Mid-November, 2018

 

Four months after the lava ceased flowing, I walked over the narrowest part of the River of Lava which is several miles east of our farm. As I carefully tapped my way across the hardened lava, I noted signs of regrowth.  The trees burned and pushed over by the force of the lava would not grow back, but seeds and spore already were growing.

 

---

 

Mid-May, 2019

 

At last, we are granted access to the property.   After completing and signing extensive waivers, we are allowed to drive across the PVG (geothermal energy) property and other  private gravel and cinder lanes to reach the farm. It’s been 50 weeks since the lava flow started and 63 weeks since it ended.  The dense mass of small trees, big-leaf weeds and cane grass is astonishing and intimidating.  If we can’t cut it back, seeds will spread and increase the dense underbrush.