It’s definitely farming time in this part of the world. There was a big rain on Christmas night and
another one on New Year’s night, and everyone is waking up to farming now. Each and every little bit of land, and I mean
LITTLE, is being hoed and planted with something or the other. Some of the corn that was planted earlier is
up about five inches already and is being weeded now. Mostly what’s been planted is corn and
peanuts, and so far, so good.
In our area there is a lot of construction of houses going
on, all in various stages. Those that
have people living in them are farming the little bits of land around their
house; those houses that are just foundations have people planting in the
house! The outside walls of the foundation are laid with
cement blocks and then the inside is filled in with soil, upon which will be laid stones and
cement, but until that is done it’s a place to plant something.
Some people have larger plots on the outskirts of the city,
and these folks I meet in the morning with hoes on their shoulders and a jug of
water in their hands. Because schools
aren’t in session now, kids are tagging along, and you can just see how
enthusiastic they are about getting up early and going to the fields! But they start young. Some of my little scholars (kindergarten and
1st graders) were waving at me yesterday as they planted
peanuts. An older person was turning over the ground with
her hoe and the kids were planting: bare feet, toes dipping in the ground to
make a little depression, then drop in the seed (s), then the front or side
part of the foot covering the seed.
They’re little experts already.
Farming is an occupation for people who have hope. And here we all have hope that the rain will be enough and at the right time so that food will be available in a few months.
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