Vegetables! Post by Cory

This monarch didn't want to fly right away after emerging from its crisalis.
Fritz keeps finding more caterpillars on the butterfly weeds he collects
to feed the ones in his aquarium. 11 pupating right now.

After 20 years of not being able to grow many temperate vegetables in lowland Haiti, it is fun to be in a mild climate at an elevation for great vegetables as we wait for fruit and nut trees to grow.

I was able to make a supply trip to Port au Prince last week that was thankfully uneventful.

First trip since late April. 3 hours to get to the paved road but in town traffic was good.

 Only one small detour due to a road blocked by a bus near the airport. Protests and roadblocks are increasing lately.

Bok Choy

A missionary friend that I shared a truckload of trees from the Fauche nursery early last year purchased trees I wanted from a Dominican Republic nursery last fall about the time we left Haiti.

 I was able to meet for the trees and gave him mulberry trees for another mission to deliver on his way home.

This week almost everyone in our area is very busy harvesting the bean crop.

 Beans all ripened at once due to the rainy season starting so late.

Bok choy, turnips and sweet mustard from Hope Seeds

Germination was poor but then the weather was good for the beans that did grow and open air market prices are $1 or more per pound due to the worldwide bean shortage this year.

They are also selling well because the lower elevations around us had crop failure from the drought.

Our workers said they wanted to keep working when I said my work on the terrace could wait until after harvest if they needed some time off.

Broccoli and grape tomato

First time I've grown onion from seed

Roma tomato. Hoping hail doesn't shred the garden this year.

Newest terrace construction. Not much soil on this hillside but
we have a dirt pile from the house construction behind the person in orange

Popcorn in upper terrace doing as well as local corn in lower terrace
Both planted with beans

Turnip

Trees from the Dominican Republic, left to right:cinnamon, macadamia, allspice,
santol, strawberry guava, cola nut, allspice, rumberry, java plum, jaboticaba,
Surnam cherry, abiu