What are You Doing on a Farm

One of the preferred activities on the farm is to harvest the produce. In our recent trip to the farm, we only got 1 guava and 2 limau kasturi (calamari lime). Actually, the guava fruit is not yet ripe but as we don’t go that often, we worry it will be like last round, the fruit became ripe and dropped to the ground. So this is the first guava fruit that we harvested. Long ago, there was starfruit and it is very sweet, but unfortunately the tree died.

Table of Content

Usual Activities on a Farm

Pests Control

Pest control is crucial in farming to protect crops, boost yields, and maintain farm health. Insects, rodents, and fungi can harm plants by eating their leaves, roots, stems, or fruits, which greatly lower crop yields. So it is one of the main and important activities on the farm.

We started this pest control after one of the guava trees was attacked by the pest. We suspect it is aphids which will leave behind their sticky residue. The guy that helps maintain the farm already sprays the pesticide but 2 weeks later when we check it, the pest is still there but much lesser. So we also spray again with our own pesticide, and cut down the small branches and leaves.

We prefer not to use commercial pesticides. Research shows that wood vinegar can be an effective alternative for pest control. It’s a natural pest control solution that repels pests and improves plant health and soil quality. It’s an excellent choice for organic farming and integrated pest management, aligning with sustainable agricultural practices. With proper use, it can reduce dependence on chemical pesticides and promote a healthier farm ecosystem.

So we sprayed some of the fruit trees with wood vinegar using a 20 liter manual pressure sprayer that we bought from Shopee. Wood vinegar needs to be mixed with water as using undiluted wood vinegar or overly strong concentrations can harm plants.

Weeding and Clearing

What are You Doing on a Farm — Durian trees and banana tree

Another activity is weeding and clearing the farm. This really takes time and energy, especially if you have a lot of fruit trees. We have to go tree by tree and remove all the surrounding weeds, cut off leaves that are already eaten by the pest. So we always try to start this as early as we can before it gets too hot under the sun. But it is really a good physical activity.

Fertilizing Trees

Fertilizing fruit trees is essential for their growth, productivity, and overall health. Fertilizing fruit trees ensures they receive the nutrients needed to grow healthy and productive. Regular and proper fertilization helps maintain soil fertility, boosts fruit quality, and extends the life of the tree. A well-nourished tree is not only more productive but also more resilient to challenges like pests, diseases, and environmental stressors.

The person we hired will apply fertilizer according to a specified schedule. But sometimes we also did it ourselves on top of it. We got our fertilizer from Shopee and below are the fertilizer that we are using.

Why is the list of fertilizers so long? Someone mentioned that continuously using the same fertilizer on a tree may reduce its effectiveness. We need to switch out the fertilizer. Another reason is because we are still learning, and trying different types of fertilizer.

Enjoying The Nature

Enjoying nature’s tranquility and peace surrounded by nature really calms the mind. On the recent trip, we noticed there are some small wild flowers on the farm. There are two types, and I did not take a photo of the 2nd one, which is while the middle is purple. There are also green plants that look strange and interesting.

And I always shout this to all my trees on the farm, guess what I shout? I told all my trees and plants, including grasses. 快高, 長大. If translated into English, it means it will quickly grow taller and bigger.

This post is part of Post-Retirement Journey.