squash now in season only producing around 100# every 3-5 days; eggplants – will have some in 90 days; pumpkin not doing well – rain washing off the pollen; cucumbers hit by fungus and bugs.

Wild greens will be ready in another two weeks… The bugs hit our deer Callaloo and purslaine. Will have Earnestine [Ernestine Blair] and others check the bush for more wild greens patches.

Can use the wing bean leaf – but may slow our seed crop. [Eugene] Chaikin would prefer not unless we seriously need them. They have good taste and would be good as a salad but are a little stringy…

THE MAIN PROBLEM WITH OUR TABLE FOOD was determined to be a lack of interdepartmental coordination. The analysts appointed a committee headed by James Edwards (who knows both field and kitchen) and a member of each department from piggery, poultry, Jack Barron (teas), bananas, Field crew, Simpson’s crew… They are to meet at least every other morning, in order to keep minutes of the meetings with Mary [Wotherspoon] and Eva [Pugh]. The minutes will be presented at the weekly analysts meeting – and they will answer the questions weekly – do we have plenty of food for next week’s table… It will be up to them to coordinate with Mary and see that enough of everything gets to the kitchen, and that the kitchen uses everything that is brought in.

– James Edwards, Farm Manager