Zambezi Farm update

The fields at Zambezi Farm are producing eggplant, peppers, tomatoes, kale, okra, carrots and more. We're particularly excited by the new tomatoes. They've just begun to "blush", the beginning of ripening.

The goat herd is increasing, with 3 new babies in the last month. And the free range chicken run is currently housing 23 local hens and 3 roosters. The first eggs have been laid!

The rainy season is approaching, and with it blessings as well as some obstacles. Hopefully there will be enough rain to water the large new planting of corn seed without having to rely on irrigation. On the other hand, the rainy season brings much higher risk of disease for the goats. To help prevent infection, the goat shelter must be enlarged to give them more air and room to move.

This month at Zambezi Farm

The new crops at Zambezi Farm are in all different stages of development. The okra plants are still small, just about knee high, but are already bearing fruit!

The tomato seedlings have been transplanted to the field. While they are growing, the farmers are erecting trellises - poles with wires strung between them - to support the future tomatoes.

And the goat herd is increasing. Fortunately, the tick fever has not claimed any more victims. Currently there are 21 goats, including a new baby and 2 females ready to give birth any day.

When not caring for the current crops, the farmers are preparing for the next project - raising chickens. A man from Musokotwane, a neighboring village, is teaching them to make the grass houses that will shelter the free range birds.

News from Zambezi Farm

Things are really starting to pop at Zambezi Farm! The Mama Bakhita mothers, who do most of the farming, are excited and encouraged by the success of recent crops. In the video below they are planting carrots on raised mounds with drip irrigation lines running along the top.

Eggplant, impwa, carrots and cabbage are currently growing in the fields, and there are also tomato seedlings just about ready to transplant. Last week they harvested the first of the eggplant, and had enough to sell to Spar, a local store. Zambezi Farm will continue to supply produce to Spar every week.

The tick disease that attacked the goats seems to be ongoing. We have lost three goats, and for now, must continue to vaccinate the rest weekly until the fever subsides.

We are going to begin raising chickens. Sydney (our Zambian manager) proposed a commercial setup, but I am more interested in a smaller, more traditional approach. So we will have two chicken projects - one free range and the other commercial. The commercial side will be a large chicken house built with cement blocks, and the free range will have small grass chicken houses, similar to the ones pictured above. It will be interesting to experience these two styles of farming side by side.