Down! But definitely not out!

The Carryou Ministry farming project at Vleikop has had to face a number of obstacles recently.
 Two violent wind storms resulted in extensive damage to one of the tunnels. But despite the odds stacked against them, the team, under the watchful eye of Stephen Ngakane, has continued to produce enough food to supply all of Carryou's feeding programmes, in addition to producing a surplus that was directed to needy families in the community.

 "We produced record quantities of vegetables like spinach, tomatoes and beetroot," says Ngakane. "When it comes to feeding children, you cannot allow anything to get in the way."

Costs

 The cost to repair the tunnels runs into thousands of rands - money Carryou simply does not have available at the moment.
 "We will also have to wait until the end of the growing season," says Stephen. "Because repairs will entail removing the netting that forms the walls and roof of the structure, leaving the crops inside vulnerable to the attention of neighbouring cattle and goats."

 The current situation is inconvenient and makes much of the work awkward and uncomfortable, but winter crops are in the ground and tending to them goes on unabated.
 "The need for the food we produce, remains," says Stephen. "We cannot let anything get in the way."

Can you help? Please!

"I look at the land lying unused and it makes me sad." - Stephen Ngakane

Unrealized potential!

 As has been reported before, Carryou Ministry has a farming project at Vleikop, on the outskirts of Randfontein, that was started late last year.
 Vegetables are grown in two tunnels, built and erected by Carryou staff members, with financial aid from the US Government. The land is part of a ten-year lease and, on the property is a house, where, in the future, vulnerable children will receive care and shelter.
 "The programme has so far been a resounding success," says Stephen Ngakane, manager of the project. "Much has been achieved. We have harvested both summer and winter crops and supplied cabbages, carrots, beetroot and onions to not only Carryou's feeding schemes in Toekomsrus and Elandsvlei but also been able to help needy members of the local community.
 "The farming project has provided employment to many of the poor and we have been able to slowly develop and upgrade our facilities. For example, we have installed tanks and an irrigation scheme," he says.
 "But we are only using a small percentage of the land and that is enormously frustrating. There is so much more we could do and so many more people we could help, if we had access to more agricultural knowledge and resources. I look at the land lying unused and it makes me sad.
 "We are need to find farmers and organisations who can provide us with the skills, advice and resources we need for this project to reach full potential and become self-sustaining," says Ngakane.
 Can you help? Are you a farmer who can offer advice? Do you know someone who can help?
 If so, please call Carryou Ministry General Manager, Rev. Lawrence Mabaso at 011-412-2013. Your help is needed.

Farming project fills many mouths

Stephen Ngakane and a new crop of tomatoes

  The Carryou Ministry farming venture At Vleikop, on the outskirts of Randfontein, has been a roaring success. The summer harvest is drawing to a close and winter crops are now in the ground.
 "Not only were we able to provide fresh, healthy, vegetables to feeding programmes run by Carryou Ministry but we also supplied cabbages, spinach, beetroot and carrots to a nearby creche and to around 60 members of the local community, who assist in the vegetable garden," says caretaker and overseer, Stephen Ngakane.
 "It is my goal to be even better and produce more this year. All the vegetables are grown organically, using cow manure supplied to us by a neighbour and I can honestly say, we have succeeded in making a positive difference in the lives of many.
 "Many of the crops we hope to harvest in winter are planted and, as we've learned a great deal since starting this programme, I am confident we will do even better this year.
 "It is my hope and dream that soon, we will be able to farm more of the land we have, as there is a lot of poverty in the area and a great need to provide food for the hungry," says Ngakane.

Sue Heywood visits us

 

 One of Carryou Ministry's most active supporters, Sue Heywood, from Tuxedo in the USA, stopped by for a flying visit last week. 

 Over the years, Sue and her friends have raised hundreds of thousands of rand used to feed and clothe children, buy books and provide education bursaries.

 We accompanied Sue as she visited the projects and people that benefit directly from the funds she has raised.

 Here are some pictures of her visit.

The first sods are turned at Vleikop

Randfontein Town Council donates seeds. (L-R) Thembi Matuwane, MMC Social Services, Brenda Mahuma, MMC Public Safety, Sylvia Thebenare, Executive Mayor, Rev. Lawrence Mabaso, Carryou Ministry General Manager, Pam and Tony Jamison, Carryou Ministry founders.

 There were scenes of joy at Carryou Ministry's Vleikop Farming project this morning when the Randfontein Municipality handed over seeds so the first crops can be planted.
 The occasion, although a day early, was part of the local Town Council's Nelson Mandela birthday celebrations and a number of dignitaries, Including Executive Mayor, Sylvia Thebenare, were present.
 Also there were Carryou Ministry founders, Pam and Tony Jamison, as was a large number of members of the surrounding community who came to sign up for a farm-worker training programme (see the previous post).
 "It is fitting that we are here today to start a project that will provide both employment, training and food for many," said Carryou Ministry, General Manager, Rev. Lawrence Mabaso, "especially when we bear in mind how important planting and nurturing a seed was to Madiba. He wrote, while on Robben Island, gardening was the only thing the prisoners had control over."

Rev. Lawrence Mabaso and Umshini Consultants Chairman, Cecile Kirk

 "This is a very important project that must be taken seriously by the community," said Randfontein Executive Mayor, Sylvia Thebenare. "We must remember this was barren land that through the efforts and support of many people will soon produce food.
 "A family of four can be fed from a piece of ground the size of a household door," she said, "so just imagine how many people these two tunnels will feed! We, as the municipality, will do everything in our power to support you."
 Cecile Kirk, Chairman of Umshini Consultants, who will be organising and running the Farm Workers Training Course, explained how it would work and what is required.
 And then, to the joy and delight of all present, the first soil-sods were turned and the first seeds were planted.

Members of the community register for the Farm Workers Training Course

The community becomes involved

A small token of appreciation was presented to Pam Jamison

Councillors Thembi Matuwane and Tshidi Kimane, join Executive Mayor, Sylvia Thebenare and get stuck in.

And we're done!

 After much hard work by the Carryou team, who built and erected the tunnels themselves, the structures are now complete.
 "We are delighted," says Carryou Ministry General Manager, Rev. Lawrence Mabaso. "The guys did a wonderful job.
 "We are in the process of trying to arrange some training in the relevant farming methods and are looking forward to being able to supply fresh vegetables to our feeding programmes."

Almost done!

Both tunnels will be completed within the next few days and preparation for planting will begin!

Cable theft at Vleikop fails to stop work on the tunnels

 On Friday morning last week, Stephen Ngakane (55), caretaker at Carryou Ministry's new Vleikop farming facility awoke to discover 16 metres of electricity cable had been stolen and they were without power.

 "This is the fifth time in less than a year that the cables have been stolen," says Ngakane. "The thieves switched off the power at the box in the street and then dug up the underground cables."

 The theft is inconvenient and costly but it hasn't stopped work on the construction of the tunnels.

 "We have rented a generator and work continues," says Stephen. "We have children to feed."

Work on the tunnels is underway!

 Carryou Ministry was recently given a ten-year lease on a small holding at Vleikop on the outskirts of Randfontein and work on two tunnels, in which a variety of vegetables will be grown, started this week.
 "We received an aid grant from the US Government to help get the project underway," says Rev Mabaso, Carryou Ministry General Manager.
 When completed, the farming project will provide food for Carryou Ministry's feeding schemes, generate income from the sale of surplus produce and provide employment, training and skills for a small number of unemployed people.
 If all goes according to plan, both tunnels will be fully erected by the end of this week.