Family Gardens

Though the areas where we work are primarily agricultural, the bulk of the crops grown are potatoes, oats, and fava beans (traditional Guatemalan crops are corn, beans, and squash and make up the bulk of the diet) and are typically managed by the men. In this program, we concentrate on smaller plots used for daily food supply to augment the staples. Tomatoes, herbs, broccoli, radishes, carrots, etc. are welcome additions to the daily meals of corn tortillas and beans. We teach the women how to manage their own little plots since they will be the ones to use the products. Some women have begun to produce enough to sell to neighbors or in the market. This class is taught in association with the cooking class as well as worm composting for healthier gardens with reduced reliance on purchased chemicals.