If you are a gardening enthusiast but doubt you know the proper ways or you are someone who has always loved greenery but could never really figure out how to go about planting your own garden, the bi-monthly event “Day at the Farm” may be just what you need. From learning how to tend to your plants and understanding what plants might work for you to a chance to buy some locally grown organic vegetables, this is a day that will teach you all things you ever wanted to know about gardening.
Praful Shrestha and Kushal Basnet, both nature enthusiasts themselves, are behind this five-hour long program that aims to connect with your nature while teaching you a thing or two about growing different plants. The two own an organic farm at upper Kirtipur, in Bista Gaun. Up in the hills and in a fairly secluded terrain, the farm specializes in growing tomatoes, pumpkin, and cucumber.
“We realized that just growing tomatoes is a lot of work, especially when you are growing it in bulk. But the process was fun, from the planting to anticipating its growth and finally harvesting it,” says Praful. They decided that sharing this experience with a larger number of people and involving them in all stages of the plantation processes would be a great way to educate people about vegetation. “After all, there’s nothing like seeing your produce grow right before your eyes. There’s also a different kind of satisfaction to consuming what you grow in your own garden,” adds Praful.
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So on May 25 this year, the event will begin at 7:00 am in the morning and is expected to end right before noon. The first hour of the program will be devoted to touring the farm and explaining what all is produced there. The explanations will be provided by the local farmers themselves who have worked on that particular plot of land for years and thus know the landscape and soil better than anyone else. “Farmers work with their intuition so we thought that having them interact with the participants would be highly beneficial,” explains Praful.
Following the tour, participants will learn the basics of home gardening – from bed preparation to tending the plants, there’s a lot of digging and planting to be done. The purpose of this segment of the event is to make people aware of the many ways in which they can bring in a little green into their living spaces. Praful says gardening is possible even if you are living in a matchbox-size space – it’s really about picking the plants you would like to surround yourself with and figuring out how to nurture it.
Although this is only the second edition of “Day at the Farm”, they have further plans to introduce a session on indoor plantation to teach people how to create an environment suitable for plants to grow and thrive in. For more details, you can check their Facebook page “KTM Farmers” or contact them on viber. “We’re trying to contain the groups as far as we can so the session can be intimate and informative,” says Praful adding that there’s a lot to look forward to at the event.
However, since the work entails getting your hands dirty (quite literally), it’s best that you bring some gear to the farm. Cap, sunglasses, water bottle, sturdy shoes, sunscreen, and reusable shopping bag are some things you might want to have at hand.
The event’s purpose is for people to spend a day away from the city (and all the hustle and bustle) and spend some time with nature. But along the way you also develop an understanding about the various requirements and ways of raising a plant. You will also learn how to use the space available to you and how you can regularly tend to it. And, at the end of the day, you make take away some organic vegetables grown at the farm itself. All in all, a promising Saturday!
What
Day at the Farm (Farm visit, learning the basics of gardening, understanding plantation, shopping for organic vegetables)
When
May 25, 2019 from 7:00 am to 11:00 am
Where
Kirtipur, Bista Gaun
