Tuesday, July 22

Anse a Pitre is a dry and dusty place these days.  Even so the people seem to keep up their energy and hope quite well.  An example, the market held Monday and Friday in Pedernales. It´s a crazy lively place.  Jammed with people, T’shirts, clothes, produce, fruits, potatoes, mysteries of many kinds.  Both Haitians and Dominicans come to look and talk.  At the entrance we bought eight coconuts and the conocut man opened them expertly with his machete.  Delicious cononut water to start the morning!  We chucked extra coconut meat over the fence to a dozen or so goats who knew just where to stand for the leftovers.

On Tuesday in Anse a Pitre, we made good progress on the shade sheds we are building. These will cover the raised garden beds near the school so the children can play and learn there. Jacob is our foreman and designer. Lots of hole digging and taking down the old shade nets.  Hot work but useful! 

Later, after another excellent vegetarian lunch at Sanhana Forest near the school and worksite, we saw another great garden, invited by Eddy.  Eddy is a young Haitian whom Kara met on an earlier trip.  He was then coming to Sanhana Forest to study at night, with no electricity at home.  He has finished his studies and now has a nursery and garden near his house. He is raising hundreds of cyprus trees with seeds from his mother´s tree, and also many varieties of vegetables.  Part of the garden he sets aside to work to improve the soil, planting corn and alphalfa )I think) not to eat but to turn back underground and return nitrogen and structure to exhausted soils.  His watering system is precarious… he has no water but uses water from a neighbor´s hose after persuading her that they are doing something good for their town and country.  Basically he is doing organic, eco-agriculture with enthusiasm!  We asked what he sees in his future in the next few years. He says he wants to interest his neighbors, his father )also a farmer) and many others in this kind of gardening which is good for the Earth and good for people.  He has already begun to persuade his father, he is making a difference!   

Jill