“Agriculture is our wisest pursuit because it will in the end contribute most to real wealth, good morals and happiness.” – Thomas Jefferson.
In the five months since the COVID-19 pandemic confined people to their homes, individuals have attempted to revive old passions or tried their hands at something new. It’s impressive to see various people's incredible talents and passions – skills that might have otherwise remained buried under the daily grind of a workaholic’s life, characterized by nothing more than frequent flier miles!
In this three-part blog series, I will share the not-so-risky adventures I embarked upon during the pandemic. We are approaching the end of these unprecedented times, and I hope the Universe grants us our prayers!
Agriculture or farming comes naturally to the human race. As Yuval Noah Harari says in his book Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, “All this changed about 10,000 years ago when Sapiens began to devote almost all their time and effort to manipulating the lives of a few animal and plant species. From sunrise to sunset, humans sowed seeds, watered plants, plucked weeds from the ground, and led sheep to prime pastures. This work, they thought, would provide them with more fruit, grain, and meat. It was a revolution in how humans lived – the Agricultural Revolution.”
I experienced the sheer joy of preparing the soil, sowing seeds, watching them sprout and grow, nurturing them, and finally tasting the fresh food they yielded. This has been my story over the last four months, and I would be remiss not to mention the benefits of the experience. I have highlighted these in the following table.
Some of my friends have inspired me to start farming; a few have made this an alternate career and been successful. There are also a few who have mastered indoor gardening, and I am eager to learn the skills and techniques required to yield year-round fresh vegetables!
For those of you who have yet to try this or think they cannot do it, you are wrong! Whether in an apartment, townhouse, or a single-family home, you can plant and grow your favorite vegetables in your own space. Try it and fill your plates with farm-fresh vegetables!
Here are some of the enjoyable moments from my summer.
- Harari, Yuval N. 2014. Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind. London: Harvill Secker.
- Image Source: Grabowska, Karolina. April 2020. Green hose watering delicate growing plants. Photograph. https://www.pexels.com/photo/green-hose-watering-delicate-growing-plants-4207905/.
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