The Los Manantiales farm, in the municipality of “Colombia,” is like a river of hope in which the dreams of a collective of workers and an entire town that appreciates the food harvested there come to fruition.

“Colombia,” Las Tunas.- It is just over 13 hectares that were unproductive, lost among marabou grass and weeds. But just a year ago, a transformation began that has not stopped, to the delight of the four permanent workers and the residents of the southern territory.

At the forefront of all the work is Jesús Rodríguez Lay, a man who has devoted himself body and soul to restoring the land for food production and who is already reaping the rewards in the form of grains, fruits, root vegetables, and vegetables, as well as the satisfaction of a mission accomplished.

"These are lands belonging to the Colombia Agroindustrial Company, and they serve the people because what is produced here is sold at the agricultural fairs held on Saturdays or used to improve the food available in the markets of the Family Care System."

“We are also involved in the Sustainable School Feeding collaboration project, which works with several external centers in the education sector, and we support vulnerable communities, work centers, and other entities, as decided.”

Every day, there are noticeable changes in “Los Manantiales,” except in the mangrove forest that defies time and, at midday, welcomes workers for a rest. There, under those trees, they finalize details, organize tasks, and set priorities.

"We work all the time to clean the areas and plant quickly so as not to waste time and increase yields. This is evident in what we have already harvested, which are a few items, such as sweet potatoes, cassava, chili peppers, onions, tomatoes, and cabbage."

“We have oxen to plow the land, and we spend the day hoeing and tending the crops. We often water at night or in the early morning because that's when we have electricity. The best thing is that we have turbines and a very good well on the farm. We are also waiting for a photovoltaic panel irrigation system.”

As the plants and crops grow, the collective's confidence grows because they prove that nothing is impossible when you want to turn idle land into productive land. The rewards come in the form of economic improvements for them and their families.

"Here we decided to work with great dedication, and that's why these lands are not like the ones we received. The workers are happy. They are from here, from the area, and they have seen the change. The commitment is that every day, this farm will move forward. Their salary almost always ranges between 12,000 and 14,000 pesos. But they have earned up to 20,000 pesos, depending on production and sales. They also have the opportunity to take some of the harvest home with them, which benefits their families and households.”

The spirit of transformation is always present among the workers. Initially, they built a modern greenhouse, which produces year-round, to guarantee the plants demanded by the farm itself, and the rest is sold to the Urban Farm.

"We didn't stop there. When the first secretary of the Party's Central Committee, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, was here, we committed to finishing the covered greenhouse to have vegetable production all year round. It is now complete, with the earthworks and the pumping system in place."

“We want to complete eight hectares of plantains and continue to change this. To do that, we need to increase the workforce, and the idea is to find more people here in the village. When we are complete, the results will be greater. You'll see.”

Springs are not always sources of water. Sometimes, as is the case with this farm in the municipality of Colombia, they are a spark that multiplies examples and attitudes. And they demonstrate that, no matter how difficult the circumstances, love and willpower can transform any space.