Good posture makes harvest easier!
There are 7 employees just for the agriculture department, but on harvest and other important days, everyone pitches in to help.
Most Swazis made their living as subsistence farmers before the drought hit 10 years ago.
This is a type of pumpkin that has grown well.
The path to and from some of the farm plots
Maize crop- a very important staple
Leafy greens
Cabbages and peppers
We're on our third harvest now.
We're still learning the rhythms of harvesting.
Loading up the extra to sell at the market- they all sold overnight! An agricultural project success.
The agricultural project is helping our other two main projects (the OVC hostel and health care outreach) by providing supplementary nutrition for both efforts.
The act of growing food in a land of drought is an extremely powerful symbol of hope that everyone feels deeply.
Here the workers maneuver the new irrigation system that made this farm possible amidst the 10 year drought.
When you ask the people, "What has Cabrini Ministries helped do for you?" , many people say, "Oh, they're growing maize, they're growing food..."
Growing food is an important step in the right direction.
Temperatures in the summer at St Philip's Mission are between 100-115 Fahrenheit.
The farm workers start at 5:30 am and end at 1:30 to avoid the worst of the summer heat.
The workers are learning valuable skills by running the agricultural project.
Johannes- Head of the Agricultural Program, part of the managerial staff. Johannes played a wonderful St. Joseph in the Christmas play that the managers put on for the children and other staff.
Hopefully we will generate enough harvest for both supplemental nutrition and for selling at the markets, so that this department will end up paying for itself.
Water! This makes all this farming possible.
Spinach, tomatoes, and peppers
The church in the distance
The children also help out on the farm in order to learn valuable farming skills.
