Did the title surprise you?
The success story of a retired school teacher caught my attention. A program about her was aired on Doordarshan's Krishi Darshan recently.
After retiring from teaching, Rema Bhai decided to turn to farming.
How did she go about it?
source
The teacher first set up fifty drums on her terrace. Then she filled it up halfway with compost, cowdung manure, waste and dried leaves along with goat manure too. She then dug a pole in the middle. Then she dug two saplings of Dragon fruit and tied them to the pole. The saplings were watered, and she had also made sure that the drums had small holes to drain off the excess water during rainy season.
After about six months, she harvested a lot of dragon fruits that were organically grown, and it became an instant success story that not only gave her a steady income but also inspired many young farmers.
She has also planted more saplings on nearby land. After hearing about her success in fruit farming, many young farmers took to dragon fruit farming. The fruits that are organically harvested are sold to shops and also through online websites. People are ready to pay more if they are assured of chemical-free food. Also, dragon fruits are healthy and gaining popularity. People had to pay exorbitant prices to buy these fruits but the availability in local shops has brought down the price and also more locals can buy it easily.
The teacher has proved that dragon fruit farming is suitable for Indian soil and climate. So, if you are interested in growing fruits that do not need pesticides and other poisonous additives, you can start with a plastic drum with just dry leaves, compost, and coco peat and grow a sapling. Even if you do not have land, it is not a problem.
If there is a will, there is a way, and you can do it if you set your mind to it.
Happy farming
