The photo is one of a garden / farm planted by a young man who has attended agronomy vocational school, sponsored by the Haitian Methodist Church. This is a typical garden on an island that is primarily mountains of coral rock and limestone. Crops are planted around and in between the rocks that can not be dug out.

There are protected trees on the island and some with valuable wood. An agency at Zabricot that is affiliated with Heifer Project gives hundreds of trees away each year for planting. Many are fruit trees that grow only in the higher elevations, but some are good sturdy trees that can survive pruning for charcoal and hold what little top soil is left.

Many gardeners use rock to terrace their gardens rather than the precious soil. Large rock walls also work to redirect water from roadbeds that become raging rivers in heavy rains. There are a couple of schools on the island that include farming and fishing in curriculum along with other practical classes. Information is not readily available to the general public without TV as 80% can not read.

Seeds are extremely expensive and sold only on the mainland. Main crops are peanuts, corn, melons, manyoke, sweet potatoes, carrots and beans of various types. Livestock must free range or they have no food and gardens are often targeted. In that event the goats are occasionally found sans head and hooves! That is the primary justice system that works.

We would like to see fenced range land as an industry but aren't smart enough to get that concept across. This year with no rain the forage is sparse, livestock are starving and dying from lack of drinking water. Our concern? Not only will livestock die if gardens do not thrive and cisterns are dry.