LITTLE FLOWER HMI FAMILY FARM
The Little Flower HMI Family Farm -Ravine Sable, Haiti
The family farm concept developed out of Haiti Mission’s (HMI) animal distribution program. For many years HMI has been distributing farm animals to the families in the villages in which we serve. This has been a wonderful project that has helped the children and families. The families who received the animals – chickens, sheep, goats, pigs and donkeys – can breed them, sell them or barter with them. HMI has never put restrictions on the use of the animals since each family’s needs are unique. Besides helping to feed and clothe the families, this has been a way for many of them to send their children to school.
Our rudimentary attempts to more efficiently produce animals by developing a pig breeding facility, a goat farm and a chicken farm have met with mixed results. Some successes and some failures have taught us some fruitful lessons. When all was said and done, buying healthy animals from individuals who were willing to sell and giving them to those who were not able to purchase animals seemed to be the best of both worlds and accomplished our goals without the expense of trying to raise the animals ourselves.
With a grant from a supporter in the US, (Little Flower Enterprises, LLC – Marthaville, LA) HMI has been able to begin a laying hen project on our farm property. The two experimental houses that were originally built in 2013 were able to house approximately two hundred laying hens. Things have gone well and with the addition of another house and a functional fresh water well, the operation has become for the most part, self-supporting. The farm has property sufficient enough to grow some other cash crops as well as serve as a training facility to teach new agriculture and agronomy techniques. The property is located across the street from our Ravine Sable elementary school campus and is dedicated to helping the communities of Numero Deux and Ravine Sable through the intercession St. Therese of Liseux – “The Little Flower”
Farm entrance gate Feb 2013
Fence surrounding farm Feb 2013