My chicks are all grown up!

It seems like yesterday that they were little balls of fuzz. The chicks are now about 105 days old the should start laying their first eggs at about 120 days.

I know I haven’t been keeping up with the blog, I will do better.

From Drought to Building an Ark

We went from no rain in a year and a half to more rain in one week that the previous 75 weeks combined. Things are now starting to dry out, but it looks like more rain next week. People are excited that things might actually grow here again.

Thanks to everybody for all the comments, and Jess there aren't many things I won't do to get the favorite grandson award! Better luck next year.

FOB Patriot

Hey all I just returned from FOB Patriot. For those of you who don't know I am going to be assigned to Afghanistan starting in February and I just completed training at FOB Patriot on Ft. Bragg, NC. The training was interesting and I was able to meet and work with my team that I will be assigned to in the Paktya province in Afghanistan. But, that's not til February and I am now back in Iraq. The picture is proof that I am FOB Patriot certified. Hooah!

Rain, Rain, Rain!

I have gone for months without seeing rain. Now I am stuck in my hotel with the remnants of Hurricane Hanna. It is raining so hard, the satellite is going out. That means NO Football...Agggghhhhh!

U.S. State Department Story

Hey everybody, The State Department published a story about the HibHib Poultry Co-op.
Check out this link: http://iraq.usembassy.gov/prt_news1_08192008.html

HOT Diyala Chicks!

Yes, this is still a G-rated blog. The poultry co-op received its order of 5,500 chicks last week and so far so good. These chicks will be raised to lay eggs. The chicks will start to lay eggs in about 19 weeks. Most of the eggs will be sold in Baghdad. This is, hopefully, the first step for a very successful Co-op.

In this picture, I am literally picking up chicks, the guy next to me is my “wing man”!

Thanks to MC1 Mario Quiroga for this great picture

My First Date

Yes, the first dates of the new season have arrived! We visited the Date Co-op and were treated to some fresh picked dates. These are the first dates to be picked this year. Most will be harvested in October and November when they have dried.

These fresh ones tasted great. We tried three varieties: Zhedi, Burbon and Digal.



As you can see they gave me about 20 pounds of dates, they really don’t want me to get skinny over here!

Hey, I am Still Here

Sorry, I haven’t updated for a while, but in my defense I have been super busy. The poultry industry is taking a lot of my time and people seriously call me the “Chicken Man”. Hopefully next post will have pictures of baby chicks!

I am also working with some farmers to set up a fruit and vegetable co-op. So that explains the picture of me eating cantaloupe out of the field.

Check out this clip, it plays on the Armed Forces Network, it’s a story they did about the drought in Diyala. I was there but not on camera.
http://www.dvidshub.net/?script=video/video_show.php&id=41992

Oh, by the way it was 135 degrees the other day. At 100 I start putting on a jacket because it feels cool.

Independence Day

Happy Fourth of July everybody! On this Fourth of July, I have a new appreciation for the independence and freedoms we enjoy, and often take for granted, as Americans. One of the Iraqis I work with said this, “We don’t always like what the U.S. government does and we speak out and complain a lot, but at least now we can complain and we thank you for that.”

Remember that on July Fourth we celebrate the rights and freedoms granted to us as citizens of the United States of America. There is no other country in the world that was built solely on the basis of these principles. There is a reason that millions of people still leave everything they know, sacrifice everything they have, and sometimes risk their lives to enter our country.

Thank the men and women in our armed services, past and present, who defend our country. I am truly humbled by and grateful for the sacrifices made by them and their families. Not only do they protect they way of life that we enjoy, they are working to promote freedom and democracy around the world.

I hope this post lets you pause for just one instant to realize how lucky we really are.

Have a great Fourth of July, and the next time you complain about $4 gas, or what the city council did or didn’t do, remember at least you can complain.

Back in Iraq

Well I made it back to Diyala province! Everything is very dry and hot! A stark contrast to the flooding going on back home. For the past few days it has been 115 or hotter, for anyone who wants to know what that's like, preheat you oven for 20 minutes then open the door and stick your head in!

With as dry and barren as it can be over here, it is amazing what water can do. This is a picture of how green things can be if you have water. This piece of ground is surrounded by barren dirt, but it is lush and green.

Travel Problems

I thought getting around in Iraq was bad. My flights to Chicago have been cancelled for the past 2 days causing me to miss my flights to Amman. Today is day 3 and delayed for 3 hours again!
I keep telling myself that patience is a virtue.

What's worse than Camel Spiders.....

Sand Fleas! Yes, sand fleas. I am covered with bites from head to toe. They live in the dirt and the rocks around everything and you can not see them you just see the bites when you wake up in the morning. I need a big freaking can of Raid!

This will be my last post until I get back to Nebraska for my R&R. I hope to see you all then.

"Beware of Camel Spiders"

"Beware of Camel Spiders", that was posted on one of the port-a-potties outside our office last week.

Here is a picture of the camel spider that was inhabiting this particular port-a-potty. It is convenient that you are in a bathroom because they scare the crap out of you.

I will not use this bathroom after dark because there are just some places you don't want a spider to bite!

Dust Storm II

A few weeks ago I said the dust storms here were interesting, let me re-phrase that: The dust storms here suck! The stuff covers everything. It gets in your nose your eyes and your lungs. Your eyelashes and hair (if I had any) looks as if they have turned blond at the tips.

Check out this picture, it has not been altered in any way. That is really the color of the air.

Iraqi Date Groves

Hey everybody check out this video. We did a flight to look at the canals in the province and I got this great video of some of the date palms. They grow many different types of dates in Iraq and some of these types are only grown in Diyala and no other place in the world. I love flying in the helicopters and we got to fly really low with the doors open, it was really awesome!!

Dust Storm

The dust storms over here are really interesting. The wind will come up, and some dust will start to kick up but then it calms down and the dust just hangs in the air until it gets blown out by the next weather front that comes through. The air is thick with dust, you can taste it and feel it on your teeth and you don’t want to even think about what happens when you blow your nose. It looks weird outside too, everything has a grayish red tint and everything just looks eerie. Then the dust will settle and cover everything and there will be blue sky all in the matter of a few hours. The dirt here is as fine as talcum powder and kicks up even when you walk so it gets dusty all of the time.

Holy Water Buffalo, Batman!

I saw lots of water buffalo this week. They are raised for their milk, which is turned into yogurt and Gamer (a sweet cream cheese that is eaten with breakfast). There are about 150,000 water buffalo in Iraq.

These animals are larger than your average cow and have some nasty looking horns. I would not want to make one mad, but this kid seemed to think they were perfectly tame .

March Maddness

My version of March Madness is the fact that it could get up to 100 this week! These are not the temperatures that I am used to for the end of March.

Speaking of madness, I haven't seen a college game since January and I am still doing better than most of you in the tourney brackets. It just proves that it is better to be lucky than talented.

Trip To Baghdad

Here are some pics from my trip to Baghdad, I went for a Agriculture Conference but the best part was the trip there and back.

Here I am getting ready for the flight.

Here is some typical farm ground, you can see the extensive irrigation system.

Here is a large date palm orchard. There are some varieties of dates that only grow in Diyala province.

Here is a picture of the Tigris River running through Baghdad.

Fighting the Cough

Not much happened this week other than I am trying to fight off a nasty cough that I everyone gets while staying at my particular base. The doctor says there is not much I can do about it but they gave me meds to help with the cough. They say that this can last up to a month and you just have to let it run its course.

It is supposed to get into the mid 90s this week and it probably won’t cool down until November, but at least it’s a dry heat! I can't wait til it gets to 130 degrees!

Several Ag organizations have sprouted up in the province, one of the more progressive ones is the Diyala Beekeepers. Check out their website, it is in English and Arabic.
www.ciba-diyala.com

Posting Comments

I have heard that several people have had a difficult time posting comments. For you first time bloggers here is the easiest way to post a comment:

• Click on link that give the number of comments at the bottom of each of my updates.
• A new screen should open up showing all of the comments and a place for you to write a comment.
• Type your comment (Be sure to sign it at the end so I know who its from).
• Type in the security password exactly as it appears on the screen.
• Check the anonymous button.
• Click "Publish Your Comment".

If you have already been posting comments continue to do what you have done in the past.

I hope to hear from you soon!

My Address

My address is:

Ryan Brewster
PRT Civil Affairs
FOB War Horse
APO AE 09336

Home Sweet Home

I thought this week I would give you a tour of my new home. As you can see I am really going for that trailer park theme. You really can’t go wrong with the classic white aluminum siding, it just brings that extra touch of class to any neighborhood. The simple metal grate steps draw your eyes right up to the door without cluttering the view with gaudy details like hand rails. I am quite proud to say that the bag of trash is my doing. I just felt that the landscaping was missing something and the white bag brought everything together. I am looking for an older car or truck that I can put up on blocks, if anyone knows where I can get one, please let me know.

Now to the interior! I couldn’t believe it either, but yes that is genuine fake wood paneling. Furnishings crafted of the finest fiberboard available and absolutely beautiful European made florescent lighting, what more could a guy want. The handmade cardboard rug really defines the space and completes the room.

It is true that you surroundings influence your behavior, since moving in I have had the greatest urge to tear the sleeves off all my shirts, grow a mullet and start watching NASCAR!

In all seriousness, the housing here is not that bad. I have a roof over my head, electricity, hot water and most importantly an awesome air conditioner.

Diyala

I arrived Thursday at FOB Warhorse, my new home for the next year. I think that I am joining a great team of Ag folks here. There are about 5 or 6 of us that work on ag. I will try to get some pictures of my humble abode up sometime this week.

Dust Storm

The wind has been blowing pretty hard here the past few days. Hard enough to prevent me from getting out of Baghdad. Now the wind has died down some but the dust is so fine that it is just hanging in the air like a fog. I can barely see to the end of the block. The air smells like dust, it tastes like dirt and you can feel the grit on your teeth. It is one of the weirdest things I have ever experienced.

Here is another picture of me under some big swords. Supposedly the arms are modeled after Saddam's.

Life in Baghdad

Every morning at 0530 I wake up to the sound of the Imams calling people to prayer. It is exactly like what you've heard every movie you have seen that is set in the Middle East. It is pretty cool and who doesn't need a reminder to talk to the Big Man Upstairs every now and then.

I then head to the palace for training of one kind or another. The palace is the former Royal Palace of Saddam Hussein. It is very ornate to the point of being gaudy and some of the light fixtures look like they have been taken right out of the 1970's.

The food here is very good and Wednesday is steak and lobster night, no kidding. At night I have been going to movies played in the basement of the palace, I mean what kind of dictator would go without a 45 seat theater with leather seats in his palace.

That's life in Baghdad which is not my permanent home, that would be the lovely province of Diyala and hopefully I will get there early next week.

Check out my photo with General Petraeus!

Baghdad Brewster

Sun, Sand and Palm trees!!! Like many other place that have sun and sand, I also get complementary food and beverage, free shuttle serveice to and from the airport and I get to go to work in a palace.

As you can tell my arrival here in Baghdad went as smooth as could be expected.
They did let me know that they changed my assignment, I will be stationed in the Diyala (dee-alla) provence. It is north east of Baghdad between it and the Iranian border. I will spend about a week in Baghdad before I leave for my PRT. I will hopefully get some great pictures of the sights of the city and post them.

Ryan

Stars and Stripes Article

Below is a link to a Stars and Stripes article about the PRT I will be joining and the poultry project they are working on. I will be able to work with Major McCoy for about a month and a half before she is rotated out.

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=51986

Ryan

Training Week 1

Asalaam Alaikum,

I hope everyone is doing as you can see one of the things I learned this week was some Arabic phrases. Learning even a little Arabic is going to be very difficult. I am at the preschool level as I don't even know the letters, sounds or numbers. I also found out that I am arriving just in time for sand storm season (February through March). I have been told that it is a very fine sand and gets into everything.

I also found out that I will be based southwest of Baghdad and will be working with poultry. I really don't know alot about chickens so this should be interesting. If any of you have any information about poultry please let me know.

Fii Amaan Illah,

Ryan

Leaving Comments

If any of you have tried to leave comments and had trouble, that was my fault. I had the comments shut off. Anyone should be able to comment now.

Ryan

Training and Deployment

Many of you have asked when I am leaving. I fly to DC for several weeks of training on Monday the 21st. Then on Feb. 8th I fly to Iraq.

Welcome to my blog

Hey everybody, I have set up this blog so we can stay in touch. I hope to keep this blog as updated as possible and keep you informed of my many adventures. You are all more than welcome to post comments as well (just remember to keep it clean).

Hope to hear from all of you soon.

Ryan