U.S. gardeners usually put in only one or maybe two gardens a year: a Spring-Summer garden and a Fall-Winter garden. Even just two seasonal gardens are a lot of continual work throughout the year, but in Haiti there can be multiple gardens in a year, as their growing season never stops. Even if you grew nothing but long-season crops like onions that take 120 days or more to mature and harvest, you would be “turning” your garden four times a year, but with shorter-season crops like spinach, peppers, or corn you could be replanting 4-5 times a year.

This week the ATC students were “turning” the demonstration gardens at the ATC (Agricultural Training Center) in preparation for another new planting. Here you see them bringing in newly prepared planting medium (a rich organic, sifted soil mixture perfect for starting new young plants), forming their new raised beds, and laying out the drip irrigation lines that will provide constant moisture without wasting the scarce irrigation water. After the seeds are sown, they will lightly cover the garden bed with mulch to protect the seeds and soil, keep the soil cooler, and preserve moisture. Within a few months, there will be new harvests of fresh nutritious food.

When you support our Development for Sustainability programs, you are giving a gift that lasts for generations, giving a dignified way to break the cycle of poverty. God bless you for your planting and reaping this harvest of souls.

Rad Hazelip, Assistant Executive Director