Corn growing on the mountainsides during the rainy season (Aug. 2010)

Not much growing in the dry season (Jan. 2008)

Poor soil and lack of rain make growing crops difficult during the dry season in the mountains. We are starting a project to help alleviate this problem. Because we have a sister church in the village of Targette, we will begin a pilot project there in 2011. A spring is located about 3/4 miles from the village and about 400 feet higher in elevation, so we will lay a plastic water line to bring water to the village by gravity. We will begin to explore growing vegetables in containers--plastic shopping bags--filled with soil amended with compost.

A preliminary project has been started at the Champion Christian School in Donegal, PA in their greenhouse. The purpose of this project is two fold. First, we want to know how much composted manure to add to a bag of soil. Second, we will photograph all of the steps in order to create an instruction booklet for the residents of Targette.

Any suggestions are welcome.