The Supermarket Garden

Mrs. Sifunda was distressed.

She stood anxiously in the doorway of the house, looking down the road with squinted eyes to see if anyone was coming.

Late last night she had received notice that her husband’s relatives would be arriving from the city.

They would expect a good meal.

She had no vegetables and no cooking oil in the house.

She had only a little bit of chicken.

There was not enough food to prepare a good meal.

Now, in the distance, she could see her daughter, Anna, running towards her.

SOUND OF FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING QUICKLY.

Hello Mother! We stayed late at school today. There was a big celebration to honour the founders of the school.

I’m glad you had a good time. You seem happy.

Yes, it has been a good day. But Mother — you have a worried look.

Auntie Gladys and Uncle Meka are arriving tomorrow morning and there is very little food in the house. I have a little money, but not enough to get to the market.

Wait Mother. That gives me an idea. I am going to go shopping! Right here in this village! Good-bye Mother …

But wait Anna! You don’t have any money….

SOUND OF DOOR SHUTTING.

But Anna was gone.

Anna walked quickly down the road.

Past the neighbour’s house and then past the school.

She walked to the other side of the village.

She didn’t stop … until … she reached the house of her friend, Mr. Zulu.

She had arrived at a special supermarket.

MUSICAL BREAK.

SOUNDS OF A FOREST GARDEN (BIRD’S SINGING).

Anna has arrived at the supermarket.

It is the garden beside Mr. Zulu’s house.

She can see Mr. Zulu snoozing under the shade of a coconut palm, at the edge of his forest garden.

That’s what Mr. Zulu calls it — the forest garden.

And it is true that the garden reminds Anna of the real forest — but it’s so close to the village, right beside Mr. Zulu’s house!

Just like a natural forest, the garden has several different layers of plants.

If you look closely you can see the layers — like the many shelves of a supermarket.

On the top layer — the top shelf — there are coconuts and fruits such as mango, avocado, and jackfruit.

On the shelf below that are loquats and persimmons growing on medium-size trees.

Under these — on the third shelf from the top — are even smaller trees — limes, lemons, guavas, bananas, papayas.

The bananas grow well in the clearings between the taller trees.

Throughout the garden you will also find vines — vanilla and passion fruit winding around the trunks of the garden trees.

In the clearings, on the garden floor, Mr. Zulu has planted sweet potatoes, cassava and beans.

Anna knows there are different kinds of spices growing too, such as lemon grass, and trees that will be harvested for firewood.

Anything you need, Mr. Zulu has it in his supermarket garden with all the shelves — firewood, flowers, spices, fruits, building wood, thatch, oils and sugar.

Mr. Zulu is waking up because he has heard Anna’s footsteps.

Anna — is that you?

Greetings Mr. Zulu. Are you well?

(In a sleepy voice) Greetings Anna. Yes, I am well, thank-you. How is your mother?

:My mother has a problem. That is why I am here. Father’s relatives are coming to visit from the city. We haven’t seen them for a long time. Mother wants to make them very welcome. But she doesn’t have enough food to provide them with a good meal. Can you help, Mr. Zulu?

Of course, Anna. Come and choose what you need. To start, there are many fruits for juices — coconut, papaya, mango and orange. Or perhaps you would prefer to serve tea made with lemon grass? And I recently collected sap from my wild date palm trees — you know you can make sugar from the sap — so you can even have sugar for your tea.

For your dinner your mother can serve sweet potatoes with fried bananas. See that grove of banana trees? Go along and pick some. Meanwhile I will harvest some sweet potatoes.

In the house I have oil from the palm trees — perhaps your mother needs some cooking oil.

Your relatives will have a fine meal.

FADE IN CHEERFUL MUSIC AND HOLD QUIETLY UNDER DIALOGUE.

And Anna’s mother did prepare a delicious meal for the city visitors.

Anna left Mr. Zulu’s house with a big bag full of fruits and vegetables.

Later in the day Mr. Zulu sent another bag with the sugar and oil that Anna had requested.

There is probably no need to tell you that Mr. Zulu and his forest garden had saved the day.

And the visitors commented that it was good luck to have a supermarket so near!

MUSICAL BREAK.

Why not start a supermarket in your backyard?

A forest garden can provide you with food, medicine, firewood and thatch.

MUSIC FADES IN WITH SOUND OF ANNA SINGING.

There’s a market in my village
It’s the forest at the end of the road
You can get everything from the shelves of the forest garden:
Fruit juice and coconuts and spices on the vines
The tree roots, leaves, nuts, and fruits
Are medicines for you.
Fruits and nuts, oil, furniture and thatch!
All from the garden patch!