Garden Growing

One of the goals of our Peace Corps service is to grow a demonstration garden designed to introduce Paraguayans to new gardening techniques, introduce a variety of new vegetables, and encourage healthy food choices. An added personal goal- to grow fresh veggies for our table! Currently we have to take a one-hour bus ride to access a market that sells anything more than the “trinity”, onions, peppers and tomatoes.

And so the process began…… first, we removed the sod from the area where our new garden was to be located. Then we, well mostly Mark, used the “double dig” method to prepare six tablones, measuring 1 x 3 meters each, with an additional tablon measuring 1 x 8 meters.

Double digging beds- two feet deep

During this process, we incorporated the rich, dark compost produced by the three compost piles started as soon as we moved into our house. After raking and smoothing our seedbeds, we began planting, using seeds and some transplants started in egg cartons.

Covering seeds with sand to reduce "damping off" of seedlings

Having experienced a shortage of veggies, we splurged when it came to purchasing seeds! Our garden boasts healthy crops of : peas; lettuce; tomatoes; carrots; chard; beets; garlic; onions; potatoes; peppers, radishes; broccoli; cauliflower; sage; rosemary; mint; basil; some medicinal herbs; and kumanda yvyra’i, (a nitrogen-fixing bean). For some reason, our spinach and cabbage didn’t fair too well, despite two plantings.

Battling leaf cutter ants

We do our best to combat the weeds and leaf cutter ants, although the later really took a toll on my feet! (another story for another day).

Weeding- a never ending process!

The results of our work have been delicious! So far, we have been eating the lettuce, peas, radishes, and broccoli. Today, a neighbor watched me, wide eyed, pluck a snow pea from the vine and chew it up. It took some coaxing, but she tried one, too. Before we knew it, both she and her brother were picking and crunching on that snow pea goodness!

Tomato plants nearly as tall as I am!

It has been so much fun sharing our garden, vegetables and transplants, with our neighbors and encouraging them to start their own gardens!