Allotments to feed needy families.

[fifi]

Park to feed 100 families http://www.canarias7.es/articulo.cfm?id=271383


El Parque de Los Hormiga  in the neighborhood of El Charco, are offering allotments to needy families  in order to solve part of the economic difficulties that are being experienced . €20,000 is being invested in the project.

[KWC]

Great to see that becoming a success fifi and a decent step forward to helping to get part way through this recession by growing staple crops, but  I assume that there will be plenty of water to make this plan work?

Or it will end up like this:

[fifi]

Hmmm....I wonder if you have to bring your own water.

On a serious note....I think allotments are a fantastic idea.

[Captain Sensible]

Growing fruit and vegetables on the island is so difficult because of the lack of water and extreme heat.  I have my doubts about weather it'll be economically viable for anyone to try and grow their own.

I'll keep an eye on the allotments in El Charco, and see what happens.

[fifi]

You are probably right there Captain. One of the Political parties are  giving out about it in an article I just read and saying that the park is not being kept properly as it is. I dont think they are in favour of the money being spent on it.

[Globetrotter]

There was a similar thing I think last year or the year before where in between Gran Tarajal and the Zoo on the right hand side, there were fields made that were actually underwater (paddy fields, lol), this year just a few straggly wild fig plants that the goats seem to be devouring.
There has been a few schemes over the years trying to encourage more agriculture to make the Island more greener but not really taken off, I guess the reason being lack of water or cost of same.

[growers]

The problem growing on fuerte is the humidity or lack of humidity. To create this the crops need to be covered with shadow netting or such like. The water that  is drawn from the wells in fuerte is very often salty which some crops just can not take others (tomatoes for instance) can grow with slighty salty water.   

[Globetrotter]

The problem growing on fuerte is the humidity or lack of humidity. To create this the crops need to be covered with shadow netting or such like. The water that  is drawn from the wells in fuerte is very often salty which some crops just can not take others (tomatoes for instance) can grow with slighty salty water.

But ALL the water in Fuerte is slightly salty ask the plumbers how long boilers last.

[growers]

That paddy field effect you describe was probably an attempt to reduce the salt in the top soil. 

[Globetrotter]

That paddy field effect you describe was probably an attempt to reduce the salt in the top soil.

That would just leave the salt on the top as in the Salinas.
ie water evaporates leaving salt, the oldest method of obtaining salt from seawater.

[growers]

Yes thats true, i was assuming they were letting them fill up with rain water I noticed that most of these fields are at a low point so the water will run in (if and when it rains). After rainfall planting and then a short period well water and hoping for another shower. I think that is how they have done it in the past. 

[Globetrotter]

Yes thats true, i was assuming they were letting them fill up with rain water I noticed that most of these fields are at a low point so the water will run in (if and when it rains). After rainfall planting and then a short period well water and hoping for another shower. I think that is how they have done it in the past.

Thats assuming you are in a country with rain, but not in Fuerte as there is only an average of 6 days rain per year (not 6 full days) but an average spread across the year.