Vana is the third grade teacher ay the Matenwa Community Learning Center. She’s one of the longest-serving teachers at the school. She’s also a member of the executive committee and the schools treasurer. So she doesn’t have much time to farm. She believes in the school’s garden, however, and so has taken the time to establish a small garden of her own.

I don’t know anything about soil, but the soil on her land seems pretty unpromising. I’m not sure whether the photo really conveys how gray it is.

She tries to work with the soil by planting in beds that she covers with leaves and straw. It holds the soil down and captures moisture.

She is working on a couple of different crops. One is tomatoes.

Here’s a young eggplant.

Cabbage seems to grow pretty well in the Matenwa area.

And here’s a young sweet pepper.

And here’s a picture of Vana herself.