Supporters of OA Organics sometimes wonder why they are yet to get different types of vegetables regularly. This week you get to see just how much the farmers are doing daily and how much both the farm and the Orang Asli farmers have grown and changed!
Kale, sweet corns, pumpkins, brinjals, sweet potatoes, malabar spinach, and bitter gourds are growing well in the farm now. Also, the greenhouse leafy vegetables are looking great and ready to be transplanted. Checkout the OA Organics Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/groups/524819924374691/) for the thrice a week announcement on vegetables available, and pre-order online now at www.oaorganics.my.
One noticeable growth and change in the farm is women empowerment! The women farmers are more proactive and are displaying greater initiative. For example, Nor and Zirah, seeing how preoccupied the men were in setting up the greenhouse, decided they would fill in for them to spray insects. They each filled the backpack sprayers with 16 litres (16kg weight) of Effective Microbes to spray the plants and soil, going back and forth five times to complete the task. Also, the women attempted to help in other ‘manly’ tasks when they had some time to spare.
One unit of the greenhouse is ‘growing’ great too! Holes were dug for the greenhouse tanks, piping within the greenhouse was completed, and the submersible pumps were tested. A test run – pumping water through the entire system to check for loose seals causing leakages – was carried out too.
And the Orang Asli men continue to grow in their excitement and knowledge! Seeing how close they are to using the greenhouse, they were all ears when Errol, our Organic Consultant, briefed them on how the greenhouse works. They asked lots of questions, ranging from production to how the greenhouse system works to what to look out for.