Corporal by nature, farming is a vigorous affair. However, far from finding the demands of such a routine challenging, the grower revels in this state.

In the course of farm operations, a farmer spends several hours each day, in the blazing sun or pouring rains. Just being with the crops, be it paddy, ginger, coffee, pepper or cardamom, is restorative. By watching over the plants, the farmer benefits directly from another life form that’s transforming continually.

Paddy Close to Harvest

The worry gripping a farmer when he notices a sick or dying plant is indeed obvious. The plant is nourished back to health and the farmer feels as satisfied as nursing to vigor an ailing child.

This symbiotic connection between farmer and plant is reciprocally a boon. The farmer comprehends what the crop needs for sustenance, be it light, fertilizers, pest and disease control, and provides for it. The payback corresponds to this. A well kept farm is indeed uplifting. The farm and its residents smile, reflecting the vivacity of the flourishing plants.

The farmer needs to create an ambiance where his ‘wards’, the plants, can sustain for the long term. His core intention and interest is best served only if he can achieve this objective. This is best accomplished by caring for nature and the environment. Such a positive atmosphere supports his crops, causing the farm populace to be more than optimistic, resulting in great benefits to both body and mind.

The landscape at the basic level can be undulating, whilst at more advanced levels, it can be steep.  During inclement weather, pathways in the farm can turn treacherous. Yet the elation the farmer feels when negotiating the irregular conduit is unique.

Surprise is hardly expressed when, farm residents waft up steep slopes. The human body copes easily with such harmless challenges on a farm. The workout one receives on a farm is several levels more intensive than any form of physical exercise we may yearn to achieve at a sports centre.

The bright sun, as it beams down during the hot months, nurtures the plants moderately. Trees can have a soothing effect. A foliating tree can display the most awe inspiring hues. Gardening is a passion with most farmers; the women have a deep love and understanding of plants, and have among the most glorious gardens.

Bananas, oranges, guavas, jackfruit, jamun, papaya, and avocado, grown around a farmer’s home, invite the residents to adopt a healthy menu. Vegetables grown on a very small scale ensure a fresh supply.

The Sun Shining Down on Coorg

There are pets in practically all households. Dogs napping on yards in front of homes, lost in their own worlds, inspire their owners to follow suit, helping calm the daily concerns that are beguiling as far as human nature is concerned.

Life on a farm is massive indeed.

Achayya Mukattira

Mr. Achayya Mukattira is a planter engaged in Corporate farming in South India for about a decade. He has worked with crops such as Tea, Coffee, Pepper, and Cardamom and possesses sound knowledge regarding landscaping and ornamental plant culture. He has been a farmer since 1996, tending a small ancestral coffee plantation in a village called Arapattu, in South Kodagu. He spends a major portion of his time on his farm and feels ‘one’ with nature during these occasions.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 14th, 2012 at 3:37 PM and is filed under Culture, Destination, Farming, Flora, Plantation. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.