We were invited for dinner at our friend's home at Woodlands. It was lovely to know that the veggies cooked for the dinner was from their backyard. Traditional Kerala dinner served to us was so delicious. Being a chilled night I was not able to visit their backyard after dinner. The very next morning I just stepped out and grabbed the pictures. Wow, it is maintained like a 'Sacred Grove'. In India Government, NGOs and people promote sacred groves to make the environment sustainable. Some of the measures are use of efficient, eco-friendly technologies and adoption of indigenous practices.
Here the beautiful family had given due importance to the cultivation and production of organic fruits and vegetables for their own, for their friends and to distribute seeds to their community.
The utilisation of their backyard is an eye opener to all their friends and relatives and a real inspiration to others who visit their backyard. It gives physical activity, cooking farm fresh vegetables, eat more fresh fruits and assure quality produce for your family. Initial effort is a little bit tedious for setting your backyard garden. Once you are ready with your soil contaminant free and fertile, ample sunlight, access to water, quality seeds, organic compost and the eco-friendly tactics of cultivation you are in the right track.
You can't be away from the fun of gardening with your family and the pride of having your own backyard grown produces. You are taking part in conserving the environment saving significant amounts of fossil fuel and reducing the carbon emissions by avoiding transportation and mowing your backyard. Gardening improves your health by the physical activities such as enjoying sunshine, spending time in fresh air, observing the growing stages of the plants, caring the plants and the contentment of having quality foods for the whole family. Gardening helps to relax and stay stress free. Kids at home also learn about nature and involve in gardening and maintain nice relationship with environment and mother earth.
The backyard garden at Woodlands have oranges, sapota, lemons, lime, snake gourd, ash gourd, bitter gourd, little gourd, pumpkin, beans, long beans, tomato, lady's finger, egg plant, cucumber, chilli, bird's chilli, drumstick, pulses, carrot, curry leaf, plantains, spinach, elephant foot yam, colocasia and other yams.
I am sure the list is incomplete. Not only the fruits, the leaves, flowers, roots and stem are also edible. Care should be taken to harvest in the right time.
Since the winter is on the harvest is almost completed. They have pickled lime, lemon, carrot, bitter gourd and ginger. They had processed the vegetables year around such as frozen, pickling, chutney, sun dried veggies ready to fry, jam and syrups.
The love bird's was an added value to their backyard. They love to chat with the family members. Kids love to look after them and talk to them.
The ambience of the backyard is so lovely. In the evenings no doubt we can easily do the pranayama and meditation in the backyard enjoying the fresh air and fresh breeze.
Hat's off to the lovely idea, great effort and positive approach of the beautiful family for the past ten years.
Thanks a lot for the farm fresh vegetable kit to us.
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