community gardening in another country!
The Cuban government responded to a food crisis by introducing organic farming in which they plan their own food so they do not rely on other countries for help. Almost all farmland that was once held by the state was turned over to the workers and re-established as worker-owned enterprises.
Food crops produced in these farms can be freely sold at farmers markets, thereby providing funds for farmers to effectively use new organic technologies such as biofertilisers, earthworms, compost and the integration of grazing animals. Farmers also revived traditional techniques such as intercropping and manuring in order to increase production yields.
Public policies also supported urban organic agriculture which encouraged urban farmers to produce diversified, healthy and fresh products. This also results in more well-payed jobs, benefited in both economy and the people.
Cuba’s transition to organic agriculture also has a positive impact socially by guaranteeing a steady income for a certain population. Moreover, the lack of pesticides for agricultural production is likely to have a positive long-term impact on Cubans’ wellbeing since chemicals found in pesticides often have negative health implications such as certain forms of cancer.
Food crops produced in these farms can be freely sold at farmers markets, thereby providing funds for farmers to effectively use new organic technologies such as biofertilisers, earthworms, compost and the integration of grazing animals. Farmers also revived traditional techniques such as intercropping and manuring in order to increase production yields.
Public policies also supported urban organic agriculture which encouraged urban farmers to produce diversified, healthy and fresh products. This also results in more well-payed jobs, benefited in both economy and the people.
Cuba’s transition to organic agriculture also has a positive impact socially by guaranteeing a steady income for a certain population. Moreover, the lack of pesticides for agricultural production is likely to have a positive long-term impact on Cubans’ wellbeing since chemicals found in pesticides often have negative health implications such as certain forms of cancer.
Location
This was the land before we made it into a garden.Our garden is located behind the South Gym at our school. The land before we made it a garden was a vast empty space that was uncleared and wasted. We picked this area because:
- It receives enough sunshine
- It stays clear of trees or shrubs
- Water is provided
Wasted land to garden
We first cleared the wasted land. We cut down all the weeds with many other AP Environmental Science students. It was a very fun and exciting experience as we prepare the land for our future garden.
This picture was taken after we cleared the land. After we cleared all the weeds, our next step would be constructing all the wooden boxes.
We also built different supports for other plants that are not part of the project. This allow us to plant plants such as grapes, beans, and other fruits.
Then, under our teacher's instruction, we constructed wooden box that are one meter in height and one meter in width.
After we constructed the border of the boxes, we were ready to put in the soil. But first, we had to put black plastic in the boxes to hold the soil.
With the help of our teacher and other students, we started to put the boxes in place. Then, we added fertile soil into the boxes. ALMOST DONE!
This is the final product of the wooden box for each group.
After hours of hard work,
we finally finished making all the boxes for all the groups. And from then, we
started on our garden!
why community gardens?
Because:
- Saves land and make use of wasted lands
- Adds beauty to community and heighten people’s awareness and appreciation for living things.
- Able to eat healthier, more nutrient rich diets.
- Eat locally produced food reduces exposure to chemical fertilizers and pesticides.
- Save fuel from transportation and packaging
- Restore oxygen to air and help reduce air pollution
- Promotes youth education about nature