Experimental/Demonstration Garden

Planting trees
This is a bit of land some friends of ours have bought and we are collaborating with them to start an experimental garden!!

The land came with a well (hole in the ground that hit water) that we have reinforced with cement. The holes on either side of the well are reservoirs that will collect rain water and where water from the well can be stored for easy access.

Rog went out last week with some others and planted 40 seedlings and 40 seeds around the area that will one day be a garden...we went back yesterday to find that only 1 seedling remained...one of the culprits can be seen in the picture below. (hint: it is not Rog)

Though they had put thorn branches all around the new seedlings to prevent animals from coming to eat them, a nearby lady came and claimed they were HER thorn branches and took them all back, leaving our small trees to be a feast for the grazing animals. So, there is a fence going up currently in order to prevent the seeds that have yet to sprout from going to waste as well. The idea we had was for us to put up a living fence around this garden. We would have trees that would act as a wind barrier, their leaves could be used as mulch or shade or for human consumption....and it seemed like a great idea!! But we did not think the animals would have such a fun time traipsing the land! A lesson well learned.  The living fence will still go up...but until it does, a fence with some posts and wire and thornbushes attached to posts will also go up!

Along with a living fence, we are trying to use bottle drip irrigation techniques to garden. Many areas of Niger do not have access to an abundant supply of water. Many people in our current village live near a water source, but they use flood irrigation to water their gardens. That requires a motor pump and gas which are both very expensive. It is also a big waste of water. The part of the plant that needs water the most, the roots, often do not get it, as the majority of the water the plant is given evaporates and does not reach the parched roots. In this technique, you bury an open bottle next to the plant that needs water. The part that is buried has holes in it that will leak water slowly straight to the roots. The part above the ground is open in order to add water when needed. Saves water and saves the plant. It is also a great way to recycle. There are a plethora of empty plastic bottles (pop bottles, milk bottles, shampoo bottles, etc) that are thrown into the ever-growing garbage dumps of this country. Glad to be able to put them to good use.

Farmer Rog inspecting the holes in one of the bottles. (For the optometrically inclined, yes, he is presbyopic and looking over his glasses!!)

Inspecting the well. Jacob is our Korean YWAM friend that owns the land and is generously sharing it with us. Pastor Boureima in the background is quite interested in our experiments.

Rog showing an interested neighbour what we are up to. 

We ourselves are learning and hope to be able to find creative ways to help people here have enough to eat and to be sustainable. However, there are so many barriers. Cultural, physical, language...just to name a few. Also, we have not found many people that are open to change and learning new techniques. We are praying for wisdom on how to help people and we are praying to encounter people who are willing to learn and change. 

I will leave you with some pictures of our kids in our yard. They too are starting to learn some gardening techniques. I am proud of them for going out in this heat and happy that they are having fun with it!

Filling up their buckets. Yes, that is an old paint can we use to water! Recycle, recycle, recycle!!

Nathan watering a mango tree.

Jaelyn helped transplant this Moringa tree. The roots have yet to take and therefore it is looking a bit limp, but she is faithfully watering it twice a day!