Thom, the Gjethi Group, and few others completed Phase I of "to kill Reynoutria Japonica". Reynoutria Japonica is better known as Japanese Knotweed and it is invasive plant not only here in Kosovo, but also in many other place. Our son, Matthew, has dealt with it before in the U.S. Here in Kaçanik it is growing along the river in several places. Knotweed forms in dense thickets and can aggressively outcompete native plants. It often grows in riparian area (land along rivers, lakes, and wetlands) and it can negatively impact these areas. It can grow 10 to 15 feet tall.
The knotweed along the Nerodimja River in Kaçanik also threatens several recently planted cherry trees along the path. Phase I was to cut back the knotweed leaving about 20 centimeters of stem and to pile the leaves and stem on plastic tarp, to minimize the spread. Phase II will be to allow the piles to dry out and then to burn them. Phase III will require the application of a suitable herbicide.
Phase I took around 3 to 4 hours today and as always they welcome anyone who wants to help. I was able to help with carrying cut stalks to the pile and I also took out a couple of smaller areas of knotweed that were growing in a vacant area not far from the river.
After finishing the job and having lunch, we headed home for showers. Later in the afternoon, we spent a wonderful evening with the Çaka family. Ariana Çaka is the first language teacher that Thom found in Kaçanik. She was on the approved list of language teachers. She lives and works in Prishtina, but returns home on the weekends with her parents, brother, and one of her sisters. She has a married sister in Ferizaj.
Ariana's mother made pita in three different varieties for dinner. For me she made a potato pita and pumpkin pita. She also made spinach pita. Pita is not like the pita bread we have in the U.S., it is actually a dough that is roll out thin and then brushed with oil and layered. Several layers of dough are placed in a round pan (same pan as is used for flia) and then the filling is spread. Then more thin layers of dough that has been brushed with oil. The pitas are typically baked in a wood oven. This were less oily than Ganimete's and they were very good. Ariana was an excellent translator, although at times she spoke in Albanian and we understood. She, of course, slowed it down for us.
There home was very nice and super clean. Ariana explained family customs as we entered the house. Shoes were left outside and we all wash our hands before and after dinner. We enjoyed dinner, tea afterward, and conversation. We left with cherries, mulberries, and garlic from their yard and garden.
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