Pre-summer is a busy time of year in the little oasis garden farm. Fresh spring water is flowing through the mud and sand water channels, keeping our oasis farm well hydrated as the weather hots up. Summer crops like moliheya (a green leafy vegetable which is made into soup), rocket, Karkaday (hibiscus) and melon are being planted and vegetables like okra, zucchini, chili, tomato and egg plant are well on their way to producing.
Our bees are busy pollinating the land and our hives are dripping full of honey. Lucky us! There is a lot to be thankful for if we stop for a moment and be present in our own lives.
Yes, it's a very beautiful time of year here in the oasis. It's the last push before the sleepy intense Saharan heat arrives for the summer.
It's interesting to think that some of the farming tools used in Siwa have remained unchanged for thousands of years and are totally unique to the oasis. There are metal workers throughout the town which repair and maintain the tools by hand, mostly with handles made from the hard wood of apricot trees.
Today the kids are off on the donkey cart to collect nitrogen rich bat poo, abundant in the abandoned mud houses of the old town. It's a great, inexpensive fertilizer for the vegetables and takes recycling to the next level.
The little one's love this time of year, climbing mulberry trees and picking fruits, free to roam with little restrictions. They can get as muddy and wet as possible and don't need to wear many clothes, enjoying the garden farm as it transforms into the ultimate summer wonderland playground.