Update: Mid - May
2007 Farmlands heavy with crops! |
The hard work was done...the lands cleared....fertilised...cultivated..and
all helped by the heavy rains.
Now the rewards..... bumper maize crops have been harvested,,and
storage areas packed.
The May 2007 harvest was excellent. Hybrid maize was planted
in 6 farmland plots which produced a crop that filled 922
bags (50-kgs each). The Kambona plot alone yielded 247 bags
of maize as well as pegion peas. Elsewhere, sunflower crops
are flourishing and these willbe harvested in July 2007
There are now rolling seas of nodding, waving golden sunflowers
that'll be harvested in July...millet and other crops too.
What a contrast to the earlier years of famine and hunger!
It was a big job shelling the maize crops.......but the
bumper crop made the big effort worthwhile! A lot of this
will go into storages.
In a word...a-maize-ing !
Christmas 2006
Just before Christmas 2006, Searchlight Orphan Care
workers streamed out onto the various agricultural lands
bought during the year by The Australian AIDS Fund ......to
finish the big job of weeding, fertiliser application
and planting. Hopefully, with a good rainfall, the scene
is set for a bumper harvest. |
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| In late October, a
further large piece of agricultural land was bought
at Kambona...measuring some 300 metres x 200 metres
and, within hours, it was being cultivated by many willing
hands. |
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In the weeks leading
up to Christmas, the lands are prepared and fertilised
in readiness for the planting and the Spring rains.
But, ahead of the hoped-for harvest, there's the question
of secure maize storage shelters...
Flanked by a 90 metre x 65 metre wall from a deceased
estate, a small warehouse has been bought , together
with a garage and a two-roomed house which will serve
as ideal, well protected storages for the harvested
crops.
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There's
also a small, two-roomed house that'll serve as a
mini records office.
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A small
orchard has also been bought nearby...it contains
mango trees, oranges and paw paws!
It's also facing a major tidy-up and fresh plantings!
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The Australian AIDS Fund Incorporated...up to September
2006..had bought a total of 9 pieces of land, including
two agricultural plots each measuring some 200 metres
by 200 metres...so that its partner organisation in
Msema - Searchlight Orphan Care can move towards food
security and self-sufficiency for the needy and the
orphaned in its communities.
Two plots of land were bought alongside The Australian
Primary School to be developed as School Vegetable
Gardens, which the children will work. They have the
tools, the seeds, and even a toolshed now!
The most recent purchases were land adjacent to each
of the San Michel and Malawi House "mini-orphanages".
These purchases will serve two purposes.....the children
in each house will cultivate them as their vegetable
gardens....and, later if necessary, the land could
be used to expand the housing facilities. There had
also been a risk that the two pieces of land could
have been bought for commercial purposes due to the
recent building activities.
The two photos below are of the land adjacent to San
Michel...while the two below them are of the land
adjacent to Malawi House. The photos that follow them
are of the agricultural lands and other cultivated
plots
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In late September 2006,
it was time to face up to the tough job of preparing
the various land plots for planting.....
Sheer muscle and hoes.....and in some cases, the babies
just had to go along with Mum... |
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| In mid-October, The
Australian AIDS Fund airfreighted a rotary hoe from
Melbourne to Msema to help in this back-breaking work. |
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| The following photos
were shot earlier in the year.... |
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