Business idea (Not for the impatient /faint hearted)

General
1

I had this piece of idle land in some place around central (3 acres), The land had been idle for so long even all the sorrounding thieving neighbours were so used to shamelessly helping themselves on anything I tried to farm…

So on the verge of giving up an idea struck me… I had to plant one thing they couldn’t steal and that happened to be trees (Eucalyptus, or blue gum to be specific)… So one day towards 2014 April long rains period I went to KFS offices along karura/ Kiambu road armed with Ksh 36,000 and purchased some 3,000 eucalyptus grandis seedlings…

I got labour and planted when the rains started but unfortunately after planting there was a dry spell and over half of the trees dried ( I didn’t have the infrastructure or means of watering them)… Frustrated I told a friend my ordeal and he advised me I can get the same trees from a near by tea factory @Ksh 2 per seedling, so when the rains stabilised I purchased another 3,000 seedlings but now @ Ksh 6,000 and planted…

I have never counted the trees that survived but I have always assumed they are over 4,000… When I undertook the project, the neighbours were all critical on how I was destroying some good land… But looking back I had no options as they were benefiting from the land more than I was. Some of my trees are now almost posts stage at 4yrs and I was advised that at 6yrs their value will be around 4k per tree… and @10 to 12 years most of them will be ready for timber at an approximate price of Ksh 10,000 per tree, God willing I am hoping to wait it out for timber…

I had issues with the immediate neighbours but I planted on the recommended space from border, for them being half illiterate rural folks, they are always scared at the rate the trees happens to grow and once in a while they voice some concerns…

My trees as we’re around February this year:

[ATTACH=full]182611[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]182612[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]182613[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]182614[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]182615[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]182616[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]182617[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]182618[/ATTACH][ATTACH=full]182619[/ATTACH]

2

for real uliharibu shamba, Eucalyptus has allelopathy hence if you want to do plant production it won’t be possible.

3

Good work.

4

huku kwenu ni kupoa ati hakuna wezi wa miti

5

Eucalyptus huharibu mchanga, but who cares, at the end you’ll be laughing all the way to the bank au sio?

6

:D:D:D:DUnaona hizo pole zingekuwa zishaa support gorofa mahali au?

7

Could your first name be Andrew?

8

I had no other option as I live in town. The land has no house or even a toilet…

9

he he he,angekuwa amejua hajui,kwetu huwa wanaendea mpaka forest,wanachapwa kama mbwa na askari wa kfs na bado hawasikii

10

Nope! No way!

11

Wezi wa miti apana, hiyo wataogopa kupelekwa kwa chief or police station… It takes time to cut down a tree and some one will see you :D:D:D

12

Hapa ukona a clean 10mil plus :heavy_plus_sign:…

13

Andrew is a guy I know and has done the exact same thing to his 3 acres only that he doesn’t have beef with neighbors. That was close

14

In future if you want someone to carry out a soil test for you, tell me.

15

You may have to irrigate if you plan to farm in future. How much does it cost to uproot the tree stumps once you cut down the trees?

16

I don’t ever intend to ever farm/build or live there… The people there are a bit backward and ni place interior kiasi.

17

Eucalyptus regenerate when cut (coppice) so you plant once, cut and they grow again… I don’t ever intend to farm or settle there :D:D:D

18

unaweza kuuza hio shamba?huko interior ndio billionaire kama mimi hutaka kukaa,is it a tea growing zone?

19

Yule jamaa was vituko Jackson Kibor iko wakati some few years ago kawazimu kalimuingia akakata mahindi ikimea na akaweka hundred of acres ya hii muti. Jamaa alilia kwa choo when he cut them for the first time. Cereal prices had turned fair and uprooting stumps ilikua kazi. The only guy who plants them bluegums bila kujali ni Uliam. For export

20

It’s a coffee zone… But I was lucky the water table is like 5 meters deep so once the water drinkers hit Underground water there was no going back… Kama ni kuuza ningeuza samani coz of how the neighbours frustrated me… :D:D:D