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--- feral_hamper [2009-02-03 21:02] – created katerich
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 ==  5. Turmeric from Bangladesh ==
-This popular spice was purchased at Khagrachari farmers' market in the Buddhist Chittagong Hill Tract area (CHT) of Bangladesh, where forced resettlement and armed tribal counterinsurgency have continued on and off since the time of the British Raj. Feral Trade, in Bangladesh for a residency, travelled 6 hours by train, 1 hour by taxi and 5 hours by hired van to navigate the police checkpoint which at times denies foreigners entry to the Khagrachari district for political reasons. The turmeric is slope-grown locally on otherwise unfarmable land of up to 60 degrees gradient via the Government-prohibited 'jhum' method of shifting cultivation - slash and burn - practised by the local tribespeople and blamed by some national newspapers for drastic deforestation in the area (to not mention other, non-indigenous activities of massive teak plantation farming, hydroelectrics and jungle clearance for military camps). Jhum farming uses seed balls to co-plant up to 15 different arable crops ranging from cotton to bananas, harvested gradually over the year. Feral Trade stayed the night in Beltoli village as guest of jhum farmer Mrs Roaza, mother of Bngladeshi artist Joydev Roaza, in a room also occupied by a wild bee hive. Turmeric transported back to UK in van, taxi, coach and Emirates luggage.
+This popular spice was purchased at Khagrachari farmers' market in the Buddhist Chittagong Hill Tract area (CHT) of Bangladesh, where forced resettlement and armed tribal counterinsurgency have continued on and off since the time of the British Raj. Feral Trade, in Bangladesh for a residency, travelled 6 hours by train, 1 hour by taxi and 5 hours by hired van to navigate the police checkpoint which at times denies foreigners entry to the Khagrachari district for political reasons. The turmeric is slope-grown locally on otherwise unfarmable land of up to 60 degrees gradient via the Government-prohibited 'jhum' method of shifting cultivation - slash and burn - practised by the local tribespeople and blamed by some national newspapers for drastic deforestation in the area (to not mention other, non-indigenous activities of massive teak plantation farming, hydroelectrics and jungle clearance for military camps). Jhum farming uses seed balls to co-plant up to 15 different arable crops ranging from cotton to bananas, harvested gradually over the year. Feral Trade stayed the night in Beltoli village as guest of jhum farmer Mrs Roaza, mother of Bngladeshi artist Joydev Roaza, in a room also occupied by a wild bee hive. Fresh turmeric from Mrs Roaza's mountain-side plot and dried turmeric bought the next morning
+from the local market was transported back to UK in van, taxi, coach and Emirates luggage.
 == 6. Sweets (Ratluk) from Montenegro ==
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 == 7a. Cube-Cola Concentrate and 7b. Cube-Cola Tea Towel from UK ==
-Open-source cola, wildcrafted in Bristol UK since 2003 by Kate Rich and Kayle Brandon, a production process merging domestic and scientific methodology. One MINI (14ml) cola concentrate will yield approximately 4.5L Cube-Cola. To ensure the viability of the Cube-Cola recipe which includes essential oils from citrus, herb and floral origins it is necessary to suppress the variation inherent in organic materials. Accordingly Cube-Cola sources gum Arabic for emulsification in freeze-dried form from CNI World, the world's leading producer of hydrocolloids. The caramel colouring  (for colour) is from DD Williamson, world leader in caramel colouring, who also supply Pepsi and Coke. The concentrate is distributed to subscribers worldwide using airmail and paypal. Full cola recipe and mixing instructions can be found in the Cube-Cola tea towel, enclosed.
+Open-source cola, wildcrafted in Bristol UK since 2003 by Kate Rich and Kayle Brandon, a production process merging domestic and scientific methodology. One Mini (14ml) cola concentrate will yield approximately 4.5L Cube-Cola. To ensure the viability of the Cube-Cola recipe which includes essential oils from citrus, herb and floral origins it is necessary to suppress the variation inherent in organic materials. Accordingly, Cube-Cola sources gum Arabic for emulsification in freeze-dried form from CNI World, the world's leading producer of hydrocolloids. The caramel colouring  (for colour) is from DD Williamson, world leader in caramel colouring, who also supply Pepsi and Coke. Due to the relatively miniature scale of Cube-Cola operations, micro-supply of these ingredients was negotiated via email with their industrial producers. The concentrate is distributed to subscribers worldwide using airmail and paypal. Full cola recipe and mixing instructions can be found in the Cube-Cola tea towel, enclosed.
 ==  8. Cacao from Brazil ==
-This raw cacao bean in shell hails from Bahia, a massive cacao cashpot. Plantations date back to colonial times, their lawns sport lavish white landowner houses. The cacao is little used or appreciated locally, except perhaps in condensed milk cocktails: production is entirely for the export market. Recent blight has meant the cacao produced is worth a little less - it still sells but the quality is lower. This cacao was grown on a farm called Pura Vida, named by English tourists who bought it and decided to make the farm a collective property via selling shares. Investors can visit whenever they like, although as foreigners they can't live there all the time for visa reasons. The cacao workers - usually itinerant - were asked to stay on and cultivate a garden to feed themselves, run the cacao plantation as a business. Most of the workers are not literate and have trouble with the bookkeeping. A recent visitor to the estate, UK artist Lottie Child, described the arrangement as straightforward compassionate colonialism. Visitors to the plantation can spend all day eating and watching donkeys work. The cacao was exported in hand baggage of two Pura Vida shareholders, Sam and Elin. A local man, Gilson, ferried them across the river in his boat to the nearby town of Ubaitaba. The cacao travelled by bus overnight to Salvador from where it is a short plane ride  to San Paolo where the cheaper international flights to London Heathrow depart. The cotton bag the cacao arrived in has Bahian seed burrs gained in transit still clinging to it. Lottie Child went to St Peters newsagent in Islington, London to pick up the bag - Sam and Elin live next door - then cycled to Govinda Hare Krishna restaurant in Soho to deliver. Along with other hamper products, the cacao was transported to Brussels via wheeled suitcase, train, tube, Eurostar and FoAM company car. Recipe suggestion: grind up a handful of cacao, handful of oats with water and honey in the blender for breakfast. There is no need to remove the shell.
+This raw cacao bean in shell hails from Bahia, a massive cacao cashpot. Plantations date back to colonial times, their lawns sport lavish white landowner houses. The cacao is little used or appreciated locally, except perhaps in condensed milk cocktails: production is entirely for the export market. Recent blight has meant the cacao produced is worth a little less - it still sells but the quality is lower. This cacao was grown on a farm called Pura Vida, named by English tourists who bought it and decided to make the farm a collective property via selling shares. Investors can visit whenever they like, although as foreigners they can't live there all the time for visa reasons. The cacao workers - usually itinerant - were asked to stay on and cultivate a garden to feed themselves, run the cacao plantation as a business. Most of the workers are not literate and have trouble with the bookkeeping. A recent visitor to the estate, UK artist Lottie Child, described the arrangement as straightforward compassionate colonialism. Visitors to the plantation can spend all day eating and watching donkeys work. The cacao was exported in hand baggage of two Pura Vida shareholders, Sam and Elin. A local man, Gilson, ferried them across the river in his boat to the nearby town of Ubaitaba. The cacao travelled by bus overnight to Salvador from where it is a short plane ride  to San Paolo from where the cheaper international flights to London Heathrow depart. The cotton bag the cacao arrived in has Bahian seed burrs gained in transit still clinging to it. Lottie Child went to St Peters newsagent in Islington, London to pick up the bag - Sam and Elin live next door - then cycled to Govinda Hare Krishna restaurant in Soho to deliver. Along with other hamper products, the cacao was transported to Brussels via wheeled suitcase, train, tube, Eurostar and FoAM company car. Recipe suggestion: grind up a handful of cacao, handful of oats with water and honey in the blender for breakfast. There is no need to remove the shell.
 **Feral Hamper agents, couriers, translators & hosts** Abu Naser Robbi, Jelena Stanovnik, Joydev Roaza, Kate Rich, Kayle Brandon, Lina Kusaite, Lottie Child, Maja Kuzmanovic, Nik Gaffney, RicardoYglesias, Sam & Elin, Sneha Solanki, Mrs & Mr Solanki.