It's all about food!

Despite the fact that we haven't seen rain for almost a week, the farming chores continue. Wherever you look there are people of all ages hoeing patches of land with short handled tools that dig up large clods and are incredibly efficient. I walked to a school in the village last week and on my return needed to totally re-route my journey. The path had been turned over and was now part of a field!
Every now and then there is the deafening squeal of a large pig being forcibly tethered. The goats seem to bite through the string holding them within minutes, unless they have a branch of tasty leaves hanging beside them. I can't imagine people hand feeding their goats for long and I imagine they will get very hungry in the next 3 months. Small boys try unsuccessfully to lead herds of up to 6 unruly goats from one grazing place to the next. Meanwhile the chickens go where they please. So do the piglets who seem to be assisting with digging duties!

I am posting this photo for 2 reasons. One, this is the skirt I made for those interested and secondly, the enclosure behind me, which I posted on here some months ago in its first phase, now has healthy crops growing in it. I thought these pens were for the animals and everywhere else was farmed. Clearly, not. (This is not great of me but Patricia said I looked too "military" in the others!)

There will be a "farm" behind the office before long. I have offered my services as a labourer to Godfrey who is organising it. In the meantime tiny shoots are showing from the tomato and strawberry seeds I have sown in an old bowl. The conditions here almost allow you to see them developing. Bring on the Harvest!