Category Archives: Uncategorized

We came back to Switzerland just in time. Last night Robert’s father, Heinrich Stamm, 89, suffered a serious heart attack. All seven children were able to make it to his bed during the night to say their goodbyes. This morning … Continue reading →

Peanut butter – which one? Smooth or crunchy? There’s many there, including the Zambian natural peanut butters I like so much. I pick a smooth one, ‘It’s Wild’, which says “By buying this product you are supporting wildlife conservation and … Continue reading →

The old grandmother and I share the reed mat, our fingers deftly stripping the maize cobs. At first my kernels fly all over, the women laughing at my attempts. But then I get in the rhythm of it. It’s a … Continue reading →

The first thing I did at the Kitwe Provincial Agricultural Show was to get an HIV test done. That’s because Robert wanted to check out the tools and equipment at the Sandvik site , a Swedish company supplying industrial tools … Continue reading →

July (that’s his name) gave the most practical lesson on budgeting I have heard yet. We were with a group of small scale farmers in the Serenge area here in Zambia. “You have 50 bags of maize (corn),” July says. … Continue reading →

We’re visiting with our farm project leaders. “Do you remember Jennifer?” Jessy asks us. We do. We visited her field last year. She was one of the widows who received a small farming loan and we were impressed with what … Continue reading →

Before Christine Daka took the Foundations for Farming course at Masaiti, Zambia she was producing 400 bags (50 kilograms each) of maize on 10 hectares, a good average for a small scale farmer. Her first crop after the course produced … Continue reading →

I’m waiting for the rest of me to catch up with my body, which is in Nairobi, Kenya. Yesterday afternoon we were still in Switzerland. The last apple trees stood like brides among golden canola fields and blue sage blooming … Continue reading →

As we prepare to go back to Zambia for another short term (May 8 to June 25) our neighbour Hans tells me, “We’ve sent millions down to Africa. And what has it done?” It’s a comment we hear from many … Continue reading →

What is easier, to keep a family business going for 60 years or to stay married to the same person for 65? Last Sunday I attended two anniversaries. My in-laws, Heinrich and Emmi Stamm were married for 65 years on … Continue reading →