A Hike up the Hillside



On our sixth day in Haiti Dave Graffenberger led a small expedition up the hillside behind the OMS compound.  Dats, Ida and I tagged along with Dave and the group from Spokane to see some of the water and soil conservation OMS has helped with over the past few years.  The Spokaners had helped physically and financially with some of this project in the past and wanted to see the progress.

Dave shows us a holding tank where water from a couple of higher natural springs via pipelines collects near the bottom of the hill where locals can access it much more easily.




Terracing has kept the topsoil from washing away in heavy rains and thus made it possible to use the hillside for crops and the grazing of cattle.  In this picture, each row of high grass marks the downhill side of a deep trench that has been dug into the earth.



Dave was definitely in his element - he loves showing off the work that OMS is accomplishing in Haiti!

View from the half way point of our hike - looking back towards the compound and the village of Vaudreil surrounding it.



I couldn't believe how high up the hillside this scrawny Haitian cow was tied to graze.



This is the site of the top natural spring.  Even all the way up here we witnessed local children coming with their five gallon buckets to fill with water.



Behind Justin is a pile of rocks that have been harvested by workers for construction uses in the villages down below.  This is another source of erosion on the mountainside.  In the background are banana trees.



This was the pinnacle of our hike.  The top of the mountain was still quite a bit further up.

Myself, Ida and Dats at the top of the hike.  The large building visible down in the valley is a government complex that was started years ago in an effort to decentralize the government a bit from Port au Prince, but construction was halted when the earthquake hit a year and a half ago.

Ida pauses for a water break in front of some banana trees.

And Dats, too.

Dave stops to point out a tree that was planted as part of the overall conservation efforts.  It is a Manioc tree - which is becoming increasingly valued for various nutritional benefits to both livestock and people.

Back down the hillside and back on the compound, Dave took us by the gardens where OMS employs several folks to grow much of the produce consumed by the mission.  They are also doing a bit of experimentation with various plants and gardening techniques.

Old tires turned inside out act as planters.

Recycled trash used to start seedlings.

It's funny to me that I spent an entire week on this compound last October and wasn't aware of any of this part of the ministry in the least...