This is Levy- he's the gardener down here, but really he's much more- he's a trained agronomist. All around the hospital he's started gardens- the one in these pictures is the largest and oldest. On first glace the place looks like a little park, nothing much happening, but when Levy starts explaining...mangos, papayas, bergamot (very rare in these parts) lemons, oranges, grapefruit, a cassava-like root veg I'd never heard of, and can't remember the name of. Levy's done it all himself, without chemicals, carefully using mulches and compost. The soil in these parts is "calcaire" (which means crummy) and he's slowly improved it for five years. Bravo!
Those of you who know my own horticultural tendencies can only imagine the intense joy I felt at being able to ask questions and chime in with english words for the plants and techniques he's using: one of the things I'd planned on doing while down here was scope out possibilities for starting a modest permaculture garden/project. But Levy's already done it, so I'm gonna try and help him, obvs. I'm getting teary just writing about it.
And the icing on the cake is that he so obviously loves what he does, and he's so happy sharing it with others. And he's got some of the best energy i've ever seen or felt. I heart Levy. (oh, and he's REALLY tall, ergo title of post)
ps that weird looking cut-open fruit is a cacao bud/pod/seed. We snacked on the white pod-lets inside: not like chocolate, but strange and delish...
pps some of the fruit goes to the TB patients at the hospital, to help them get their strength back. sob.
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