Previously, the fellows and the students prepared the soil by removing rocks and garbage from the
land. It seems as though the land was a dumping site, considering the amount of glass and trash. Also, it is
possible that it was a well, because there were giant, giant boulders buried in a neat row. This process took a
significant amount of time and effort from all of us. It is always the preparation that requires the most from
us, although we can’t see immediate results.
Today, we finally brought in fertile, moist topsoil to make beds and rows from the sugarcane field
just outside the soil. Also, the bed was partly covered with black plastic sheets. The purpose of the sheets
was explained to the students: they 1) hinders weed growth by limiting sunlight and space and 2) helps retain moisture in the soil. I was very happy because all the students helped and worked hard, while still
having loads of fun!