Last week I went out with Palesa and Nthabileng, two of my counterparts with Katleho 'Moho Association, to see farmers' fields. We are wanting to measure each farmer's field with particular focus on how much is being grown. Mostly, everyone is producing wheat, corn, and potatoes on a large scale. There are also a lot of peas and people are preparing to plant cabbage for their fall crops.

More than anything that amazes me is the distance people will travel to get to their fields. Walking three or four miles up and around mountains to get to the fertile lands that spot the local area is the norm.

For example, Me' Mathuso's one field has to be a solid three miles away from her place in Polateng village. The field is set within a small convergence of fertile land at the base of two large mountains above a tributary stream to the Maletsunyane river. Her four of her seven plots are filled with the progressively browning wheat which has almost reached maturity. The other three upper plots are filled with half-heartedly germinated corn deterred by the mild summer weather and a late rainy season. Another of her fields has a better stand of corn and yet another field is split with a stand of peas and a plot of potatoes. Three fields in all are under her care and each is equally far from her responsibilities to care for three children at home as a single mom. These children's health and stability this year, like each before, depends on the success of the harvests from these fields. All around her house she has gardens with spinach, swiss chard, beets, onions, and squash. Anything she can produce is one more thing that keeps her children fed and protects them from the hunger pains of winter.

I am impressed.