Vegetables all year round

As illustrated by Mrs Mpungu Elizabeth, Chairperson, CELAC Masaka District Farmers Network

Vegetables are necessary for the human body because of their high food nutrition values. As such, it is important to have them readily available all year round. Below is one way how to do so: -

1. Locate a suitable place and clear the area of 9 X 9 feet. It should not have any grass or plants .
2. Surround this choosen area with fresh banana stems. this prevents soil erosion in the event of rainfall.
3. Get 4 wheelbarrows of soil and thoroughly mix it with another 4 wheelbarrows of manure
4. Pile this mixed soil and manure in the cleared 9 X 9 ft space, making sure that you do not over pile it because it will be washed away with the rains
5. In the middle of your pile, make a deep hole that reaches the ground. Surround this hole with flowers or neatly woven bamboo sticks. This is the hole within which you will our water periodically and/or manure when need be. This sips out the the rest of the piled soil, thereby maintaining fertile soils all year round.
6. You can now plant your vegetables around the remaining area of the piled soil

The photo on the left: Mrs Mpungu (in purple tshirt) points out the mistakes made to Cissy Sserunjogi from CELAC Luwero (in cream sweater) while preparing the vegetable garden. Ms Nangonzi Alice, the owner of the garden looks on with her son in teh background

The photo on the right: Mr Mulopi Joseph explains to Margreet from hivos and BROSDI Staff (all not in picture) how he made his vegetable garden

Mrs Mpungu says that one needs to feel free to make the pile as desired but with the knowledge that for every 9 X 9ft, you need 4 wheelbarrows of soil and 4 of manure. Also, recommended vegetables are greens vegetables, carrots, onions, tomatoes and many others. Avoid those that require large expanses of land like beans, cabbage, cauliflower and the like.
Additional information:

1. Vegetables are nutrient dense. Vegetables pack a lot of nutrition into a minimum of calories.
2. Veggies are a dieter’s best partner. Vegetables get top billing on any fat-control diet because most are “free foods,” meaning you can eat an unlimited amount without having to count the calories.
3. You can fill up for less. Because of the fiber in vegetables, you get fuller faster; which is another reason why it’s nearly impossible to overeat veggies.
4. Vegetables are fat-free and cholesterol-free. All vegetables by definition are cholesterol-free and for all practical purposes, fat-free.
5. Variety, variety, variety. Diversity makes life interesting.
6. Vegetables provide complex carbohydrates. The energy in vegetables is in the form of complex carbohydrates.
7. Vegetables contain cancer-fighting phytos. New research, especially in the field of cancer, is showing that vegetables are nature’s best health foods.

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