I started my garden mostly out of boredom. When we were between projects, I felt like I wasn't accomplishing anything. So, I started a garden with the seeds that you graciously sent. Little did I know that this would be perhaps the single-most sustainable project imparted to my village of San Miguel.
The hardest part about starting my garden was getting the soil prepared back in October. The garden area I selected near the house was pretty much an lush jungle. So I spent countless hours with the machete trying to uncover something that resembled the ground. After a week of turning the soil over, tilling til manageable (remember, this soil is like clay—the clay the ancient Mayans made their pottery from) I felt like I finally had the soil adequately prepared. I started planting. And now at this writing, I boast a healthy looking garden with tomato, green pepper, jalapeno pepper, habenero pepper, cilantro, carrot, romaine lettuce, cabbage, onion, and sweet corn.
It's been a great way to talk to the men in the village as the gender divide within San Miguel (and apparently all Mayan villages) is pronounced. The men have their work (the farms outside the village) and the women have theirs (washing the laundry and dishes in the river, cooking, and tending to the children). You never see the men and women working on anything together. That's why it has been a bit unusual when I have helped the men dig and build latrines. The men would never come over to my house to visit like the women and children often do. But the men WILL stop by and talk to me in the garden and ask questions about all the vegetables. After all, THEY are the farmers but they grow only corn (for tortillas), rice, beans... zilch, nothing else.
My garden has sparked interest so now with a little help, there are 3 other BEAUTIFUL gardens in the village...all close to my house. They had no idea what most of the vegetables were and how to eat them. The concept of 'salad' is foreign. One neighbor brought over a radish that they had grown to the size of a watermelon and wanted to know what to do with it??!! (Hell if I know!??!) Many chuckles!! We have done mini impromptu cooking classes so the ladies don't overcook the vegetables zapping the majority of nutrients from them. Salad remains foreign as I don't have them quite 'sold' on that idea as yet!
Males and females can now be seen working TOGETHER in their garden... fathers and daughters, mothers and sons, husbands and wives ... very new, very different, and very fun!
A couple days ago, I visited Candelaria's garden and I was commenting on how her garden looked so much better than mine??! (A garden 'pep talk' but I DO think her garden looks better). I was thinking that I might need to add a little nitrogen or potash or such to my garden. But, NO! Her father enlightened me that none of the girls are allowed even to the gate of their garden when they have their periods. And he asked if I go in my garden when I have mine? Well, yeah, so now I know what the problem is... !!! Life is simple here...very few rules but some very important ones, I guess...
Today, a little seven year old boy came by my house and asked if I would come see the garden that he is working on. So off we went. His mom, Margarita, and his sister, Brittany told me that he put up the fence all by himself and started growing papaya and banana plants/trees. (By the way, fences are a MUST as the pigs will eat anything and everything and the chickens LOVE the seed!) He was wondering if I had any cabbage, sweet pepper and cilantro seeds. I do. So we walked back to my house where I gave him the seeds and a seed tray to start the seedlings. He asked questions about how often to water the seeds and how much soil to put in each little compartment. The young boy, Edlin, although seven but doesn't look much over five. But he has started the family garden and has ideas of eating healthy and selling what the family doesn't need.
It's a different culture for sure and there's much we can learn from each other...
God bless us all...love, tracy
