Martha Pérez Rodríguez

While in the markets and points of sale, the prices challenge the force of gravity, as well as the products are scarce, even disappearing from the family plate, two neighbors of Juanito Mora Street, in Puerto Padre, have productive hands in front of the treasure of the land. 

Puerto Padre, Las Tunas.- The different shades of green decorate the entrance of Martha Pérez Rodríguez's house. The vitality of the leaves speaks clearly about the commitment of those who take care of them.

"Here I have plump fruit, chunky banana, chives, garlic, and now there is less because the drought affected a lot, but with these rains, the plants are beginning to recover. We have to dedicate time to them because they have to be watered, keep the soil in good condition and eliminate weeds. We have harvested garlic, chives, and when we had corn and sunflowers, too," Martha's gaze, with flashes of undeniable pride, looks for complicity in that soil with her sweat.

Without any fear of revealing the source of abundance, the woman from Puerto Padre comments on the particularities of her agricultural practices. "It is a patio that has existed for a long time and is maintained according to the conditions we have, but there is always something sown. What makes the difference in a harvest is the care you give it, the love with which you sow and it comes back to you. It is very nice when you reap the fruits."

For his part, Delfín Edilio Bermúdez Pascual changed the country landscapes for the city air; however, the link with the crops found a place in the move.

"I have been planting in this patio for almost six years, if I had more space, I would plant more. You have to produce; you can't stay empty because you need it. For example, for some days now we have been cooking the viands that we collect here. In addition, we recently cut a chunky of 12 bunches and, with the current cost, how much I saved! I would like to have the same extension as in the past, we didn't have to buy anything."

With the will to get the most out of their gardens, Martha and Delfín provide a "breathing space" for the household economy. In a few meters, thanks to the impetus to get ahead, they find solutions to the questions of the kitchen, despite the dissimilar complexities of Cuban society in terms of food.