Alfalfa, sheep and goats: how an oasis farm fits together

An oasis farm is a system. The palms give shade, the shade protects the alfalfa, the alfalfa feeds the sheep and goats, and the animals give manure that goes back to the palms.

Alfalfa (“el fessa” in Tunisian Arabic, “la luzerne” in French) is a hardy, protein-rich fodder that can be cut several times a year. It also improves the soil.

Water is the limit of everything in the desert, so every drop is used more than once: irrigation, fodder, and even fish ponds, which we will talk about in a future post.

This is the kind of balance we want to protect and show.