A few weeks ago, two weeks to be precise, I assisted my mum in harvesting the cassava she had planted early last year. We had so much cassava that if we sold them, we would make a pretty good amount of money. But instead, we processed them. In just a few days, I learnt to make fufu, garri, starch, and lafu-elubo. These are very popular West-African foodstuff, and they are of cultural importance. I was very impressed, so I asked my mum to set a piece of the land for me, I’m about to start my own homestead.
Let me tell you a brief introduction about my expertise in the field of planting and harvesting:
The basic knowledge of agriculture and homesteading I have is all from academic schooling. Practically, no experience. I did Agricultural Science in my Primary and Secondary school, even my tertiary institution mandated it as a course for the whole freshman year. No department or faculty was exempted from the 2 unit course. I remember vividly we how murmured, law students especially. “We came to school to become lawyers, now look at us studying agricultural law” they would cry out.
And now, I was about to go into homesteading, my newly found hobby. Mum refused to give me part of the land she harvested he cassava, this is because she intend using the land again for this season. I wasn’t going to take “no” for an answer. So I walked around the house, practically everywhere had one plant or the other growing on it. Then finally, I sighted the only part of the house that has no green thing popping from it. It was a piece of land she reserved for visitors who wanted to pack their car- Well, we’ve not had any visitor used the land in a while and neither do we have a car. I had successful solved my first challenge. Then I came about the next road block- the land was very hard.
You can’t stop a determined man: Or should I say a enthusiastic homesteading hobbyist
We have had construction workers mixed mortar on the land few years ago and they left a rocky hard surface. I burrowed a digger from a neighbor and began working on the land, removing hard cement layers scattered around. I ended up making a potential farm out of the land in 5 hours.
Then I began pondering on what to plant on my land. All this while, I only fancied the idea of having a farm of my own, I forgot an important detail. Mum then suggested I planted cowpea and melon (egusi – Cucumeropsis mannii). Well, what of Cucumber and Ugwu (Fluted pumpkin – Telfaira Occidentalis? That’s was in my mind, but I couldn’t wait to source for the seeds. I am an impatient farmer who wanted to get his seed into the soil that very day.
Then I discovered something about myself, probably every human experience it but how would I know?
As I worked on my farm, lessons I was taught in agricultural classes starting coming back. I believed I had forgotten them, turns out they were lying dormant somewhere inside my brain- such big rooms I have in my cranium. I don’t know if this is peculiar to me or everyone experience lost memories showing up suddenly and occasionally.
One of the lessons from school I recalled was mulching- the application of a protective layer material on top of the soil. I know mulching will help keep my land moist, protect it from harsh sun rays and as we improve fertility of the soil. My mulching material was going to be the leaves and stem of mum’s cassava plant. She was going to burn the part she didn’t require of the cassava plant, but I reminded the effect of pollution (well, she is an accounting major, doing homesteading too as an hobby). That evening, I planted my cowpea in the three rows of ploughed land, and melon (egusi – Cucumeropsis manni) a row of ridge. In my picture, you would notice that I had five ridges row. I left the one with no crop yet because I plan to transplant tomatoes there (Well, I have been watching youtube videos and it’s really inspiring me. I built a nursery close to my farm where I planned tomatoes seed, they are yet to germinate though.
This morning, I decided why not share this with hivers
Before now, occasionally, I visit the Agricultural Mindset community to learn and read about people’s farm. Luckily, I find articles by Africans which I can relate with well- you know crops differ from place to place, and so does the weather. I took pictures of my homestead- the five ridges and its environs- and also my sprouted cowpea (now five days old).
So what are my subsequent plans? And what do I wish to venture into?
I’m so proud of myself first for working the land my siblings also discouraged me from using. It turns out that determination can really bring the best out of you and that the hands are capable of beautifying things. Secondly, I am glad I have a new hobby, one I have always desired, after woodwork though. My plans now is to maintain my farm using every tool I can. I am getting acquainted with diseases that affect the crops I plant, their prevention and cure. I am also learning how to enhance productivity. My goal is to be as efficient as possible. I’ve laid down lumbers into the ground because I plan to build a trellis for my vines, most especially my tomato vines. You can see that this is work in progress, I’m really taking my farm serious. And not to worry, you won’t be left out as I’d do well to update you. (Do well to follow me for updates).
Image Source:
External Images: These are gotten from pixabay and under the public domain.
Personal Images: *Every other images in this post was taken and edited using my Tecno Spark 4 smartphone.
Rear camera: 13 MP + 2 MP Triple
Front camera: 5 MP
Original content by me, @Damzxyno Da Lord, Thanks for stopping by!