Grow your own Vegetables eBook by Dora du Plessis

by Nell, W. T., Engelbrecht, G. & Du Plessis, D. M.

Growing Vegetables: A comprehensive guide on how to establish,
maintain and manage a vegetable garden

This ebook (130 pp) can be obtained from Dora du Plessis at dora@goodbugs.co.za or calling her on 082 635 0214.

It is currently only available in electronic format (on CD).

The main focus with this book is to train people in the discipline of producing vegetables on a piece of land at their own homes, at schools, clinics, old-age homes or in communities. By learning to grow vegetables properly they will improve their family's quality of life and strengthen their capacity to be able to teach the management of a vegetable garden to other people in his/her community.

All over the world people are expressing the need to enjoy better food, better health and improved nutrition so that they can raise their children in health and dignity. With this training handbook we hope to contribute to the actions and programmes already established to end hunger and malnutrition, and to ensure food and nutrition security in our country and in Africa.

Food security is defined in various ways of which a few are quoted here:

"Food security ... is often used broadly to mean a situation in which people have continuity of food supply" (FAO, 1998).

Food security is the "condition of having enough food to provide adequate nutrition for a healthy and productive life" (Future Harvest).

"Access by all people at all times to enough food for an active, healthy life" (USDA).

"... a community in which all people, at all times, have access to nutritious, safe, personally acceptable and culturally appropriate foods, produced in ways that are environmentally sound and socially just" (The BC Food Systems Network).

All the definitions refer to access to food on a daily basis.

We believe that every individual family must have the opportunity to receive training so that they can contribute to their family's food security and well-being by establishing, maintaining and managing at least four door-sized compost trench-beds in a backyard to provide a continuous supply of safe, nutritious and wholesome vegetables for own use throughout the year.

Good luck and enjoy your hobby! Sterkte en geniet jou stokperdjie!

Yours Sincerely,

Dora du Plessis
Langenhovenpark, Bloemfontein
Cell: +27(0)82 635 0214
Home: +27(0)51 446 1309
Fax: +27(0)86 505 8411