naturally yours…. or is it?

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away” they say. What if it’s the apple that takes u to the doctor? Highly unlikely you might think. My advice – Think again! Health consultants highly recommend fruits and salads in their prescriptions and we take the best advantage of the availability of the range of variety in the markets.

Ever given a thought before buying or eating that how are you getting fresh apples of Himachal in Mumbai and Oranges of Nagpur in Delhi? Fresh peas of Kinnaur in Banglore and coconut from Kerala in Chandigarh? Ripe fruits are not suitable to carry and distribute as they get rotten. So traders pick unripe fruits and use certain methods to increase their shelf life. For many years, ethylene had been used as a fruit ripening agent, but nowadays ethane, calcium carbide and ethephon are commonly used for faster ripening. Inappropriate use and long term exposure of these chemicals to ripen fruits is associated with many health hazards. Here is something that you can do to avoid exposure to such chemicals                             Wash your fruits and vegetables in a sink full of water in which a tablespoon of salt is added with a lime squeezed in it. Allow the fruits to float in the sink for 5-7 minutes before rinsing them with plain water and then draining them in a colander. Allow to dry and then consume. While selecting fruits, look for nail marks, punctures or powdered applications on the fruits. Do not pick fruits with any of the above signs. Buy produce closer to where it is grown– ‘Sabzi Mandi’ style Buy Seasonal fruits and vegetables. Grow your own – Wondering how? – Ask me!!!

food for thought

Should you be worried about pesticide residues in vegetables? They answer is ‘Yes!’ - Your diet may consist of toxic contaminants. Like alcohol and tobacco, pesticides are legal toxic products. Because they are legal does not mean they are safe. Studies link pesticide exposure to cancer, birth defects, stillbirth, infertility, and damage to the brain and nervous system (including Parkinson’s disease).

"Corn from my farm"

Rampant use of banned pesticides in fruits and vegetables continues to put at risk the life of a common man. Farmers apply pesticides such as chlordane, endrin and heptachor that can cause serious neurological problems, kidney damage and skin diseases Of the more than 800,000 species of insects known to exist, very few are harmful to plants, animals, or human beings. While pesticides offer some benefits, many question why they are still so widely used. Rather than killing insects, pesticides seem most effective at destroying human health. While it is nearly impossible to avoid exposure to pesticides completely, there are several things you can do to limit the amount you ingest through your food: Wash food with clean water before cooking or eating. Do not use soap. Peel if possible. Trim fat from meats; some pesticides collect in animal fat. Cook food. It helps reduce pesticide residues that aren't removable by washing or peeling. A Better alternative is to own your own farm. ‘How?’ - is what I am going to write in my next post.

my earliest ambition in life….

The earliest ambition as a child was to become a bus driver of a school bus.

I grew up in a small town of Himachal Pradesh called ‘Una’. Situated at the base of the Shivalik ranges, it resides in south west part of the state. It was amidst the legends of the temples, the holy Gurudwara, the Market yard, my home and my school that I spent my childhood. I am the youngest of four and by no means, like my other siblings would claim - a brat!

I was almost four when someone asked me what I wanted to become when I grew up. ‘A bus driver’ I said firmly. While others laughed, my mother only smiled at me, charmed by my high ambition in life (I thought). I had to explain further; ‘driver of a school bus’ said I; they laughed more. ‘They’ll never understand’ I though to myself and moved on

The school operated two buses on different routes to pick up most of the children. While the routes were different, we used to always meet the other bus at a chowk … and then the race began. Clutching hard on to the rail of the front seat, most of the children would enjoy the thrill of the ride. Sitting there, with all that noise around – some children screaming; some cheering; some even crying, the first ambition of my life took shape. The days when we won, I always used to salute our school bus driver - He was my hero. The days we lost I would sulk the entire day.

Like many of my other ambitions those that were yet to germinate in my mind… it was short-lived. Much later, the circus came to our town.... and then I wanted to become a bunny!

I am now - a farmer by accident!

… and this is the beginning of my story.