Thursday, 29 November 2012

Overcoming Obstacles

The weather has been so unpredictable lately. For the past few months, it was raining very heavily daily and it's only recently, that it rains intermittently.

During those days when it did not rain, we had our trustworthy friends who would daily go and water the vegetables as scheduled. It's been a good break for them now as the land is being watered by the heavens.

Each time after a downpour, puddles start to form, like vast seas for the millipedes, which would cling on for their dear lives on our vegetables. Some of our young seedlings did not survive the pelting of the rain and those which started to grow could not withstand too much water and their stems started to give way. Too much of anything, is not good for growth...

However, not all is doom and gloom. We managed to prepare a corn plot. In the pictures below, you can see Hock Keat deep in mud digging the plot. The soil is so soggy that each time the 'changkul' hits the ground, mud would splatter all over his body.

This is Hock Keat, our corn planter! He's not afraid
to get dirty as you can see.

Good friends working together. Thit Meng
passing the corn seedlings to Hock Keat.

The pumpkins that were growing had to be harvested very early because  the main vines were accidentally cut when the grass-cutters came to cut the grass.

The beautiful pumpkins and some had
to be harvested young.

Finally, our ingenious Uncle Fah Shin started digging ditches that helped drain the excess water from the land. There's hope!

Thank you, Uncle Fah Shin! You saved
the plants!

Then our long bean plant decided to give us more joy by doing exceedingly well.

Very sweet tasting beans.

On top of that, we discovered our Red Okra produced. It was only 2 weeks ago that it was planted on the ground... Felt like a miracle!

Our miracle!

Even one of the sticks that was used to prop up one of the okra plants began to sprout young leaves.

Budding stem!

Lastly, our Bhut Jolokia has  shown its fruit. This is one of the hottest chilli in the world, bound to bring tears to your eyes!

The chillies which you
must try!
We would also like to make note that we miss our Phui Yee who is now away in training for Teach For Malaysia! Come back soon! There will be a place here for you always!