Summer has finally arrived! We welcomed it with some friends and a bonfire at Koprinka Dam.
The summer brought with it a lot of work. First of all, we built a watering system with pipes from the river, connecting it to one of the biggest orchards. It was a difficult process, due to the road conditions and the need to ensure that the pipes do not break in the winter.
The next step in the evolution of the compost was to add more airflow, with the help of pipes and perforated cardboard at the bottom. Unfortunately, the outside temperature was very warm, so we had to move the compost to the shade, adding water combined with humic acid, aiding in moisture growth.
We had the chance to enjoy the Wake Up Festival in the Rhodope Mountains. Frida went earlier to volunteer in the kitchen and Guillaume, Nathan and Bram, came for a day to join in.
July saw the departure of three of the volunteers, Nathan, Bram and Perry, we had a dinner all together to say goodbye. Even if it was sad, they arrived in their houses a lot of good memories of their adventures in Bulgaria!
On return to Shipka we worked in the museum, cleaning the inside, protecting the wooden items including the stairs, and carefully cleaning the clothes and artifacts.
We attempted to fix some water channels that were full of mud but the problem was bigger than expected and needed specific machinery. With the help of some neighbours and two volunteers from Sheynovo; Dafina and Roza, we watered Tatyana’s garden and worked in the museum.
The cafe building next to the museum was in very bad condition. We started cleaning the wood and adding some protection products but realised all the planks were very old. We started to remove them, creating a totally new roof. An ex-volunteer called Michael from the Czech Republic and his friend came to help. Thanks to all the collaborations, we will have a magnificent roof, shared great company and delicious dinners!
A little bit of party never hurts anybody… Brining the month of July to a close.
