1. Wild animals having a field day with the green maize in the fields. Wild pigs, baboons and bush buck are the main culprits here. One of our graduates, Simangaliso Ndlovu, had a beautiful field of green maize and three quarters has been wiped out by wild animals. That is really discouraging for her and the other apprentices who are now on “high alert”. Some have resorted to guarding their fields at night.
2. Our water problems continue….. the apprentices planted about 25,000 tomato seedlings after having put chicken manure as a basal fertiliser. Needless to say, without adequate water, about half the tomato plants have burnt and died.
3. Snakes…..It’s that time of the year when a variety of snakes show face. There are many venomous snakes around Ebenezer particularly the black mamba. Fortunately or unfortunately, the beauty of a snake is the last thing on anyone’s mind at Ebenezer. A snake means a dead snake and a discussion follows after it is lifeless – normally a worst case sceranio! (Sorry to all the snake lovers!)
4. Marketing of produce…….Transport and communications continue to be stressful…….
Again, amidst all this we are looking forward to our second graduation ceremony which is on the 15th December, we are continuing to harvest the tomatoes, onions and maize, the buildings continue to go up, the research and development plot continues to take shape…….so, alls well that ends well!
By Molly Manhanga
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