Good Shepherd Garden

This is day of updates for me.. Whheeewww my fingers are a typing machine!!!!

Recently, we did some work on the garden at the orphanage, Good Shepherd, CTC supports.  The garden where they were trying to grow vegetables really was not successful.  So Rocky, John and I spent a few days ripping it out and installing a 40 row drip feed system.  Planting various types of vegetables and will eventually finish 5 sack gardens.  One of the goals of this garden is to educate the children about agriculture.  So yesterday was their first day of "agriculture class" as they call it.  By they way, the children are so excited to add another subject.  I surely wasn't in school.

Rocky was awesome yesterday.  I have included a picture of him with VERY attentive kids as he showed what is planted, the way the drip system works and what needs to be done to take care of it.  They surprised me how attentive and involved they were through the class.  The children range from 3 to 13 roughly and that is tough to keep them clued  in.  But Rocky did a great job.  Once the basic overview was given, we went outside and broke them into 3 teams equal of big and small kids.  They were given a few minutes in separate sections of the yard to pick a name for their group.  And what do they each come back with?  Animal names.   They could have picked anything, but they all picked a Kenyan animal.  So we now introduce the Monkeys, Rhinos and Elephants.  We then went to the garden and showed them visually how the system works and what each plant looks like.  Each group is responsible for 11 rows.  Once a week they are to take a little time as a group to weed, make sure the drip holes are aligned with the plant and make sure all is well in their section.  We took an hour or so also to weed out the garden and show them how it's done.  Even the little ones were so excited to get dirty.   I've included a picture of some weeding action.  Aren't they precious?

Rocky goes back today for some additional work and education.  The plan is to eventually also teach them about sack gardens, composting, conservation and water usage.  I really think this is going to work.  First, the garden will significantly improve the nutrition of the children with minimal water, and it will teach the children about agriculture and being responsible.   What a great program!!!!