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Soil improvements
Those who have read previous updates have seen some of the ingenious
ways we collect and use organic fertilizers. Some methods have
been discarded, others adapted, a few hybrid-ized, and others
embraced.
Many of the farmers have a goat or two. A very few own a cow
or donkey. We began with a cut and carry system. We had farmers
tie their animals to a tree and cut green grasses and leaves and
carry them to the animal. It was supposed to improve the growth
rate. It made manure collection much easier. Local farmers didn't
like the extra work on both ends and soon gave it up. The animals
once again free-ranged, eating anything at will. In one of my
darker moments, I coined the phrase: "Save a tree—eat
a goat."
In-row composting was another bright idea. Interplanting nitrogen-fixing
plants among the traditional garden crops and new trees should
have worked well. A plant called the jackbean got lots of hoopla
from academia. There are two major types—climbing and bush.
To this day the experts still say we had the non-invasive bush
type. That was the year we had thousands of nicely developing
six-foot tall tree seedlings smothered under a canopy of jackbeans.
Anyone who grew up in rural Pennsylvania knows about compost
piles. Compost piles change weeds and leaves and kitchen waste
to rich loamy soil in a few weeks. In Haiti, there is incredibly
little kitchen waste but there are free roaming chickens. A couple
chickens can level a huge, freshly built compost pile in an hour.
Don't get the wrong idea. It's not that nothing works. Last year
we planted 629,067 soil-conserving trees, included 24,512 fruit
trees: Barbados cherries, mangoes, coconuts, key limes, and others.
An estimated 80 percent survived the challenges of Haiti's moonscape.
We produced thousands of pounds of vegetables and over five tons
of fish on what was once dry barren land. And we planted 137 miles
of new hedge rows that retained thousands of tons of top soil
for future food production.
As we've evolved on this path to improve fertilization, we've
moved from animals to beans to people. People, kids in particular,
are much easier to work with. Part of summer school tuition for
the 180 children last year was two large bags of dried animal
droppings. Kids began saving their tuition months before summer
school. The hillsides were scoured clean. These were composted
in a pit, and we finally have fertile soil to start our community
vegetable and tree nurseries.
For the last two years we have planted one or two (but never
three) velvet bean seeds at the base of large trees. These beans
take nitrogen from the air and turn it to fertilizer. Its incredible
growth characteristics make the story of "Jack in the Beanstalk"
seem less like a fairy tale. The bean vines can grow 30-40 feet
up the tree. A couple plants will produce almost 100 pounds of
green matter. Three plants can topple a young tree. While growing,
they produce the nitrogen for the companion tree. Once the plant
dies, its leaves and vine become organic matter to protect and
nourish the soil.
Not too long ago we were doing a Bible study of agricultural
methods used in Bible times. One of the remarkable findings of
our study was an Old Testament command and practice of "Seventh
year rest." God, who created people and beans and even composting
long ago, recognized the land's need to take a break. In Bible
times, in the promised land of milk and honey, every seventh year
the land would be allowed to rest, to rejuvenate, to truly "veg
out." The following years the farmer would again plow and
plant and harvest it. The land would never become worn down and
nonproductive. Hunger wasn't a daily problem.
The American press frequently reports news from Haiti. There
are lots of stories about the occasional murder, riot, destruction
of property, and political violence. But there is a much greater
catastrophe happening, a silent one. It kills hundreds in Haiti
every day. It is starvation. And, across this nation, it is worsening.
Years ago the price of rice was quoted by the bag. A couple years
ago, prices were given by the gallon. Today, people use a half-pint
as their measure.
It's not enough to continue to create more soup kitchens, feeding
programs, school lunches, and give-aways. It is time to use biblical
lessons to feed the poor and offer the cup of water in His name.
We have encouraged the principle of the "seventh year rest"
in a new effort to improve the land and increase yields. This
is not a land flowing with milk and honey so it's necessary to
make a few cultural adjustments. At various levels of commitment,
this spring about 50 farmers will enter their second season using
the "seventh year rest" mandate. Two hundred others
will begin for the first time. Plots of land will be planted with
a cover crop and allowed to rebuild themselves. Each year a different
plot will be rested. Hopefully the day will arrive when a seventh
of each person's land is resting, rebuilding, revegetating.
God's principles, your prayers, and their labors will enrich
this land for the glory of God.
Thank you for being part of the team creating lasting miracles
in Haiti.
In Christ,
Rodney & Sharyn
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