I had tried to dig a permagarden in Bugiri at the ATEFO offices, but I was constrained by the allowed size and ultimately defeated by goats. It just wasn’t what I had hoped for. Shortly after I moved into my annex last August, I noticed a nice little patch of land right next to me that was the ideal size for a permagarden. I also realized that the compound was secure against animals. It was the height of rainy season when I arrived, so I decided to wait until the beginning of the next rainy season to try again. Just before leaving to go to Cape Town on leave, some rain started, and while I was gone, it rained a few more times. I was disheartened by the appearance of the plot when I returned. A layer of grassy turf had taken firm hold.
I thought I would need to spend an entire weekend clearing the plot, and then the next weekend digging the garden. My resolve had weakened. Then one afternoon last week, I came home and was surprised to see the plot had been cleared.
The security guard told me that the Molly, one of the housekeepers for the main guesthouse, had cleared it in about an hour. I assumed she had her own plans for a garden. Beyond being impressed with her digging speed, I wondered if she would consider collaborating on a permagarden design. The next time I saw Molly, she said “I cleared it for you. You are very busy, and I heard you talking about it.” So at that point, since she had gone to the trouble, I had to dig it. I invited Molly and Mary, the other housekeeper, also with digging ability, to help me. (Yes there are two housekeepers, but they are mainly for attending to Julias and visitors in the main guesthouse.) The ladies would share some of the produce, and we’d bring the rest to the CARE office to share.
First though, I needed to buy seeds and two more hoes to go with the neighbor’s hoe that Molly had borrowed. Later I let Mary and Molly keep the new hoes. Then we went to the city dump to buy four basins of manure. Needing to get all this done before night fall Friday, I didn’t search around for any charcoal, ash or egg shells.
The Arua city dump where we bought a grain sack of manure from the city. A recent article said towns in Uganda are able to collect only 40 percent of their garbage whereas 60 percent either rots on streets or perhaps gets washed away by running water up to wetlands and nearby rivers.
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The next morning, Mary, Molly and I dug the permagarden. We were soon joined by Emily, a local Education PCV who had never received permagarden training. The soil was not the hard red clay I had become accustomed to the first two years. It was much softer, almost sandy. We planted onions, cabbages, collards, carrots and green peppers. That night It rained quite hard, I was glad we protected it with grass clippings. The rain continues to be sporadic, but I am hopeful. I took up the clippings and think I see some little buds.
We finished digging and planting seeds in 1 1/2 hours
In the meantime, in Kazo, a year after our visit to the Blue House orphanage, the girls are remembering their lessons and digging new permagardens.
Girls at the Blue House digging their gardens