Greenhouses

 Several governmental projects have been installed on Taquile over the last three years when we haven’t been here.  

Greenhouses 

Typically not very many vegetables, besides potatoes and oca and fava beans, are grown on the island. Everything else comes from the mainland. We usually buy carrots, beets, onions, celery, broccoli, or whatever other vegetables are favored to make the soups more rich, or to make side dishes and to increase nutrition. 

Most of the greenhouses are arches, although some are more peaked roofs. The cover for the greenhouses is a yellow Agro film that lets in the right kind of light for plants. A large water tank was included with the insulation. When people have water, the tanks are filled and then they can water the greenhouses as necessary. Some households have not had enough water to keep their greenhouses going well. Others seem to have an amazing abundance.

Seeds were also included in the project. We’ve received gifts of beets and tomatoes as we visit lots of friends these first two weeks of our time here. Everyone seems to have lots of chard, which is not necessarily common in the diet here, especially in this quantity. 

The following are pictures of various greenhouses, including those with and without much water. 

Not much water for this greenhouse 

Not much water, but the aguaymanto (tomatillo family) is doing fine

Juan has enough water for a nice garden just outside his greenhouse as well