Lost Planes and Pachub’, Sololá, Guatemala
Sea level farming in Nicaragua
Our farming program in Nicaragua occurs at sea level where temperatures average 85 degrees and higher throughout the year. All of the crops there are grown in open fields, often under the shade of papaya trees to reduce the heat, while producing tomatoes, chilies and other vegetables. Still, green leafy vegetables like lettuce and cabbage are difficult to grow.
High elevation farming in Guatemala
In Guatemala, however, we work at 7,000 feet where temperatures are cooler and more variable over the year. To maximize the production and income potential of the small family farms there, we employ hothouses to create very warm environments for key crops including tomatoes and chili peppers that are a staple of the diet. The open fields produce lettuce, celery, broccoli, cabbage and other cool climate crops.
The hothouses are made using posts made from tree limbs, milled lumber cross beams, PVC tubing to support the roof that is made of nylon sheeting, and nylon insect netting that allows for ventilation and humidity control inside the hothouse.
We began the Guatemalan farming program in 2024 with our first group of 10 women and their families. The use of hothouses was immediately successful and productive. The women were able to monitor the plant’s growth and focus on their feeding and pest control using home-made, organic pesticides and fertilizers.
To learn more go to our website, viviendasleon.org
